Interested in making a difference in your community? Join the ranks of the SCCC Volunteers and help our neighbors in need. We have many options for you to give your precious gift of time.
Volunteering Has Changed!
We need volunteers in many program areas! Please complete the volunteer application above or email volunteering@sistercarmen.org to learn more.
Food Bank – Sister Carmen Community Center
Health and Safety Policies
We care about you and those we serve!
We work with vulnerable populations who often have no choice, but to visit our center in person for help and assistance. In order to keep participants, staff, and volunteers safe, we ask that all staff and volunteers stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 and flu vaccinations. If you are sick or exhibiting any symptoms we ask that you stay home. If you have been recently exposed to another individual who is sick, but are not experiencing symptoms yourself, then you may come in, but we highly encourage you to wear a mask to limit exposure to others.
Your health is important to us. If you are at greater risk from exposure, or don’t feel comfortable coming in, please stay home. We encourage our volunteers to use their best judgement about coming in to help.
Learn more about Sister Carmen’s COVID-19 response and mask policy here.
Food Bank
Help support the community as a Food Bank Volunteer! In the last year, we distributed over 1.3 million lbs of food to nearly 3,000 families in need.
Tasks include receiving food donations and thanking donors, weighing and sorting groceries and produce, checking expiration dates, stocking shelves, packing boxes, recycling and composting, assisting shoppers, working the check-out desk, and cleaning–there’s always something to clean!
We encourage volunteers to sign-up for one shift per week with a 3 month commitment. Training is provided.
Shifts range from 2 to 3.25 hours long:
- Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri from 9:00-11:30, 11:30-2:15, 2:00-5:15
- Wednesdays 9:00-11:30, 11:30-2:15, 2:00-4:00, 4:00-6:15
If you cannot commit to 3 months or a regular shift, you may also sign-up as a substitute that we can call as needed!
Skills include: ability to stand for periods of time, walking, lifting boxes, and working with individual and family shoppers. Bilingual skills especially encouraged!
Complete the volunteer application above to get started, or email volunteering@sistercarmen.org with any questions.
Community Garden
Our Garden supplies over 1,000 pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers to our Food Bank every year. Help us plant, weed, harvest, compost, and more! Volunteering together in the garden is a great activity for families! We even have a small children’s section and opportunities to learn about bugs and edible plants.
The Garden is open from April through October. After orientation/training, hours are drop-in, Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. weather permitting. We also have special projects that work great for one-time groups willing to get a little (or a lot) dirty.
Closed-toe shoes required. No experience necessary! Our expert gardener, Robyn, will be happy to show you the ropes.
Email volunteering@sistercarmen.org to volunteer. Contact robyn@sistercarmen.org for information and closures.
Thrift Store
Did you know that all proceeds of the Sister Carmen Thrift Store directly support our programs and services? In addition to being a very important social enterprise for the organization, it offers our community and low-income individuals an affordable place to shop. We also offer free shopping vouchers to those in need.
We are always in need of Thrift Store volunteers! You can help by by greeting donors, receiving/sorting donations, putting items on shelves, and cleaning and organizing.
The Thrift Store is open 7 days per week, 9:00am – 5:00pm. Required orientations are available at noon on Saturdays and Sundays. After you’ve completed orientation you may drop-in whenever you’d like to volunteer! Groups must be scheduled ahead of time.
Skills include the ability to stand for periods of time and walking. Bilingual skills and heavyweight lifters are highly encouraged!
Complete the volunteer application above to get started, or email volunteering@sistercarmen.org for more info.
Office
The Front Office is a separate entrance from the Food Bank, located on the North side of the building by the flag pole. Visitors and callers consist of a wide variety of participants seeking help/information, coming in for scheduled appointments or classes, donors, community partners, and more.
Tasks include answering phones, scheduling appointments, working with walk-in visitors, filing, and supporting Office Manager and staff as needed.
Front office volunteers are needed for 2 hour shifts. Shifts are available Monday – Fridays from 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
Skills: friendly customer service, organization, and especially Bilingual skills are encouraged!
Complete the application above, or email volunteering@sistercarmen.org to learn more.
Community Service
The Sister Carmen Thrift Store is a Boulder County Community Service approved work site for non-violent and non-theft related charges. Community Service workers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent.
To get started, contact our Thrift Store Director, Kathy, at kathy@sistercarmen.org or Retail Manager, Elena, at maria@sistercarmen.org. Or call 303-665-4342 x184.
Community Service Orientations are held at our Thrift Store at 701 W. Baseline Rd on Saturdays and Sundays at noon. You must bring your ID and court paperwork. Please park next door at Lafayette library, and come to the rear entrance of the store.
We reserve the right to limit the number of volunteers on premises at any time.
Volunteers Under 18
We love our young volunteers! Volunteering as a family is a great way to learn, bond, and give back to the community. Activities can include working in our Community Garden, sorting/organizing food or thrift store donations, or stocking the thrift store floor. There are also many off-site opportunities such as conducting food drives!
Children under the age of 14 must be supervised by a parent at all times while volunteering on Sister Carmen premises. Ages 14+ may volunteer independently (16+ if it’s for court ordered Community Service hours), however we do ask that parents of children under the age of 18 fill out the volunteer application, required forms, and attend the initial Volunteer Orientation with their child.
Student groups who conduct volunteer activities as part of their school, club, or other organization do not need to fill out an application if parents have already given permission and signed waivers through the student organization. In this case, orientations are done with the group when they arrive for their volunteer activity and waivers are signed by the adult group leader.
Required Trainings
When you apply, we will schedule you for a required 1.5 hour general Volunteer Orientation. At the end of orientation we will schedule you for your first shift or volunteer activity. At your first shift you will meet your staff supervisor and be trained in that specific program area.
We also ask all ongoing volunteers to take a one-time 2-hour Core Values training, which is offered quarterly.
Spanish orientations available by request – Orientaciones en español disponibles a pedido.