St. Mary's Franciscan Shelter for Homeless Families
Operating since 1987 at 209 Emmett Street in Phoenixville, St. Mary's Franciscan Shelter provides emergency shelter and transitional housing for families experiencing homelessness in Chester and Montgomery counties. Volunteers run an evening playroom for resident children, drive families to work and daycare, cook meals, maintain the building and gardens, and support office and education programs.
Ways to help here
Playroom Volunteer
Take resident children into the playroom for games, crafts, videos, and board games on weeknights, giving parents time for laundry, showers, or classes.
⏱ Weeknights 7-8 PM
Transportation Volunteer
Provide resident families local transportation to and from their employer and daycare, within 5 miles of the shelter.
⏱ Mornings and late afternoons, Monday-Friday
Guest Chef or Guest Baker
Help prepare, cook, or bake meals for shelter families, using the shelter kitchen.
Yardwork & Raised Garden Volunteer
Do light yard work such as pulling weeds, mulching in spring and fall, and tending floral beds; or support the raised garden weekly with watering, weeding, and harvesting vegetables donated to community partners.
⏱ Yardwork at volunteer's convenience; garden support weekly in season
Office Assistant
Answer phones and the door and assist with clerical work including computer input, mailings, technology, bookkeeping, filing, and sorting.
Fresh Start Foundation Class Leader
Teach life-skills classes for shelter residents in your area of personal expertise as part of the Fresh Start Foundation Classes program.
Building & Cleaning Crew Volunteer
Support painting of high-traffic interior areas, and help the room turnover process between resident families — vacuuming, dusting, laundering bedding, and making beds.
⏱ As needed