Housing Insecurity
and Homelessness:
Volunteering and Direct Service Toolkit

This is a webpage detailing volunteering guidelines and opportunities for Christians in Massachusetts organized by region.

Christians and churches who are willing to dedicate time and resources to addressing housing insecurity and homelessness in Massachusetts through volunteering and direct service can utilize this information as a resource.

Here are some ways you might find it useful:

1. Use this toolkit to locate volunteering opportunities in your region. This is a non-exhaustive list, so do spend time doing your own searches also.

2. Find out more about organizations you’re interested in and what they do. Are they offering direct service (food, shelter, clothes) to unhoused people or more focused on advocacy (through case management, social work etc.). Where do your skills meet the organization’s needs?

3. Once you’ve decided on a volunteering opportunity, sign up! Find out where there is the biggest need (maybe they have many cooks but not enough servers), and step in there.

4. Complete any necessary training.

5. Establish a regular rhythm when volunteering so the organization can rely on you and you can build relationships with staff, other volunteers and guests.

6. As you volunteer, ask questions about why direct service is necessary in the first place. Let the relationships you form move you to challenge the broader systemic injustices that lead to housing insecurity. 

7. Take a look at our advocacy page and equip yourself with skills to take practical policy action addressing housing injustice.