For Shelter call Intake 716-939-0926

For Existing Volunteers - Schedule-Calendar.

For NEW Volunteers:

There are a wide variety of volunteer opportunities at Lockport CARES. This includes cooking, cleaning, staffing the shelter and grounds keeping and maintenance. And of course, we always need people who are willing to pray!  All volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Younger people may assist but they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

NOTE: Due to our size, we are not able to fulfill all community service hours requests.

Below is a description of the various volunteer opportunities available. You can download our volunteer application form by clicking here.  All volunteers are required to pass a background check. (Please click on the hyperlink, print and complete).  If you would like more information about our ministry, please email us at info@lockportcares.org.

Staffing the Shelter: There is no better way to really understand the plight of the homeless and make a difference in their lives than by volunteering to staff the shelter. We have a variety of different shifts available to meet your schedule. Even if you can only donate a few hours per week, you will find the experience to be rewarding and insightful. You will be paired up with an experienced volunteer who will help you learn the ropes.
 

Meal Ministry: We provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening snack each and every day for our guests. Breakfast and lunch are prepared by the volunteers who are working during each shift. Dinners are coordinated by our Meal Ministry Coordinator and are brought in by volunteers each night. We are always looking for volunteers to bring a dinner once a month for our guests. 

Grounds & Maintenance: Being an older house, there is never a shortage of projects at the shelter. If you have light carpentry skills, landscaping skills or just love tinkering around the house, then there is a job for you! We welcome you to come help make our house a home to the homeless.

Cleaning: We pride ourselves on having a clean and safe environment for our guests. We are always in need of people who can help with the everyday general cleaning as well as special cleaning projects such as organizing closets, washing windows, etc. 

Office Work: There are plenty of things that you could do to help keep us organized, from filing paperwork to mailing out letters. If you love organizing and have office skills, then there is certainly a place for you here, even if you have limited time to spare. Let us know what your skills are and we'll help you use them to benefit the homeless in Western New York.

Guest Intake Screening: One of our most pressing volunteer needs is for people to manage our telephone intake process. The first step in a homeless person’s relationship with Lockport CARES is a telephone conversation with our Intake Screener. The role of the screener is to hear the needs of the homeless person, comfort them in their distress, and determine if Lockport CARES is the appropriate place for them to stay. We train our call screeners and provide a definite set of criteria for making these intake decisions. What we need are people with a heart for Christ, good judgment, conversation skills, and the availability to carry and answer the Intake cell phone.