Volunteer Categories

How you can help

Volunteer New Neighbor

Be a friend to a family as they acclimate to living in America. As a new neighbor, you will experience a cross-cultural relationship with a family as you provide transportation, help them decipher mail, assist with budgeting, and familiarize them with English. This is a 12-month commitment with an average of 4 hours per month.

Community Guide

Introduce the newcomer to your community by showing them around town, help to find jobs, prepare for school enrollment, or assist with cultural orientation. You will work closely with Bethany staff who will assign duties to assist with the first 90-day resettlement period.

Move-In Helper

Before a refugee individual or family arrives in their new community, a home needs to be readied for them. Move-in helpers assist with assembling furniture, making beds, setting up the kitchen and bathrooms, stocking the pantry, or preparing a hot meal for their arrival.

Donor (In-Kind and Monetary)

Donations are needed frequently. Gift cards allow families to buy weather-appropriate clothing, highchairs, cribs, and other necessities. Some donations must be new, while others can be used. Couches, vehicles, and bicycles are a common request and can be gently used. Cribs or mattresses must be new. Contact us to make a monetary donation to directly support an individual or family or donate items.

AmeriCorps VISTA

This full-time, one-year commitment volunteer placement is a great way to build your resume and gain social work experience while capacity building within Bethany's resettlement programs enhancing the lives of refugees coming to the United States. AmeriCorps members at Bethany receive a monthly stipend, healthcare benefits, and are awarded education allowance to pay off student loans or help pay further education. Work your way into refugee cultural education, legal services, employment, IT support and community engagement. We can fit your skill set with our project needs!

Support Ukrainian Families

Assist Ukrainian families who recently arrived in your community with food, housing, transportation, material needs, and case management support.

1:1 Tutor

Teach or help practice basic English or a particular area of need. You will meet one-on-one, typically for 4-6 hours per month. Also a great need to help teens in foster care with school subjects.

Bus Trainer

Meet with clients and their interpreter at their nearest bus stop to show them how they can best use public transportation to get to work, grocery stores, medical offices, and around the city.

Transporter

Provide transportation to individuals and families to medical, government, and Bethany appointments and other necessary locations. If you are using your own vehicle, mileage is reimbursed.

Refugee Youth Mentor

Spend time once a week with refugee teens being a positive role model.  Requires a 12-month commitment spending 4 hours per month with matched youth.

Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family

Form a small group of friends, co-workers, neighbors, or church members to be matched with a refugee family arriving soon. Co-Sponsorship is a longer term commitment (least six months) as your group will assist staff to meet refugees' needs upon arrival and help them to thrive in your new community. Training is provided by our staff so you are all prepared to offer support services.

Off-site Volunteer Opportunity

Here is a way to get involved at our

CA Address Volunteer Opportunities Contact
Fresno 2610 W Shaw Ln
Fresno, CA 93711-2775
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, AmeriCorps VISTA, Move-In Helper
Modesto 3048 Hahn Dr
Modesto, CA 95350-6503
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, Support Ukrainian Families
DE Address Volunteer Opportunities Contact
Delaware 3301 N Market St
Wilmington, DE 19802-2738
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family
FL Address Volunteer Opportunities Contact
Central Florida 29 W Smith St
Winter Garden, FL 34787-3582
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, AmeriCorps VISTA
GA Address Volunteer Opportunities Contact
Athens 1 Huntington Rd
Athens, GA 30606-7216
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, AmeriCorps VISTA, Move-In Helper
MI Address Volunteer Opportunities Contact
East Lansing 612 W Lake Lansing Rd
East Lansing, MI 48823-8534
Transporter, Bus Trainer
Grand Rapids 901 Eastern Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49501-0294
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, AmeriCorps VISTA, Move-In Helper, 1:1 Tutor, Bus Trainer, Refugee Youth Mentor
Southwest Michigan 6687 Seeco Dr
Kalamazoo, MI 49009-5970
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, Support Ukrainian Families, Move-In Helper, 1:1 Tutor, Bus Trainer
Traverse City 1055 Carriage Hill Dr
Traverse City, MI 49686-5161
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, Support Ukrainian Families, AmeriCorps VISTA, Move-In Helper
PA Address Volunteer Opportunities Contact
Allentown By appointment only
Allentown, PA 18102-4108
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family
Philadelphia 610 York Rd
Jenkintown, PA 19046-2867
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, AmeriCorps VISTA, Move-In Helper, Community Guide, 1:1 Tutor
Western Pennsylvania 10521 Perry Hwy
Wexford, PA 15090-9517
Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family
TN Address Volunteer Opportunities Contact
Memphis 200 East Parkway N
Memphis, TN 38112
Donor (In-Kind and Monetary), Co-Sponsor a Refugee Family, Transporter, AmeriCorps VISTA, Move-In Helper