Human Solutions could not do the work we do without the support of our dedicated volunteers! Thank you for helping us help others to help themselves.

Human Solutions appreciates your interest in volunteering to assist homeless or low-income families struggling to keep a roof over their heads and find a living wage job. Our organization offers many different programs working with different populations.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Family Winter Shelter -This shelter is open during the winter months, beginning November 1st, to provide sleeping space for families who are not able to find any safe place to get out of the cold (up to 60 individuals). This is a “low-barrier” shelter, meaning there are not a lot of requirements to be able to get in. It is filled each night on a first-come, first-served basis. Location: near 122nd and Halsey.

We are currently looking for on-call volunteer hosts to help assist overnight staff. To read more about this click here.

Volunteers from the community work at the Winter Shelter to help receive and sort clothing donations, set up, serve and distribute donated non-perishable foods, bring hot meals, and play with children or assist staff in other ways. If you would like to volunteer for the Winter Shelter email Amie Diffenauer or call 503-256-2280.

Auction Procurement Committee - This committee is designed to help aid the development team in procuring auction items for our Spring Auction. If you have experience working with fundraisers or events and would like to work with a fun and innovative group of volunteers please contact Sara Fisher at 503-548-0253 or email her at sfisher@humansolutions.org

The four basic areas of service to the community are:

Homeless Services—for families currently with no place to live, sleeping in their car, or on the couch at a relative’s house or camping outside. We have an emergency Daybreak Shelter network of churches that provide overnight accommodations and one church that provides a Day shelter where these families (up to 15 individuals only) can get assistance to find permanent housing. Location: near 122nd and Market.

We also have a Warming Center open in the winter months, beginning November 1st, to provide sleeping space for families who are not able to find any safe place to get out of the cold (up to 60 individuals). This is a “low-barrier” shelter, meaning there are not a lot of requirements to be able to get in. It is filled each night on a first-come, first-served basis.  Location: near 122nd and Halsey.

Volunteers from churches or other organizations provide meals on a rotating regular basis in the Daybreak church facilities, and spend time with the families to support their efforts to find employment and permanent housing. If you are part of a congregation that might like to become a network member, you can email Amie Diffenauer or call 503-256-2280.

Volunteers from the community work at the Warming Center to help receive and sort clothing donations, set up, serve and distribute donated non-perishable foods, play with children or assist staff in other ways. If you would like to volunteer for the Warming Center email Amie or call 503-256-2280.

Safety Net Services—Energy Assistance, Rent assistance, supported housing programs for families trying to avoid homelessness or transitioning from homelessness to housing.
These programs don’t have volunteers assisting very often, although as the winter weather approaches, we might need some volunteers to help with the long lines of families applying for energy assistance. We’ll keep you posted on that.

Resident Services—for families living in one of our 14 apartment complexes in Mid or East Multnomah County. There are special programs for Russian-speaking, Somali-speaking, and Spanish-speaking residents, as well as programs for English-speaking families. These include classes in money management, being a good renter, English language classes, Homework clubs for children, computer classes, and more. Each complex is a community of families that share a courtyard and plan activities together from time to time.

Volunteers can assist by mentoring children from elementary through high school age with schoolwork showing up to be a support person and resource to them in their Homework Club. And if you are willing to invest enough time to build a relationship with an adult, there are opportunities for mentors who can teach budgeting for family finances and assistants who can help people understand how to keep their apartments clean enough to pass inspections. This work can be very satisfying, but takes time and repeat contact with the same family or individual.

There are also opportunities for a group to put on a party (for example, a Halloween party) at one of the communities. Size of our apartment complexes ranges from 12 units to 97 units. Parties or events are always appreciated and can be done on a one-time basis by a small or larger group.

To volunteer for Resident Services email Fran or call 503-548-0233. She will talk to you about what you want to do and connect you with the appropriate staff or resident. Locations are in mid and East Multnomah County.

Employment Services—several programs for people from specific backgrounds, or living in specific areas, and for general employment in Green Jobs. This is an area that is growing in our organization. We could use some mentors for individuals learning how to search for a living wage job. Volunteers would meet weekly with a client to support the work they have been doing with one of our employment specialists. We would also like to offer some workshops about how to fill out applications online, how to successfully interview and other job readiness topics including improving self esteem of job seekers. If your expertise is in this area, please email Scott Langen or call 503-548-0252.

We also need volunteers in non-program areas that support our social services staff:

Administrative Office Volunteers—The Admin Department needs clerical help from time to time, with various projects, from copying to filing and sweeping the back stairs. We are looking forward this fall to a move of nine staff to offices across the street and there might be some work packing and unpacking items that will be moved.

Fundraising/ Special Events Volunteers—The Development Department produces multiple fundraising events during each year and utilizes volunteers at every level, from members of the planning committee, to promotional, marketing assistance ahead of time, to procurement of auction and raffle items, to day of the event volunteers on site. We need photographers, graphic designers, event planners, and other creative artists who might like to work with us to create our events, or might like to create their own event as a benefit for Human Solutions. We can support YOU to do that.

Human Solutions’ Fundraising events this year include: Lunch on The House at the end of October (in two locations—The Benson Hotel and Persimmon Country Club, Gresham), a Michael Allen Harrison concert in December, an Epiphany Choir concert in January, a spring auction in March, a Tea & Treasures garden party in May, and a Volunteer recognition event in April, May or June.

In addition, we will host a Holiday Store for low-income families in early December (preparation and planning in October-November), where they can take presents for no cost to meet needs of their family members. Volunteers are needed to assist with procurement and helping families “shop” to get the appropriate items for their needs.

Tasks in Fundraising can be as varied as entering names into a spreadsheet, creating mailing labels, stuffing envelopes and sticking stamps on them, looking up addresses on the web to put into a spreadsheet, doing a mail merge appeal letter, creating signage for events, calling to solicit donations of auction items or holiday store items. Some things can be done at night or on weekends; other tasks are needed during working hours on weekdays. To volunteer for Administration and Events email Sara Fisher or call 503.548.0253. Location is 12350 SE Powell Blvd.

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