How you can help…
Our volunteers are one of the most vital parts of our mission. The Fisher House depends on volunteers and donors to enhance daily operation and program expansion. There are many ways for individuals or groups to volunteer to help us help our Veteran and military families. There are regular volunteer opportunities for those who are interested in having a consistent volunteer schedule, as well as occasional opportunities for groups or individuals who are interested in volunteering once or every once in a while.
Education Tours/Community Outreach: As part of our community outreach program, the Salt Lake City Fisher House encourages small groups or individuals to tour the beautiful home for purpose of educating the community about our mission as well as volunteer and donation opportunities. While this outreach is important to us, the privacy, safety and security of families utilizing the home is our primary concern. Tours will be limited, scheduled and approved in advance by the Fisher House Manager. Tour requests outside the normal operating hours will not be approved.
Service Project Ideas:
-Donation drives (see wish list).
-Make toiletry bags for each room (ask for ideas).
-Make snack bags the families can take with them to the hospital (ask for ideas).
-Make welcome bags for each family (ask for ideas).
-Make children’s welcome bags (ask for ideas)
-Sponsor pampering night (facials, hand treatments, make-up, massages, nails, haircuts, etc.)
-“How to classes” (teaching the families how to scrapbook, cook, crotchet, etc.)
-Make sack lunches or pre-made meals the families can heat up later.
-Sponsor an event/activity for the families such as making a meal, bingo, cookie decorating, crafts, blanket tying, ice cream social, etc.
-Make and bring in a holiday gift for each family.
-Make freezer meals the families can pull out and cook. (ask for a count)
-Cook here or bring in a meal for the families(breakfast, lunch or dinner).
-Drop off donuts, bagels/cream cheese, pizzas, etc. (ready to eat items)
-Host a barbeque on our patio.
-Make and bring in blankets for each family or bring in supplies and teach the families how to tie them.
-Bring in baked goods for the families or come bake in our home.
-Yard work-trash pick up, weeding, updating mulch/flowers/plants as needed. (Basically doing any landscaping or yard work that is needed.)
-Deep cleaning of the home (baseboards, appliances, walls, doors, windows, etc.)
-Patio cleaning- sweep patio’s & walkways, wash windows, deep clean gas barbeque grill, wash down patio furniture, etc.
-Clean out and organize storage shed (as needed).
-Re-staining playset, pergola, shed & other wood features (as needed).
-Cleaning out gutters around outside of home (as needed).
-Staining wood benches out front (as needed).
-Make nice pampering kits to give out to the women. (facial supplies, nail supplies, etc.)
-Make fresh/fake flower or holiday center pieces for our dining room tables.
Regular specific volunteers needed:
As needed volunteers:
These volunteers are on our “call in” list. They will mostly be asked if they can help when there are things going on after hours. These will include helping to manage groups or individuals who come in to do a special event after hours or to represent Fisher House at an event when the manager is unable. Basically these volunteers will fill in for the House Manager after hours. When a volunteer is needed after hours, the manager will email the group to see who is available to help.
Baker:
This volunteer will bake sweets and goodies for the guests. They can either come into the Home to cook with what we have, or drop off goods. They may either use their own supplies or use our donations & supplies as available.
Cook:
This volunteer will come in on a routine basis (1-3 times per week) and make a meal or snacks with any of the food items we have in the Home (especially items that will be going bad). This volunteer will help us utilize the food we get donated as well as help the families have a prepared meal or snack on a regular basis.
Kitchen Attendant:
This volunteer will maintain & focus on the kitchen. They will re-stock, organize, and wipe down pantries & refrigerators. They will keep a shopping list of items needed. Discard any old items and replace with new. Focus on keeping the kitchen countertops & supplies clean & presentable. Lay out snacks and other items that may make it easier for guests to “grab and go.” Assist guests who are unfamiliar with how to use certain appliances as well as helping them locate kitchen items if needed.
Laundry/Housekeeping Assistant:
This volunteer needs to be available on Mondays or Thursdays for laundry exchange day. They will assist the housekeepers with exchanging the guests dirty linens/towels with new ones. They will check for stains and get the dirty laundry ready for the laundry service pickup. This begins at 9:00 a.m.
Laundry Folder & Organizing Assistant:
The clean laundry gets delivered every Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays at 11:00 am. This volunteer will come any of these days, on a weekly basis or when available, to fold all the towels and put them neatly away in the housekeeping closet. This usually takes about 1-2 hours depending on load.
Cleaning/Organizing Assistant:
This volunteer needs to be detailed oriented in their cleaning skills. They will help keep the common areas of the house thoroughly cleaned (ie: kitchen appliances, etc). Help cleans areas that are not done on a routine basis such as baseboards, walls, etc.
Kitchen/Storage Closet Organizer:
This volunteer monitors the inventory of the “community” pantry and rotates stock to ensure freshness. Shops for replacement supplies when needed, keeps the storage closet in order (linens, toiletries, paper goods, etc), and replaces items as needed.
Grocery Shopper:
This volunteer will pick up items on our grocery shopping list once a week or as needed using grocery store gift cards we have.
Greeter and Parking Attendant:
This volunteer will answer the door and help anyone that is coming in with finding their way. They will give tours as needed and they will manage the parking; making sure no one is parking in our lot that does not have a parking placard. This volunteer will need to be flexible as they may have busy days or light days. They will want to bring a book, computer, or something to do if it gets quiet.
Landscaping/gardening Assistant:
This volunteer will help make sure the yard is blooming and being well groomed and maintained. This volunteer may help get donations of flowers, etc to plant if needed or be able to tell us what to purchase. This volunteer will also come in to help water the flowers if needed. They will also help manage community groups that come to help with the yardwork.
Pamperer:
This volunteer will come in as often as they would like to pamper the guests by doing their nails, massages, facials, etc.
Mender/Seamstress:
This volunteer will be available to mend items such as linens & other items as needed.
Flower maker/arranger:
This volunteer will make fresh center pieces for our dining room tables.
Special Events Planner/Community Outreach:
This volunteer decorates the house for seasonal events and plans special events for families or solicits other groups to do so (i.e.: movie & popcorn night, July 4th barbeque, birthday celebrations for the kids, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, Halloween events, etc.) This volunteer will also help educate the community about the need for donations and help gather support as well as being creative to come up with holiday gift ideas for the families with what we have been given in donations.
Golf Cart Driver(Summer/Spring only):
We are in need of many volunteers to take a minimum shift of two hours to transport our guests to and from the hospital on our golf cart. We are looking for a mimimum of two hour shifts and during weekdays, atleast once per month, but once per week would be optimal. This person needs to be comfortable asking guests that come in and out if they would like a ride.
For more information or to volunteer go to https://www.fisherhousesaltlakecity.com/contact-us/ and complete the form.