With over 18,000 volunteers annually, InnVision Shelter Network depends on the generous time and talent of our community to help homeless families and individuals return to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Below is a variety of ways you can engage with IVSN to support our mission of ending homelessness. Download the Volunteer Flyer.
Sign Up to Volunteer
For San Mateo County
Register online, or contact Lynnelle Bilsey, Senior Volunteer Manager, at 650-685-5880 ext 125 / lbilsey@ivsn.org
For Santa Clara County
Register online, or contact Erika Sutton, Community Partnership Program Coordinator, at 408-510-7114 / esutton@ivsn.org
Volunteer Opportunities
For Groups, Youth & Individuals
Organize Donations | IVSN receives daily donations of clothing, food, household goods, toys, office supplies, and more. These in-kind donations are given directly free-of-charge to the clients in our programs and are critical to their success. Volunteers organize donations and help clients find the items they need for themselves and their families.
Prepare and/or Serve Meals | IVSN relies on volunteers to prepare and serve meals at many of our facilities throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Group volunteers are particularly needed to serve weekend meals to our single adults, and individual volunteers are needed daily to serve as Kitchen Crew, Meal Server, Hospitality Provider, and other key roles supporting the food service program.
Teach a Life Skills Workshop* | Education is the key to our clients’ success. Volunteers teach valuable life skills during on-site classes and workshops, empowering our clients with tools and resources for ongoing self-sufficiency. Workshop topics include financial literacy, budgeting, nutrition, resume writing, interview skills, parenting, and more.
Maintain and Beautify Our Facilities | IVSN prides ourselves in providing clean, dignified housing to the families and individuals in our programs. Energetic volunteers provide generous time and effort to maintain and beautify our facilities. Projects include gardening, cleaning, home improvement, painting, landscaping, and more.
Stage Transitional Apartments* | When families move out of IVSN’s transitional apartments into permanent housing, volunteers help spruce up the units for the next family to move in within 24-48 hours. Volunteers use donated household items to stage the apartments, making them warm and welcoming for our new residents.
Host a Community Party | Community parties provide a fun, engaging experience for our clients struggling with the challenges of homelessness. Volunteer groups and individuals are invited to plan Birthday Parties for the children, host a Movie Night, throw a festive Holiday Party, or plan a Picnic & Games event at a local park.
Host a Donation Drive | IVSN’s programs and services are made possible by generous donations from the community. Help IVSN serve those most in need by sponsoring a financial or in-kind donation drive at your school, work, recreation center, congregation, book club, or other social network.
Tend the Organic Garden | Volunteers are needed to maintaining the organic garden at IVSN’s Haven Family House in Menlo Park. The garden provides fresh fruits and vegetables to families living at IVSN. Join the Volunteer Garden Coordinator and help dig, weed, plant, and harvest the garden.
*For adults only
For Youth & Individuals
Tutor Children and Youth | Tutors are critical to supporting the children and teens in our programs with their academic assignments. Volunteer tutors support students in the computer labs and children’s centers, helping them succeed in their education while their parents search for housing and employment.
Lead Children’s Program Activities | Do you love children? Become a Children’s Activity Leader! These volunteers work with IVSN’s Children’s Services Coordinators to supervise and conduct playtime activities for the children at our family facilities. Activities include arts and crafts, reading, computer time, group play, storytelling, and more.
Staff a Summer Camp | IVSN’s summer camps offer nurturing and creative activities for our children during the summer, allowing their parents to continue to work or find employment while their children are cared for. Volunteers serve as camp counselors to plan fun, educational activities and field trips.
Outreach to the Community | IVSN relies on our community to help spread the word about the services we provide to homeless families and individuals. Assist our Development and Marketing teams by attending a volunteer fair or corporate partner event as a representative of InnVision Shelter Network.
Provide Office Assistance | Volunteers are needed for a variety of administrative projects, such as donor database assistance, office supply organization, research projects, copying and filing. Join the administrative team for a day or for an entire summer internship, and see the behind-the-scenes leadership at IVSN.
Join a Support Committee* | Support Committees are the core volunteer leaders of InnVision Shelter Network. Their focus is to support the needs of specific shelters, so that the staff are better able to serve clients on their journey back to permanent housing. Support Committees perform a wide range of activities, from hosting donation drives, to planning holiday parties, to creating first aid kits. This is the perfect opportunity for volunteers who want a rewarding, long-term engagement working directly with the staff and clients at our transitional facilities.
*For adults only