VOLUNTEER
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Star House!
Star House is open 24/7, 365 days per year and needs dedicated volunteers throughout the day, every day. Please check out our volunteer opportunities to see which opportunity may work best for you or your group!
HELP BEHIND
THE SCENES
WORK WITH
GUESTS
FOOD PANTRY ASSISTANCE
We always need support in the Star House warehouse receiving, sorting and organizing donated items.
Help us create community with Star House guests through meal preparation, enrichment activities, meaningful discussion, cleaning, restocking, mentoring and more.
We need assistance in running our food pantry at CSV and helping to run the Carol Stewart Village shop.
Help Behind the Scenes
Warehouse Volunteers: Volunteers working in our warehouse help by processing donated items. This essentially means sorting and organizing clothing, shoes and other items in an orderly fashion so that others will know where to locate them when needed. Volunteers working in the warehouse must be at least 16 years of age; Those ages 16 or 17 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. To sort donations in our warehouse, please register here.
Donation Pick-Up Volunteers: Star House is in need of weekly volunteers to help with local donation pick-ups on Mondays and Fridays in the morning or early afternoon.
Maintenance Volunteers: Star House is in need of volunteers to assist with light maintenance work including painting, minor fixes, floor work, etc.
To get started as a volunteer, please complete the volunteer application below.
Group Volunteer Opportunities: Star House also has volunteer opportunities available for groups of up to 10 people. These 2-hour sessions typically involve sorting donations in our warehouse but may also consist of a community clean-up or other projects dependent on our current needs. We rely heavily on volunteer support Monday-Friday. Limited weekend opportunities may also be available. If you would like to inquire about a group volunteer opportunity, please contact Ally. Please note that group volunteer sessions should generally be scheduled at least a month before the desired date.
Work Directly with Guests
Direct engagement volunteers are needed throughout the day, every day, and are positive reinforcements for Star House guests and staff. Volunteers lead by example to teach youth how to establish meaningful relationships with boundaries that are healthy, safe, and consistent. This opportunity is best for those that can commit to a consistent and regular volunteer schedule because stability is key for the development of meaningful relationships with guests.
To become a direct engagement volunteer, you must be at least 18 years of age, successfully pass a required background check, attend a trauma-informed care training and attend a volunteer orientation.
Some examples of direct engagement activities are below:
Socializing with Star House Guests
Volunteers have an opportunity to introduce themselves to guests, interact with them, check in with them, sit and talk (but more often listen) and serve as a welcoming presence for new youth who may just be arriving in the house for the first time. You can participate in house events and encourage youth to participate, prepare a meal, or even play sports in the gym. In addition, volunteers can play board games with guests or even open the art room!
Restocking
Assist with restocking our laundry room, food pantries, refrigerators, and freezers.
Cleaning
Volunteers can take out the trash; clean and organize the refrigerator and/or freezer; clean kitchen countertops and cabinets; and sweep and/or mop floors.
Share your Expertise
If you have a specific background or skillset that you feel would be helpful to our youth in the form of programming or in a presentation forum, please contact Ally to discuss a potential opportunity.
Assist in our Food Pantry
We've opened a food pantry for residents at Carol Stewart Village, a neighborhood for young adults with on-site programs and services that we operate along with Finance Fund and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority. We are in need of ongoing volunteer support for shifts on Mondays and Fridays.
Volunteers assist in running the food pantry by helping residents pick out items and help run the Carol Stewart Village Shop. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and must pass a background check.