Group Volunteer Opportunities
The Kansas City Rescue Mission is committed to meeting the needs of the whole person: Body, Mind, and Spirit, and volunteers are involved in each component. Whether your passion is to be on the “frontlines” of the Mission, or if you prefer to stay behind the scenes, we can work together to find the area of service that creates the most impact for you, the staff and our clients. Questions? Contact KCRM's volunteer coordinator at volunteer@kcrm.org.
Meeting the Needs of the Body:
Food Service (positions currently filled)
Our evening meal is often prepared and/or served by group volunteers. Groups can assist our kitchen staff to prepare meals, bring their own food to prepare in our kitchen or bring part or all of the food already prepared. (Groups of 5-10, please.)
Frequency: Daily Days/Times: Monday – Sunday, 5:30 - 8 p.m.
Gardening
Plant, maintain and harvest fresh produce in KCRM's Hope Garden. Groups and individuals committed to cultivating fresh produce for our dining room from this nearby garden site.
Frequency: Seasonally, April through September Days/Times: Weekly
Special Events
Use your imagination! Your group can organize a special meal or event for our residents and/or clients. For example: a Super Bowl party, Easter brunch, once-a-month birthday party for all the residents, Sunday ice cream social or an outdoor barbeque. Bring us your fun and creative ideas!
Frequency: Seasonally Times: Anytime
Kitchen Clean-up
Beyond general cleaning that occurs regularly, a busy kitchen needs an occasional overhaul. Tasks may include defrosting and cleaning the freezer, scrubbing te greasy areas of the range and ventilation system, sanitizing trash barrels or wiping down walls.
Frequency: As needed Days/Times: Any day between lunch and dinner
Shelter
Roll up your sleeves and make this place shine with general cleaning or deep cleaning of our emergency shelter dorm. Sanitize the mattresses, launder the bedding and/or scrub down the bathrooms and showers.
Frequency: Daily Days/Times: Monday - Sunday, late mornings
Clothing (positions currently filled)
Volunteers take requests for clothing items from clients then locate the correct items in the clothing room to fill the order. Your group of 10-15 can help with our weekly clothing distribution in conjunction with serving the evening meal; groups of 5-10 may choose to distribute clothing only.
Frequency: Weekly Times: Fridays, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Medical Clinic
Teams of medical professionals are invited to hold onsite clinics for our clients and residents. Dental exams, lice clinics, eye exams or any specialized area offer clients services they otherwise would not receive. Or, hold a health fair and offer classes on hygiene, nutrition, disease prevention, etc. (In some cases, you will need to provide your own equipment.)
Frequency: Annually or as needed Days/Times: Flexible
Meeting the Needs of the Spirit:
Chapel Services
The Kansas City Rescue Mission holds chapel services five days a week in both English and Spanish. We invite your group to join by leading worship, providing special music, dramas or praying with those who respond at the altar. All denominations are welcome to provide a Christ-centered, redemptive gospel message.
Frequency: Daily Days/Times: Sunday - Thursday, 6:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (Musicians may arrive earlier.)
Special Events
In addition to our daily chapel services, we invite groups to hold special services to further deepen our cleints’ Christian walks. For example, curriculum from Promise Keepers, Men of Valor, Focus on the Family, Financial Peace University and others could be presented in a group setting with breakout sessions for discussion and prayer.
Frequency: As needed Days/Times: Saturdays, morning or afternoon
Prayer
There is nothing more beneficial to this ministry than the covering of prayer. By lifting up our staff, volunteers, clients, donors and directors you are ensuring that we are covered in God’s protection and recipients of His wisdom. There is no more vital ministry than this. We will include prayer requests in a monthly e-mail to our prayer volunteers and encourage them to past those requests to others, too.
Frequency: Daily Days/Times: 24/7
Game Night
Laughter is good medicine! By offering a game night for our overnight clients we create a nonthreatening environment for friendships to develop that often result in evangelism and discipleship.
Frequency: Weekly Days/Times: Saturdays, 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Meeting the Needs of the Mind:
Learning Center
There are unlimited opportunities for small groups to hold seminars and classes for our residents to help equip them for reentry and living independently: cooking and nutrition, time management, job readiness, financial planning (e.g. Dave Ramsey). Bring us your creative ideas!
Frequency: As needed Days/Times: Flexible, according to the program director
Facility Needs:
There are many things that keep this ministry running smoothly. Your group can consider the following “behind the scenes” areas of service:Work Day
Many hands make light work! Bring your group in to tackle projects the staff just can’t seem to get to. Some projects include: construction, maintenance, painting, grounds keeping, custodial, vehicle detailing, etc.
Frequency: Periodic Days/Times: On call
Office Duties
If you enjoy an office atmosphere, we invite you to help hand-write addresses on envelopes, stuff envelopes or copy and bind notebooks. These tasks are tedious and time consuming for staff but could easily be accomplished by a group of willing volunteers.
Frequency: Periodic Days/Times: On call
Seasonal Decorating
Groups with a creative bent could have a ball decorating our facility for holiday and seasonal festivities. Simple decorations can really add a touch of warmth to our dining room, chapel and common areas.
Frequency: Seasonal Days/Times: Flexible
Off-Site Opportunities:
If your group would love to get involved but can’t come to the Mission, here are things you can do right where you are:Sack Lunch Sundays
The Kansas City Rescue Mission is closed Sundays so our residents can attend churches in the community. Upon their return we offer cold lunches prepared the night before. Your group could bless our residents and staff by preparing 40 sack lunches (sandwich, chips, fruit, dessert and drink) and bringing them to the Mission Saturday afternoon. Adding a note of encouragement in each sack is an extra blessing to the men!Cooking Club
If you have a group that loves to cook but can’t be here to serve the meal, consider preparing a meal at your location and having it delivered to the mission. (Our food service manager determines the number of portions — call for details.)Sweet Shop
There’s nothing quite like homemade baked goods! Have your group bake up a fresh batch of your favorite goodies and deliver them to the Mission. You are sure to put a smile on many faces!Harvest of Hope
Places to tend a garden in the inner city are few and far between! Your group could create a garden for the Mission at your location and bring in the harvest. Fresh produce is a healthy and delicious treat for our clients.Project Home-Sweet-Home
What says “home” like a handmade quilt or afghan? What a blessing it would be to offer such a personal touch to our men in recovery as a comfort to them during their stay here, and to take with them when they move on. Knitting groups, we need you too! Scarves, gloves, hats and socks warm the soul and the body!Welcome Kits
Most of our overnight clients come in with little more than the clothes on their backs. They don’t have basic necessities such as soap, shampoo, razors or deodorant. We invite your group to create small cloth bags filled with travel-size items to be handed out to each client as they arrive. Call for a complete list.Supply Round-up
Have your group organize a donation drive for the Mission. Collect anything from canned goods to underwear! (See our drives flier for current needs.)Are you a group leader with ideas other than those listed here? We’re listening! Bring us your fresh and fun ideas!
Ready? Click here to fill out our online application for groups.
