Volunteering for charitable organizations builds character. The good we do requires significant resources, financial and human, so helping hands are always welcome. In Reading, PA, you’ll find few charities more worthy of your time than Opportunity House.
Introducing Opportunity House
Opportunity House is a homeless shelter that aims to help clients overcome their challenges in gaining and sustaining their own homes. Our intent is to empower people to improve their lives, and we offer a range of services with this intent in mind, including:
- Emergency housing for men and women and families with children
- Services for gaining and sustaining stable housing
- Early childhood education e via Second Street Learning Center
- Community garden and food pantry
- OppShop retail thrift store
Join the Community of Volunteers
If you’re interested in volunteering your time with Opportunity House, there are many ways to help. We rely on the community for many of our efforts, offering a range of roles for volunteers to find the best-fit spot where they can serve.
Supply and Serve a Meal – Gather a small group of fellow employees, church members, or others; choose a day; plan a meal; and deliver. It’s up to you whether you drop off the food or prepare it in our kitchen and serve it. We welcome children aged ten and up, so this opportunity is excellent for families hoping to teach their children the importance of helping others.
Serve on a Committee – The various fundraising events we hold over the year must be planned, managed, and implemented. We offer a range of events, including the Souper Bowl; Wine, Women, and Shoes; Golf Outing; and Garden Party, so there’s a committee for every interest.
Offer a Day of Service – We welcome your assistance if you can hold a paintbrush, sweep a floor, rake leaves, or stock merchandise. It takes many hands to maintain our facilities and serve our clients, and we can work with you to schedule a day filled with tasks.
Spend Time Working at OppShop – The OppShop thrift store in Reading is a lifeline to support the mission of Opportunity House. Here again, we rely on volunteers to sort items and stock shelves. Without you, fewer profits from the store could go to fulfill the shelter’s mission.
Volunteering is Personally Rewarding
Volunteering to help others blesses those who serve as much as it does those served. Do a good deed when you feel isolated, discouraged, and pessimistic. You’ll find yourself in a more positive frame of mind. Not only will you feel a surge of good feelings, but you’ll also foster connections within the community, learn about people different from you, and develop a stronger sense of compassion, something we could all use.
Donate your time to helping families meet their basic needs, and see the powerful benefits you’ll gain. Opportunity House, a critical housing shelter for the homeless, supplies a range of volunteering opportunities in Reading, PA.
