Volunteerism
Groups, companies and neighbors put in the hours that stretch a publicly funded budget further than it has any right to go.
There is a version of this that fits almost anyone — an afternoon, a car boot full of donated goods, a standing shift every other week, or a company that wants its team doing something real for a day. What follows is the whole list, grouped by how much time it asks for.
Ways to help
Open any of these for what it actually involves. If one looks like you, the interest form at the bottom is the whole next step — somebody will come back to you about dates.
Sponsor a shelter activity
Organize an evening for the families — bring the supplies or the meal, and bring whoever runs it. This is the one people remember.
One person or a group
What that can look like
- Movie night — supply the popcorn, the candy, the rest
- Lunch or dinner, themed if you like: pizza night, soul food night
- Dessert — an ice cream social, or cookie monster madness
- Game night: chess, cards, video games with the youth
- Jewelry making
- Paint and sip, with non-alcoholic drinks
- Makeover day — stylists donating hair and make-up
- Music therapy for the daycare-aged children
- Tutoring
- Resume building
- Life skills: cooking, stress management, budgeting, computer literacy, a language
Host a donation drive
Collect the things the shelter actually runs out of and bring them in. The list below is the real one — everything on it gets used.
An office, a congregation, a school, a street
What that can look like
- Crib sheets
- Bed linens (twin size)
- Towels and washcloths
- Laundry detergent
- Cleaning supplies — brooms, mops, solutions, wipes
- Paper goods — toilet tissue, paper towels, napkins, plates, cutlery, cups
- New, non-expired canned or dry goods
- Storage bins
- Office supplies — paper, flash drives, pens, envelopes, post-its, clips
- Commercial kitchen supplies — long oven gloves, aprons, serving utensils
Help unload the food truck
Deliveries come in every other week and have to be moved off the truck and into the building. It is straightforward, it is physical, and it is the shift that most needs filling.
About 2 hours, every other weekPeople who can lift
A few hours, one time
Come once, do something specific, go home knowing exactly what it was for.
Adopt a roomA small group
Take one room and lift it — a fresh coat of paint and decor that makes it somewhere a family is glad to walk into.
- Paint
- Decor to brighten the space
Assemble care packagesA group
Gather people and pack donated goods into care packages for outreach — tied to a holiday, a season, or students going back to school.
Help clean a spaceA small group
Bring a few people and clean one space properly: the food pantry, the daycare, living quarters, the community and living areas.
Host a fundraising event
Pick a theme, invite your people, put on snacks and drinks, and ask for a donation — either on the door or alongside. Some of the entertainment will often donate their time once they hear what it is for.
- Martinis and magic
- A wine tasting
- Yoga
Host an online fundraiser
Several retail partners will run an online event with you and donate an agreed share of the sales to Isaiah House. They do most of the work; ask us and we will point you at the ones we have worked with.
A regular commitment
The shifts that get harder to fill and matter most when they are.
Adopt a resident or family
The longest relationship on this list, and the one that changes most for the family on the other end of it.
- Become a mentor
- Sponsor a resident
- Sponsor Christmas gifts for a family
Collect donated foodAnyone with a vehicle
Several organizations donate food on a regular schedule but need it collected. Pick up at a set time each week and bring it to East Orange.
Companies and groups
Bring a team. Most of these work as a day out that also gets something done.
A team packing dayA company team
A short introduction to Isaiah House and what the work is, then the group packs the supplies. It runs at your office or here, and most companies donate the supplies and use the day as team building.
- Thanksgiving baskets
- Holiday gifts
- Back-to-school packs
Clean a room at Isaiah HouseA company team
Help clean the pantry, the donation closet or one of the common rooms to help keep Isaiah House a beautiful and welcoming environment for our clients and staff.
- Cafe
- Kitchen
- Donation Closet
- Conference Room Refresh
Give us a morning.
Groups, companies and individuals all have a way in — and the garden, the pantry and the drives run on them.