The Brisben Center depends heavily on our large number of highly committed volunteers and supporters from across our community. For example, our volunteers and their groups serve nutritious meals for up to 80 residents every day of the year. Not only do they serve the meal. They also provide and prepare the food in the commercial kitchen; the residents clean up. More than 70 faith-based and civic organizations, representing many hundreds of individual volunteers, support this major endeavor.
Mobility Mentoring® Coaches work one-on-one with low-income program participants twice a month for a year. After 6 hours of initial training, they commit to 4-6 hours of 1:1 coaching per month. Mobility Mentoring® Coaches are compassionate, open to learning, know how to handle challenging situations, and eager to coach an adult program participant to establish a pathway to economic self-sufficiency. A volunteer application and background check is required. Trainings are offered on an ongoing basis. Click here to learn more about Mobility Mentoring® and for upcoming training dates.
UCAN Club volunteers help low-income families learn how to select, prepare, consume, and store healthy food on a tight budget. Children and adult participants learn to cook with crock pots, microwaves, blenders and other appliances. We need volunteers to help homeless families learn these skills, fundraise/market, and serve on a UCAN Club committee. Time commitments vary. Click here to learn more about the UCAN Club.
The Brisben Center is blessed by the contributions of over 2,500 volunteers each year. From driving residents to appointments, sorting clothes, writing resumes, and reading to children, volunteers are integral to the Brisben Center’s mission of providing healthy shelter and effective services for resolving homelessness. Click here to tell us how you would like to be involved.
During a normal year, we serve nearly 95,000 individual meals per year, in large part through the efforts and generosity of volunteers/donors. If you or a group would like to sponsor, cook, and serve a meal, please check out our Meal Sponsorship calendar page for more information.
Please review our list of volunteer opportunities. We have many interesting and fulfilling ways to help. Occasionally, we have a part-time paid position.
Note: Some of our opportunities are for volunteer coordinators, others would involve a small group of your friends or associates. We have limited volunteer opportunities at the Center for minors, and only if they are accompanied by a parent. We do offer an opportunity for children and early teens to serve by organizing a drive and delivering badly needed items to the Center. We always have volunteer opportunities, so check-in regularly at this site and/or sign-up for our E-newsletter by sending an email to info@brisbencenter.org.
Not sure how you might fit in at Brisben? Send us your inquiry with a short note or resume about your experience, new idea, talent and passion and include the amount of time you have available to volunteer. Please send this information by email to info@brisbencenter.org
CLICK HERE to view our Immediate Needs list — many items that you can pick up when shopping.
ORGANIZE A DRIVE — ADULTS, CHILDREN AND EARLY TEENS — Your kids or family can organize a drive to collect badly needed items for the homeless men, women, and children at Brisben. From pillows and towels to cereal and snack tubs. CLICK HERE to view our Immediate Needs list. Keep it simple with a family drive, or engage a couple of friends, a club, a team, or your class. Let us know when you’re coming to bring the items to the Center and we’ll give you a tour.
SERVE LUNCH OR DINNER
— Organize 3-5 associates and serve a lunch meal at Brisben on a Saturday or perhaps during a weekday.
— Have a larger group and want to serve a future dinner meal? Contact us at meals@brisbencenter.org regarding lunch or dinner programs.
Email info@brisbencenter.org if you have questions or you are interested in any of the positions below.
Volunteer Drivers (volunteer position): Have a car and 3 to 4 hours of volunteer time once a week? You can make a difference by driving residents to the doctor, the pharmacy, job interview, or government office. Email us at info@brisbencenter.org .
Retired Professionals Wanted (volunteer position) — Do you have 2 to 3 hours available each week? Email info@brisbencenter.org and let us know about your talent and skills.
Coordinator Positions — Do you have experience planning, organizing and making good things happen? Do you have flexible hours weekly to volunteer? We would like to talk with you. (To apply for one of these positions, please submit a short cover note and resume with your experience to info@brisbencenter.org. These are unpaid but important positions.)
Resource Development Support (volunteer position) — Help the Brisben team maximize and further develop its broad range of existing resources.
Our volunteers give their most precious commodity — their time. They are our community’s helping hands, serving those with the greatest needs.
THE BRISBEN CENTER
471 CENTRAL ROAD
FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA 22401
(540) 899-9853
