Ways to Get Involved - Volunteer

Volunteer

Thank you for being in touch with us about volunteer opportunities at Bridgeport Rescue Mission.

We are in the process of revamping our Volunteer Program and will not be accepting any new volunteers until late April. We will put your volunteer request into our system and be back in touch with you.

One of the changes we are making to our Volunteer Program is that we will require all volunteer applicants to participate in an Orientation Session and Tour, and a commitment to volunteering on a regular rotation for at least three months.

The purpose of the Orientation Session and Tour is to educate our volunteers on the scope of the services and programs Bridgeport Rescue Mission offers to those we serve. If you would like to arrange for a tour NOW so that we could jump-start your volunteer application process at the time of the relaunch of the Volunteer Program, please email Marion Schrade and she will be in touch with you to set up a tour with you.

Thanks again for your interest in helping Bridgeport Rescue Mission fight poverty from the inside out.

Food Needs

Help us collect the food we need to serve hungry men, women and children all year 'round. Consider the following opportunities to reach out and help Bridgeport Rescue Mission fight poverty from the inside out ...

• Neighborhood Food Drive - Energize your neighborhood to do a Food Drive. Make your house the drop-off point and call us when you’re ready to deliver. We’ll be here to help you!
• Business Food Drive – Be the instigator of a Food Drive at your place of work. We’ve had many success stories with Workplace Food Drives.
• Church Food Drive – Looking for a great project for the Youth? Encourage them to spearhead a Food Drive for the Bridgeport Rescue Mission.

HOST A PANTRY BOX PARTY!!

This is a GREAT FAMILY OR CHURCH ACTIVITY --- Help us provide Pantry Boxes of food for working poor families. The needs have increased exponentially in the past few months and we need your help!

Consider doing a food drive and then assembling boxes of food that contain the following items. Or, invite several families participate. Each family would take 5 items on the list and purchase quantities of 25. Pick a date and host a Pantry Box Packing Party. Build an assembly line and have all the families participate to build boxes that contain all of the following items. Deliver to the Rescue Mission where we will help you unload your cars and TAKE YOUR PICTURE FOR THE NEWSLETTER! Here’s what each box needs to contain:

• 2 boxes of dry pasta
• 2 jars of pasta sauce
• 2 boxes of macaroni & cheese
• 1 bag of rice
• 2 cans of sliced potatoes (or a small bag of fresh potatoes)
• 4 cans of soup
• 2 cans of beans (baked beans or red or white)
• 1 box of dry cereal
• 3 packs of Ramen Noodles
• 3 cans of vegetables
• 1 box of hot cereal
• 1 frozen turkey or 1 canned ham
• 1 box of iced tea mix
• 2 cans of Chef Boyardee
• 2 cans of fruit
• 1 can of yams
• 1 bag of stuffing mix

Volunteer in the Mission Kitchen

We'd love to have you join the front-line ministry of Bridgeport Rescue Mission as a volunteer in our Mission kitchen. Help prepare and serve a meal to the homeless and community poor at our shelter. Click here to find out specific days and times available.

Hit the Streets in our Mobile Feeding Kitchen

CURRENTLY FILLED
Each night, volunteers in our Mobile Kitchen visit the most impoverished areas of Bridgeport and South Norwalk, bringing hot, nutritious meals as well as clothing, shoes, blankets, hygiene items and other essential needs to homeless and low-income individuals and families.

Volunteer in our Clothing Ministry

We challenge your volunteer group to help us sort, weigh, organize and distribute donated clothing items to be given to the homeless and near-homeless in our community. Assist by separating and hanging incoming bags of clothes, sorting shoes, weighing items and keeping the sorting area clean and organized at our main campus or distribute clothes from our Women’s Shelter or Men’s Shelter. We also need volunteers to distribute clothing from our Mobile Kitchen. Click here to find out how your group can help!

Serve from Your Location

Bridgeport Rescue Mission depends on volunteers of all ages to help us fight poverty from the inside out. You, your school, church, business, organization, youth group or Sunday school class can help the hungry, homeless and addicted of Fairfield County by participating in any of the following drives:

Sweet Treats
Help us spread God's love by making Sweet Treat Packages for dessert. We provide more than 1,000 dinners a day through our main dining room and through our Mobile Kitchen–MANY of those we serve are children. Bake cookies or brownies (no nuts, please) and package two each in Ziploc® bags for dessert. Deliver them to our kitchen at 1088 Fairfield Avenue before 3 p.m. any day of the week.


