At many shelters, volunteers play a crucial role in kids' lives by providing structured play time. Volunteer play dates at CEH have revolved around a variety of activities, ranging from watching a movie, to playing kickball, to collecting bugs. But the most important thing is for volunteers to just spend time with the children. The greatest thing about these projects is that they make the kids' experience in a homeless shelter seem less like an experience in a homeless shelter. Play dates also provide break time for parents, many of whom are single heads of households.
Volunteers can help keep kids living in shelters on the right track.
But what feels like a little piece can have a major impact in the future. Most cities across the country lack adequate affordable housing, forcing many families to live in shelters. Although a number of agencies have made great strides in increasing the amount of shelter available for low-income families, there is always a need for more volunteers. This is one project where you'll need to work with an agency. Other agencies, like the Orange Mound Development Corporation in Memphis, work to rehab entire neighborhoods.