Question about volunteering

[Dunkthetall]

My spouse is looking to get involved with non-clinical underserved volunteering, and I was wondering if it needed to be face-to-face with underserved populations. For example, volunteering at Habitat for Humanity offices and stores or build-sites.

The volunteering places with the most need and that could accommodate her evening availability are also understandably in the roughest parts of our city. So I’m very wary of her being out at night by herself due to safety concerns.

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[LizzyM]

Face-to-face is best. Are there any soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters or similar facilities in your community that could use help on Saturdays or Sundays during the day?

 

[Dunkthetall]

Face-to-face is best. Are there any soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters or similar facilities in your community that could use help on Saturdays or Sundays during the day?

We’ve found one potential option but need to contact them because we’re not sure if it’s serving food to the underserved or to staff. And it’s limited to a few volunteers so depending on it’s popularity it may not be a weekly thing.

The rest we’ve found are M-F, with weekend opportunities limited to sorting donation items like Habitat.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My spouse is looking to get involved with non-clinical underserved volunteering, and I was wondering if it needed to be face-to-face with underserved populations. For example, volunteering at Habitat for Humanity offices and stores or build-sites.

The volunteering places with the most need and that could accommodate her evening availability are also understandably in the roughest parts of our city. So I’m very wary of her being out at night by herself due to safety concerns.

Ideally, yes, in-person/face-to-face is ideal.

There's a reason why those volunteering places are in the most need. I'm sure they take their volunteers' safety seriously.

 

[Dunkthetall]

For sure, I’m not worried about anything at the facility, but I’m anxious about her driving to and walking there.

This is due to having the same problem as a premed, and needing to volunteer later hours. I wouldn’t say I was harassed by the people outside, but it wasn’t…super friendly. And one time my car died as I was visiting the shelter and I had to sit there fore a while until another car could start it. I wasn’t very worried about my safety, but I’m a large male and it was a city with much less violence. I’ve lived in several metro areas, and I like our new home overall, but it’s on another level in terms of crime.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

I mean. Your spouse is going to be doing shifts in the ED and inpatient psychiatry with likely psychotic patients, likely in safety net hospitals in the rougher part of town. If you're this worried about her volunteering in a bad part of town, you probably should think ahead a bit and have a convo with her. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Z_C]

Just my thoughts, i’m not any kind of medical faculty and others might disagree so this is just me shooting from the hip: often “dangerous” parts of town are not all that dangerous in practice especially if you don’t live there. Violence is not random, it is targeted and if you aren’t doing anything to raise attention it’s a pretty remote chance that your spouse will be attacked.

Also, it’s entirely possible that you don’t need to go to a ‘bad’ part of town to make a difference, there are people struggling in most neighborhoods in my experience, the best way to help out is to first ask “who do I want to help” then literally ask people like that what kind of help they need, often it’s not what you think! I’m really excited that your partner is out there looking to make a positive change in the world : )

 

[Dunkthetall]

I mean. Your spouse is going to be doing shifts in the ED and inpatient psychiatry with likely psychotic patients, likely in safety net hospitals in the rougher part of town. If you're this worried about her volunteering in a bad part of town, you probably should think ahead a bit and have a convo with her. 🤷‍♂️

She’s volunteering at one

I mean. Your spouse is going to be doing shifts in the ED and inpatient psychiatry with likely psychotic patients, likely in safety net hospitals in the rougher part of town. If you're this worried about her volunteering in a bad part of town, you probably should think ahead a bit and have a convo with her. 🤷‍♂️

She volunteers at a safety net, but the hospital has a heavy police presence and offers its own shuttle services for security, so it’s not too worrisome. I’m actually on my psych rotation at the hospital lol. Security is always moments away so it never feels unsafe even when patients get aggressive.

I’m not trying to paint her as a fragile flower, she comes from a line of law enforcement and is more savvy than I am. And I’m not trying to clutch my pearls, I’m usually cavalier about this sort of thing. But weird things have happened here, and we’ve been in weird situations just shopping or getting gas. And it’s locals that have warned me about the need to be more vigilant and that even as a guy I shouldn’t be going to certain places at night. Without revealing where we are, the city is much more dangerous than other metros I’ve lived in.

