REACH of Macon County

	Volunteer Opportunities

Roles of a Volunteer
Be a Hotline Volunteer

In order to maintain its programs, R.E.A.C.H. of Macon County needs volunteers in the following areas:

Hotline coverage: Hotline volunteers give from one to four evenings or weekend days to answer calls from people seeking help, referrals, information, and/or shelter due to domestic violence or sexual assault. Hotline volunteers must complete a 20-hour training and attend monthly continuing education meetings. All calls are handled through Emergency Dispatch and the Sheriff's office, so that the privacy and safety of volunteers is maintained. No counseling background or experience is necessary--if you like people and want to reach out to those in trouble, this may be for you!

Court Advocate: Involves transporting and accompanying clients to court. An ideal opportunity for someone with an interest in the legal system, who is available on weekdays. Ideally, a court advocate would complete the 20-hour training program, but "on the job" training is also vital and available.

Parent-child Advocates: Volunteers to work with children and mothers to provide positive role modeling, teach parenting skills, work with children while mom has appointments or court hearings, etc..

Office Volunteers: An extra pair of hands to answer phone, stick on labels, run errands, do filing, tidy up...and whatever else comes along.

Shelter Maintenance: Assisting wtih cleaning, repairs, yard work, etc. at the shelter.

Community Educators: Involves helping with public education projects, such as staffing booths at fairs or fundraisers.

Thrift Shop Volunteers: Two types of volunteer activities are available. Staffing the Thrift Shop involves sorting and pricing donations and keeping the store open to the public. Transporting donated items such as furniture and appliances requires a truck and a strong back! We also need volunteers to transport furnishings from the Thrift Shop to former shelter residents' new homes.