Neighbors Needed! Epiphany Wants You!
Epiphany has some volunteer opportunities that may scratch that spiritual itch!
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Meal Hospitality
Do you remember the days when Epiphany volunteers staffed an overflow overnight shelter at Christie House? Were you one of them? Do you miss chatting – or just being – with our homeless brothers in a ministry of presence? Epiphany, like other churches, fields a regular cooking and serving team at Operation Nightwatch’s dispatch center in the International District. This is a vital and necessary service. But such teams are always on the other side of the cafeteria counter from the clients. That counter can seem like a wall between our two worlds, and we can each see only so much of the other over a wall. Now volunteers can be present with our unhoused brothers and sisters as they come in from the streets for a break and a meal. The Meal Hospitality Volunteers are available to the clients if they have requests for socks or toiletries or just feel the need to chat with someone. Otherwise, volunteers carry a jug of water and ask folks if they want their cups refilled while they’re eating: probably the only time they are ever politely served anything. Merely being there sends a message of hope and fellowship.
Time commitment for an evening: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Requirements:
- Fill out Volunteer Application.
- Attend one of the monthly Volunteer Orientations (second Fridays).
- Spend an evening “shadowing” one of the existing Hospitality ministers to get the lay of the land.
- Must be 16 years of age or older.
Shelter Drivers
Drive our homeless brothers and sisters from the Dispatch Center to our two off-site shelters in one of our new 12-person Ford Econoline vans, “Rick” and “Ann.” Every night, ONW clients assemble at the Dispatch Center to be transported with their boxed meals (prepared by the evening’s cooking and serving team) to Julia’s Place in Madrona (Men) and Donna Jean’s Place in Capitol Hill (Women). Sometimes laundry and trash need to be shuttled between sites as part of the trip, too. Each evening involves two to four round trips, depending on how full the shelters are.
Time commitment for an evening: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Requirements:
- Fill out Volunteer Application.
- Attend one of the monthly Volunteer Orientations (second Fridays).
- Spend an evening “shadowing” one of the existing drivers to familiarize yourself with the procedures.
- Must have a driver’s license and be comfortable driving at night.
Frequency for these Operation Nightwatch Ministries
Our aim at Epiphany is to identify one night a week – tentatively Tuesdays – when we would provide at least one driver and hopefully an additional hospitality volunteer from our roster of Epiphany volunteers. The more people sign up, the lighter the load and the greater the flexibility for any particular volunteer.