Edit: I don’t know why it quoted you twice.

 

[Dunkthetall]

Just my thoughts, i’m not any kind of medical faculty and others might disagree so this is just me shooting from the hip: often “dangerous” parts of town are not all that dangerous in practice especially if you don’t live there. Violence is not random, it is targeted and if you aren’t doing anything to raise attention it’s a pretty remote chance that your spouse will be attacked.

Also, it’s entirely possible that you don’t need to go to a ‘bad’ part of town to make a difference, there are people struggling in most neighborhoods in my experience, the best way to help out is to first ask “who do I want to help” then literally ask people like that what kind of help they need, often it’s not what you think! I’m really excited that your partner is out there looking to make a positive change in the world : )

I know. I regularly visited these places (as an AA that’s usually where the best food is and where I need to go for haircuts lol). But our city is just on another level. And I worry about a random car breakdown getting her stuck there at night like what happened to me at my last city.

Trying to look but it’s not working out with the hours. We plan on making care packages to distribute on our own time but with a limited budget, it’s not something we can do as regularly as we want.

 

[LunaOri]

Would she be able to work at a crisis hotline? Or an organization like planned parenthood?

 

[LizzyM]

I know. I regularly visited these places (as an AA that’s usually where the best food is and where I need to go for haircuts lol). But our city is just on another level. And I worry about a random car breakdown getting her stuck there at night like what happened to me at my last city.

Trying to look but it’s not working out with the hours. We plan on making care packages to distribute on our own time but with a limited budget, it’s not something we can do as regularly as we want.

Might it be possible to partner with a faith community or a school group (Greek life) that wants to engage in community service?

 

[Dunkthetall]

Would she be able to work at a crisis hotline? Or an organization like planned parenthood?

Oh, she’s actually volunteering with a crisis hotline. We just weren’t sure if it would be considered working with underserved populations or if was technically face to face.

 

[Dunkthetall]

Might it be possible to partner with a faith community or a school group (Greek life) that wants to engage in community service?

She’s wanting to organize something like that with handing out care packages. But I’m not sure when/if it would become a consistent thing. The connections we have now I think are mostly organizing and collecting supplies.

But thank you everyone for the help. We’ll keep trying to figure something out.

 

[LizzyM]

Doing something consistently week after week is a good and noble thing but it is higher up the ladder, if you will, to assess needs, build programs, provide leadership and grow a program beyond one's own capacity so that it continues after one's personal involvement is over. It may be that your wife should look for that type of a role in serving people who are unhoused. Having a few hours of face-to-face service and then expanding to a broader role could be the right niche for her.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

She’s wanting to organize something like that with handing out care packages. But I’m not sure when/if it would become a consistent thing. The connections we have now I think are mostly organizing and collecting supplies.

But thank you everyone for the help. We’ll keep trying to figure something out.

Trust me, organizations like this exist already from people who have spent many years figuring it out. Whether it's a school supply drive for a local school, clean underwear/socks for a local shelter, or extra pet food for a no-kill humane society, start asking other community leaders or your local city council. Go to the local coffee shops and look at the flyers.

 

[Dunkthetall]

Doing something consistently week after week is a good and noble thing but it is higher up the ladder, if you will, to assess needs, build programs, provide leadership and grow a program beyond one's own capacity so that it continues after one's personal involvement is over. It may be that your wife should look for that type of a role in serving people who are unhoused. Having a few hours of face-to-face service and then expanding to a broader role could be the right niche for her.

That’s a good point

 

[Dunkthetall]

Trust me, organizations like this exist already from people who have spent many years figuring it out. Whether it's a school supply drive for a local school, clean underwear/socks for a local shelter, or extra pet food for a no-kill humane society, start asking other community leaders or your local city council. Go to the local coffee shops and look at the flyers.

Also a good point haha. We’re looking around and making a game plan.