Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers play a critical role at Cathedral Shelter. Through their tireless efforts in the diverse areas listed below, volunteers significantly advance our mission to restore hope and prevent homelessness for the most disadvantaged members of our community. If you have any questions about volunteering, please call 312-997-2222 ×238 or email our volunteer department.
Currently Available Opportunities
Sponsor a Drive
Opportunities are always available to hold a drive for the items below. Collecting goods for a drive makes a great service project for your work, school, church, club, or team. If you plan to donate a large number of items, we can arrange to pick them up. Click on the opportunities below for more information.
Hold a drive for:
- Personal hygiene items and household supplies for our Cressey House and Higgins House program participants.
- Hygiene kits for the homeless.
Christmas Basket Registration
Help register participants on Saturday, August 14 for the 2010 Christmas Basket Program. Volunteers can sign up for shifts the full day. Shifts can be either from 8:45a.m.-11:30 a.m. or from 11:45 p.m.-2:30 p.m. We’re looking to have 10 volunteers for the first shift and eight volunteers for the second shift. A brief orientation is provided. Working knowledge of Spanish is very helpful. Sign up here.
Christmas Basket Truck Teams/Drivers
November 29, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
November 30 – December 14 (excluding weekends), 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m./until route is completed, 3-4 hour shifts
A driver and navigator with a CSC supplied truck (U-Haul size) will pick up donations at parishes, schools, or businesses in the city and suburbs. The pick-up locations are to have people to load the trucks, but often the truck team must help. 2 to 4 drivers/navigators are needed every day; Drivers must have a valid driver’s license. Sign up here.
Christmas Basket Warehouse
November 30 – December 14 (excluding weekends), 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
December 15, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm
Can be broken into multiple shifts
Early day volunteers locate donations being retrieved and move them to check-out, late day volunteers unload trucks and organize donations by family for next day distribution. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. gifts are distributed; from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. trucks are unloaded. Sign up here.
Christmas Basket Check-in
November 30 – December 14 (excluding weekends), 8:30am-4:30 pm
December 15, 9:30 am-3:00 pm
Can be broken into multiple shifts
Volunteers help with a number of administrative tasks such as verifying the identity and scheduling of recipients, these volunteers have the most contact with recipient families; Check-in is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Sunday with ½ hour training before check-in begins; administrative assistance from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. making phone calls, verifying distributions, packaging thank you cards to donors. No check-in volunteers needed November 30; it is a pick-up day only. Sign up here.
Other Positions (No Current Openings)
We also have the following volunteer positions, but presently there are no openings.
Administration
Help with general office tasks such as filing, data entry, mailings, and special projects. Flexible hours Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.