Volunteer

Most of the work performed to enrich the lives of our guests is done by volunteers – we have very few paid staff. This important work would literally cease without volunteers! We welcome you to work with us, at any level, in any program. Here are some of the possibilities available to you.

Individual service

Volunteer in any program at any time the program is open. You can come in once, or share the love on a regular basis. We need greeters, good listeners, potato peelers, sandwich makers, floor sweepers, resume writers, database managers, you name it! You make the time, and we’ll make sure you have an experience of life and love like no other. Students and mandated community service candidates are welcome.

Faith-based and community service groups

Many faith communities and service groups volunteer at Dorothy's Place - if your group regularly volunteers, please contact your group liaison before you contact us.  If your group is new to service here, either contact weekday volunteer coordinator, or, if your group wishes to serve meals on the weekend, contact our weekend coordinator.

Service Learning

"Today's young people are coming of age in a complex, confusing, and often frightening world. In order to construct their lives and make their way, they need a mixture of qualities: idealism and realism, a clear sense of themselves and their personal boundaries as well as devotion to something larger beyond their sole selves. Above all, they need hope that the world can be made better and confidence that they can contribute to that process. Experiencing folks at Dorothy's Place helps give them such hope. May the way of Dorothy's Place be blessed and supported – until there are no more hungry and homeless people, until the world has truly become our Home."

Rabbi Susan Laemmle, Ph.D.
Dean of Religious Life, USC

Students from California State University Monterey Bay's Service Learning Institute serve at Dorothy's Place throughout the school year, assisting in both the Kitchen and the Day Room. Students have used Dorothy's Place for their capstone projects. In the spring of 2006, a CSUMB theatre class met frequently at Dorothy's Place and they presented several DVD projects at a special gathering for our guests. The community "partnership" between the Franciscan Workers / Dorothy's Place and CSUMB is of particular importance because of the University's commitment to civic engagement and social justice, and the "goal" of Dorothy's Place to ultimately go out of business.

Many other schools, elementary level through high-school level, have incorporated Service Learning in their educational curriculum. Please contact the school of your choice and ask if you can experience Service Learning at Dorothy’s Place.

Service Learning opportunities tend to be more focused on our daily work schedule. We welcome inquiries!

Immersion Experiences

We call a group of people so dedicated to social justice and working with the poor that they immerse themselves in our work an Immersion Group. Immersion Groups are usually students, but we’ve also hosted family groups. Immersion Groups live and work with our Companions of the Way Community for one or two weeks.

Through the course of many years, Immersion Groups have traveled the country to volunteer at Dorothy's Place: USC, Ohio State, Kansas State, Moorhead, UC Irvine, a youth group from South Dakota, another youth group from Ohio, and nearly every local school in Monterey County has connected with Dorothy's Place in some way.

Students and other young people are especially welcome to join with the Franciscan Workers in volunteering, service learning, or in Immersion Experiences, because of our dream of a world in which compassion is the norm of personal behavior and justice the policy norm of governments and institutions. The only way we are going to arrive at that place and time is by young people experiencing the "revolution of heart" that Dorothy Day constantly spoke of, and then committing their lives and work to social change.

Accommodations for Immersion Experience groups are worked out on a situational basis, but most frequently groups stay with our community of Companions at our Mercy Center. Groups join with us in our daily work, sharing in both food prep and service. Oftentimes they also enjoy playing chess, checkers, cards, or other games with our guests as well. Groups also enjoy going to Youth Alive! or other activities for children. All-in-all, Immersion Groups have a wonderful and powerful learning experience with us.

Immersion Experiences can be structured (or not) to fit the goals of particular groups. We welcome your contact!  Download an Immersion Experience application.

Holiday Serving

Thanksgiving and Christmas serving in Dorothy's Kitchen is important not just because our guests need some special love and attention around holiday time, but because you can give yourself and your family a special gift as well. Our Thanksgiving service is the largest meal service of the year, and is carefully planned, as we serve more than 1,000 meals out of our little kitchen.  We start taking volunteer signups for Thanksgiving in October, and we work in shifts. 

The Christmas holiday has many opportunities!  During the holiday week, we host:

Professional Service

We are a community of people bound in service to the poor, and we are always looking for professionals with special expertise to join us in service.  If you have professional experience in the follow areas, or in any area that you believe could be of help to the poor, please contact us!

  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Mental health
  • Social service eligibility
  • Art
  • Music
  • Hair care/personal care
  • Building maintenance/electrical/mechanic contractor
  • Marketing
  • Legal
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