give your time

Our volunteers donate over 10,000 hours of service each year!

Thank you for considering how you might become involved with Starlight! Equipping others and providing opportunities for service are essential components of our ministry, and we are grateful for the many faithful individuals who serve and have served with us.

Starlight offers a variety of long and short-term opportunities for individuals or groups. Read on to find out about:

• How to Become a Starlight Volunteer
• Starlight Volunteer Opportunities
• Opportunities for Children and Families

 

How to Become a Starlight Volunteer

Be trained. Starlight holds bi-monthly trainings at its office in the South End. Trainings are required for volunteers involved in direct service (i.e. Opportunity Resource Center, outreach, and Starlight Youth Outreach), but are encouraged for all prospective volunteers.

Click here for information on trainings, or check out our news page to find out when the next training is happening.

Complete an application.  We ask all prospective volunteers to complete an application in order for us to make the best match between your skills and interests and our needs.

Download Starlight's volunteer application here (Word document)

Have a background check. Starlight staff members conduct background checks (CORIs and SORIs) on all prospective volunteers involved in direct service.

Interview with a Starlight staff member. We enjoy these informal interviews as an opportunity to get to know you better, evaluate your skills, and introduce you more thoroughly to Starlight.

Starlight also trains small groups from churches to do effective relational outreach to people who are homeless.

For information on upcoming trainings, check out our news page. If you have any questions, contact Julie .

Back to Top

Starlight Volunteer Opportunities

Evening Outreach Volunteer

• Volunteer on one of our weekly outreach teams to Boston Common on Wednesday Night and Harvard Square on Thursday Night, providing material needs and spiritual discipleship to individuals who are homeless.
• Time commitment: 4 hours per week and one Saturday morning (10 am-12 pm) per month; minimum one-year commitment.
• Training required

Homeless Youth Outreach Volunteer

• Street outreach worker - Assist our Homeless Youth Outreach Coordinator with hands-on street outreach to homeless and street youth. Time commitment: Negotiable; but consistent, weekly time for a minimum of one year required. Training required
• Artists/Musicians - Starlight is looking for talented, qualified artists and musicians to share their expertise with youth and provide general assistance for art/music events. Time commitment: 3-5 hours per month (Tuesdays between 1-6 pm). Training required.
• Visual Artist and Mentor - Provide artistic direction as well as leadership and spiritual mentoring to youth. Time commitment: 3-5 hours per week (Tuesdays between 1-6 pm.)Training required
• Art Prep - Prepare and organize art materials (i.e. paint, canvases) to be brought to a weekly art event. Time commitment: 2-4 hours per week; consistent time necessary. No Training required

Opportunity Resource Center Volunteer

• Responsibilities may include: greeting guests and signing them in as they enter the Opportunity Resource Center, making and serving coffee, providing companionship to people, and providing other general support as needed. May also provide administrative support if time allows.
• Time commitment: Minimum 2-hour shift between 12 PM to 3 PM on Mondays and/or Thursdays.
• Training required.

Clothing Room Volunteer

• Sort all donations of clothes, blankets, toiletries, etc. that come into our South End office.
• Bag up and coordinate transportation of unwanted donations to other organizations.
• Maintain an organized and clean clothing room to store all donations
• Maintain tracking system of donations
• Acknowledge donors by sending thank-you notes for each donation
• Time Commitment: 3-6 hours per week
• No training required

Administrative Assistant
Help with traditional office tasks such as copying, faxing, and filing; perform data entry; assist with Starlight mailings.

Research Assistant
Gather research that is relevant to the work of Starlight; help summarize and analyze research. Ideal for a Sociology undergrad or grad student.

Clothing Donation Coordinator
Coordinate clothing drives at your church or workplace.

Graphic Design Support
Help with Starlight publications and PowerPoint presentations -- developing and designing.

Back to Top

Opportunities for Children and Families

Starlight Ministries does not currently have any volunteer opportunities for children and families. For families interested in volunteer opportunities around issues of homelessness, please contact any of the following organizations, which do offer family-friendly volunteer opportunities.

The Boston Project Ministries - ph 617-929-0925
The Boston Project Ministries is a neighborhood-based Christian organization which equips young people from diverse backgrounds to serve people in our city and around the world as a demonstration of their love for Jesus Christ. Our service and outreach work during the summer take us to other neighborhoods in Dorchester and Roxbury and to work with the homeless community in downtown Boston.

Boston Cares - ph 617-563-4441
About half of all of Boston Cares volunteer opportunities are child-friendly. Examples include sorting food, serving meals, and assembling food baskets. Volunteer opportunities are located around Greater Boston and many take place during evening and weekend hours. Volunteers do not need to make a long-term commitment.

Pine Street Inn - ph 617-482-4944
Pine Street Inn is a not-for-profit organization committed to men, women, and children in need of shelter, sustenance, and the basic moral and material supports necessary to lead a dignified and stable life. Many volunteer opportunities are family-friendly.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Boston - ph 617-423-2223
Habitat for Humanity is a Christian-based housing ministry seeking to alleviate the shortage of quality affordable housing in Boston's urban neighborhoods. Volunteers must attend a Volunteer Orientation Session, and must be 16 years or older.

Rosie's Place - ph 617-442-9322
Rosie's Place strives to provide a safe and nurturing environment to help poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity, and find security in their lives. Volunteer projects range from serving a meal in the dining room, to sorting clothing or canned goods, to tutoring a guest on the computer, to visiting one of our former tenants in a nursing home. Volunteers must attend a Volunteer Orientation Session, and must be 12 years or older.

One Family Campaign - ph 617-423-0504
The One Family Campaign is a coalition of partners committed to ending family homelessness one family at a time. Ms. Campbell Simons acts as a liaison for church groups looking for opportunities to serve with people who are homeless, and connects them to appropriate service projects.

Back to Top