Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering can be a great way to give back to the community, to meet new friends, and to gain valuable skills. SHARE Family & Community Services is built on a strong volunteer foundation. Without our volunteers, we would not be able to facilitate many of our programs and services!
You may only have a few hours a week or month that you can give to SHARE, but every little bit helps in a huge way! In 2013/14 SHARE had the support of over 1,200 volunteers; giving more than 44,400 hours of service. That’s equivalent to 26 full-time employees!
Volunteer at Community Events & Fundraisers
Join SHARE in the community at various events all year long!
Quite often, SHARE will be asked to attend a community event, parade or fundraiser. Volunteers at these various events collect food, cash donations, hang out with SHARE Bear, or educate the community about SHARE programs & services. Time commitment can vary, and often times there can be multiple events in a weekend (or within a week). You set your schedule, and come out to help when you can.
If you are interested in volunteering, you need to reach out to the contacts for each department below.
Volunteer at the Food Bank
Email Krissie Sondles
The Food Bank provides food hampers at the Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam SHARE Food Banks for those who are in need. Volunteers need to be over the age of 18. Most of the volunteer roles involve lifting. A minimum of 6-month commitment is preferred.
When: We are not recruiting new volunteers at this time to ensure safe distancing onsite.
Where: Port Moody
What: Sorting food and other activities as needed.
Volunteer with the Better at Home Program
Contact our Program Coordinator, Paola Wakeford-Mejia, at 604.540.9161 Ext 202 or by email for more information.
Better at Home is a program that helps seniors with simple non-medical, day-to-day tasks so that they can continue to live independently in their own homes, and remain connected to their communities.
Volunteers are needed to provide the following specific services:
- Transportation to medical appointments: Using their own vehicle, Volunteer Drivers take seniors to their doctor’s appointments across Metro Vancouver. Mileage reimbursement is provided. Parking expenses are paid by the senior.
- Food Support: Using their own vehicle, Volunteer Drivers deliver food hampers to seniors who are accessing the Food Bank and have severe mobility issues. Deliveries are done twice a month.
- Minor Home Repair: Volunteer Handy Helpers perform specific, minor home repair tasks in senior’s home
- Phone Friends: Volunteers call seniors on a regular basis to help them stay connected and reduce isolation.
- Friendly Visiting: Volunteers visit seniors in their home on a regular basis for companionship to help reduce isolation.
- Grocery Shopping: Volunteers phone seniors to get their grocery shopping orders, and/or do online shopping by entering the orders into the store’s website. Volunteers call seniors and/or shop online weekly.
Volunteer with our Parent & Tot Drop-In
Contact our Community Development worker, Catherine Ho at 604.345.3156 or by email for more information!
Through play, craft, snack and circle time, the program guides parents in establishing a routine and interacting with their children, and provides a safe and welcoming environment for every family.
Early Childhood Development Assistants assist families’ participation by engaging the parents and children in the program through conversation and play. Criminal record check is required.
Commitment: Weekdays 9:00-11:30 am at various SHARE Family Resource Centres.
Volunteer with our New Beginnings Program
Volunteer with a New Beginnings program. Their are a variety of ways in which volunteers can assist new refugee families and their children. These include: helping with the Parent-Tot Drop-In programs, engaging with families during outings to neighbourhood parks and other family gathering spaces in the Tri-Cities, and supporting families in other ways.
Contact the New Beginnings program at 604.937.3830
*At this point New Beginnings only needs volunteers who speak Pashto.*
Volunteer with our English Practice Groups
For more information please contact: Jae Eun Kim, English Practice Groups Program Coordinator, at maryam.jahanmardi@sharesociety.ca or 604.540.9161 ext. 544
English Practice Groups are FREE , drop-in and volunteer-led conversation groups that assist newcomers practice their English Language skills, develop friendships, and know more about community resources. The groups are for 19 years or older.
Volunteer English Practice Group Facilitators ensure that weekly group meetings are welcoming, respectful, and safe for everyone; and facilitate group conversation on topics that are of interest to the participants. Groups meet at different days/time and various locations across the Tri-Cities. Criminal record check is required.