Donate Clothing
Donate new or gently used clothing for men, women and children in all sizes. Bring your donations to 1088 Fairfield Avenue at the corner of Fairfield and Sherwood Avenues in Bridgeport anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We'll make sure they get to those who need them most!


Winter Warm-Up
Collect coats and other winter wear items for men, women and children of all ages and sizes. We distribute thousands of winter coats, hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves during the winter months. Drop off your new or gently used items anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.


Blanket Ministry
The electricity rates in Connecticut have doubled over the past year. Many poverty stricken families must choose between paying rent or the heating bill! Collect new or gently used blankets that we distribute to the poor and for use in our shelters.


Fill our Medicine Chest
The poor and needy have very limited financial resources and over-the-counter medications are cost-prohibitive. Collect over-the counter pain relievers, non-alcohol cold and flu medications, Benadryl, cough drops, sinus medication, antacids, foot powders and creams, sun block and aloe Vera lotions, band-aids, antibiotic ointment, multi-vitamins, and feminine care products we'll share with those in need.


Spread the Word
Help the Mission spread the Good News of Jesus Christ when your group collects New International Version Bibles (complete Bible with Old and New Testaments). We also use Christian devotionals, DVD's and videos, and books, journals and highlighters. Gift cards to any Christian Book store are always appreciated. Deliver your items to the Mission anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.


Sock Drive
We give away thousands and thousands of socks every year—all year long! New and gently used socks are always appreciated, especially white tube socks. Drop off your new or gently used items anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.


Bare Necessities
Provide the "bare necessities" for the homeless and near-homeless. Collect new, packaged underwear for men (L, XL, XXL), women (M, L) and children (size 3T and up). We do not accept bras. If you would like to help us meet the needs of bras for women, please provide gift cards to Kohl's.


New Life Welcome Package
When people decide to come into our New Life Program they make a choice to give up drugs and alcohol. Most of the men and women have been living on the streets and have very little to call their own. You can be the first to touch their hearts with the love of Christ by providing a package of personal care products. Make 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 packages (we will use approximately 150 packages per year). Instructions for preparing your Welcome Packages:

Women's Welcome Package should include: Full size bottles of shampoo and conditioner, full size can of spray deodorant, full size bar of soap, toothbrush, large tube of toothpaste, large bottle of hand cream, hair brush, comb, 2 pairs of white socks, and most importantly, an NIV Bible. Please place all items in a large Ziploc® bag.

Men's Welcome Package should include: Package of disposable razors, full size can of shave cream, full size can of spray deodorant, full size bar of soap, 1 pair of black socks, 1 pair of white socks, new package of white briefs in either XL or L, comb, toothbrush, large tube of toothpaste, full size bottle of shampoo, and most importantly, an NIV Bible. Please place all items in a large Ziploc® bag.

You may deliver your New Life Welcome Packages to the Mission any day between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.


Overnight Guest Package We offer overnight emergency shelter to 24 men and 15 women every night. We provide a hot shower, a hot nutritious meal, and a warm and safe. You can touch the lives of these desperate people with an Overnight Guest Package of travel-size toiletries. In one year we provide 17,885 nights of shelter, so that's a lot of Overnight Guest Packages! Make packages in quantities of 25, 50, 100, whatever your group can accommodate. Instructions for preparing your Overnight Guest Package:

Overnight Guest Packages should include: travel-size items of bar soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, and one pair of white tube socks. Please place all items in a large Ziploc® bag.

You may deliver your Overnight Guest Packages to the Mission any day between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.


Fill Our Pantry! We prepare and serve over 290,000 meals per year! Your group can help us keep our pantry stocked with nutritious food for hungry families. Collect the following items and deliver them to the Mission: frozen turkeys, canned hams, frozen hot dogs, (we use these meat staples year round), rice, baked beans, sugar, canned fruits and vegetables, canned soup, dry pasta, jars of pasta sauce, cake & brownie mixes, cans of ground coffee, instant drink mixes. We greatly appreciate fresh fruits and vegetables!

For more information …

Download our volunteer ministry brochure to learn more about opportunities available to you, your family or your group.

Interested in sponsoring a drive? Send us an e-mail to let us know!