Volunteer at JFCS

Take on a Shift: The JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry is open every weekday, and helps provide for over 700 families. Shift volunteers sign up to help us with this on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. Help us unload, organize and stock food, guide clients through their pantry shop, explain food options to clients, and weigh out their groceries before they leave.

Deliveries and Pickups: Sometimes reaching out also means reaching outside of our building! Deliver pre-made bags of food to apartment buildings, pick up food gathered by various synagogues around the High Holidays, and pick up donated bread from our partner vendors to be distributed to the Pantry’s clients. To learn more, email Pantry Assistant Kate Sweeney at ksweeney@jfcspgh.org or click below to apply via Civic Champs!

Help Job Seekers: Spend a few hours each month helping our JFCS Career Development Center clients with their job search skills. We know that your time will have a big impact on someone’s life whether you’re conducting mock interviews, reviewing resumes, or simply offering advice and encouragement.

Facilitate a Workshop: Help participants improve their computer skills and prepare them for future employment opportunities. Volunteers will teach participants how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint software programs. Participants will also learn how to create a resume and cover letter.

Conduct Mock Interviews: Help JFCS Career Development Center clients prepare for their job interviews by reading resumes, offer one-on-one coaching, understand basic interview etiquette, and by going through mock interviews to get them ready.

Help Our Community: Assist our social workers and professional counselors as they help our community through programming and workshops. You will help them make a difference in the lives of thousands of people every year.

Make a Difference: Help the JFCS Guardianship department make a difference in our community by providing support and guidance for our community’s most vulnerable individuals with shopping trips, errands and companionship on an as needed basis.

Pro-Bono Attorneys: Represent clients seeking immigration relief through Special Immigrant Juvenile requests, T-Visa filings, VAWA claims, U-Visa filings, and others. Some experience is helpful for these volunteers though it is not required.

Clinic Days: Assist and support clients completing immigration forms related to naturalization exams, Green Card renewals/replacements, work authorizations, and other important documents. Training is provided for these projects and no prior experience is required, The Clinic Days typically require a time commitment of three to four hours over one to two days

Support Immigrants: Help immigrants by reviewing and completing forms, explaining the process and requirements, providing information about resources, reviewing documents and supporting clients throughout the process.

Home Set-ups: Set up refugee clients’ permanent housing with daily essentials, such as having furniture set up and kitchen needs by providing them with a welcoming space to live in.

Hotel Set-ups: Set up hotel rooms for newly arrived refugees – unpacking and organizing essential items from boxes and putting them in the appropriate places. Volunteers will also help in other ways as needed.

Hot Meal Delivery: Make a newly arrived refugee who misses home feel more welcome by picking up a culturally appropriate hot meal and bring it to their temporary housing.

Refugee Social Integration: Help and mentor vulnerable refugees, particularly those with medical or mental health issues, LGBTI+ refugees, single parent households, and elderly refugees without family support.

Bridge Builders: Mentor and enrich the lives of youth, immigrants and refugees as a part of the after-school program! It is designed to ease the adjustment period for new arrivals by helping them with literacy building activities, practice with conversational English, mentoring, homework assistance, physical activities, and community service.

Transport Seniors: With AgeWell Rides, transport seniors who cannot drive to medical appointments, grocery stores, volunteer and social events.

Spend Time With Seniors: With AgeWell Visits, visit with seniors aged 65 and over, you’ll get to know many seniors who have lost dear friends or family members due to illness or death. You’ll also be able to help them stay connected with their communities through activities like playing cards or sharing stories.