Volunteer Opportunities
Ready to make a difference?
You’ve come to the right place! Volunteers dedicated more than 17,000 hours to SAMMinistries in 2020, and we hope you can join the team! Every one of our volunteers is a valuable part of our work here, and we could not succeed in overcoming homelessness without you. For any volunteer questions, email volunteer@samm.org or call 210-321-5639
For individual volunteers, please complete a volunteer application with your legal name and information so a background check can be completed. You will then receive information on volunteer orientation dates within one week. Your application will not be verified for approval until attendance of an orientation. Volunteer opportunities are sent out weekly with an online sign-up sheet for all approved volunteers.
For group volunteers, please complete an inquiry form below. SAMMinistries Volunteer Services will contact you within one week to offer your group some options for volunteering.
Individuals |
Groups |
SAMMinistries does not provide volunteer opportunities for adults with court-mandated community service hours. However, in lieu of community service hours, adults can pay SAMMinistries to certify court ordered service hours at a rate of $8 per hour. Please contact Human Resources at our administrative offices at (210) 340-0302 for additional information.
Due to COVID-19, SAMMinistries is taking measures to ensure the safety of staff, clients, and volunteers. New measures include, but are not limited to: temperature checks, health screenings, requiring masks, and capacity limits in accordance to the guidance provided by the City of San Antonio. Furthermore, SAMMinistries Volunteer Services is offering a variety of socially distant opportunities for small groups and individuals.
Click For Frequently Asked Questions About Volunteering
Volunteer as an individual
Help us write thank you cards to our supporters, make phone calls, and enter data. Days and times vary.
Assist our SAMMExpress Donation team by volunteering as a Front Desk Assistant. Volunteers will help answer phones, enter data, and assist walk-in donors.
Help SAMMinistries create and maintain a vegetable and herb garden at the Transitional Living and Learning Center. Volunteers will work alongside residents in maintaining this space. No garden experience necessary.
Nationally, 20% of all children who experience homelessness will fail their grade. Help break this cycle by assisting elementary-aged children to complete their homework at our Transitional Living and Learning Center (TLLC). This opportunity is ideal for high school and college students as well as adults who enjoy tutoring children. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 4pm-6:30pm during the school year.
Our parents are busy going to work and school to support their families. They welcome any opportunity to spend time together as a family. Consider hosting a family enrichment event for the families living at TLLC. Ideas include: movie night; barbeque; family game night; and water fun day. Hosts are asked to provide ALL necessary items. Availability varies. Please contact Volunteer Services at 210-321-5639 for more information.
Every week, our donation station received much needed items for our clients from the community. We need volunteers to help us inventory donations so that they can be shared with the individuals and families that we serve.
At TLLC, our residents have access to a space where they can spend points that they earn from attending class and reaching their goals. We need volunteers to help stock, organize, and inventory our clothing and points store items. Days and times vary.
Throughout the year, SAMMinistries hosts various special events. You can assist the SAMM team at events like our Empty Bowls fundraiser in March, Our Back to School Bash in August, or Christmas Events at the end of the year. Days and times vary. Please contact Volunteer Services at 210-321-5639 for more information.
In order to ensure that our residents attain self-sufficiency, we offer different classes and activities to all the parents living at our Transitional Living and Learning Center. Classes include money management, parenting, conflict resolution, job readiness, and more. Volunteer to help in our Children’s Enrichment Center while the parents are in class. Weeknight evenings from 6:15pm-7:45pm.
The recently renovated Harvey E. Najim Library at the TLLC is now open for our residents to check out books. Library monitors help catalog and label books, check in and out materials, help staff and residents use library technology and find books, and maintain cleanliness and order in the library. The library is open every Saturday from 11:00am – 3:00pm.
Volunteer as a family
Help SAMMinistries create and maintain a vegetable and herb garden at the Transitional Living and Learning Center. Volunteers will work alongside residents in maintaining this space. No garden experience necessary.
Every week, our donation station received much needed items for our clients from the community. We need volunteers to help us inventory donations so that they can be shared with the individuals and families that we serve.
The recently renovated Harvey E. Najim Library at the TLLC is now open for our residents to check out books. Library monitors help catalog and label books, check in and out materials, help staff and residents use library technology and find books, and maintain cleanliness and order in the library. The library is open every Saturday from 11:00am – 3:00pm.
At TLLC, our residents have access to a space where they can spend points that they earn from attending class and reaching their goals. We need volunteers to help stock, organize, and inventory our clothing and points store items. Days and times vary.
Throughout the year, SAMMinistries hosts various special events. You can assist the SAMM team at events like our Empty Bowls fundraiser in March, Our Back to School Bash in August, or Christmas Events at the end of the year. Days and times vary. Please contact Volunteer Services at 210-321-5639 for more information.
In order to ensure that our residents attain self-sufficiency, we offer different classes and activities to all the parents living at our Transitional Living and Learning Center. Classes include money management, parenting, conflict resolution, job readiness, and more. Volunteer to help in our Children’s Enrichment Center while the parents are in class. Weeknight evenings from 6:15pm-7:45pm.
Volunteer as a group
Our parents are busy going to work and school to support their families. They welcome any opportunity to spend time together as a family. Consider hosting a family enrichment event for the families living at TLLC. Ideas include: movie night; barbeque; family game night; and water fun day. Hosts are asked to provide ALL necessary items. Availability varies. Please contact Volunteer Services at 210-321-5639 for more information.
Every week, our donation station received much needed items for our clients from the community. We need volunteers to help us inventory donations so that they can be shared with the individuals and families that we serve.
Cleaning, organizing, and inventorying are vital to ensuring a safe, beautiful home for our residents. Volunteer teams can deep clean the kitchen and help with other needed maintenance of TLLC. Projects in the past have included: painting; mulching; gardening; and organizing the children’s library. This is an opportunity for churches or groups. Availability varies. Please contact 210-321-5639 for more information.
Throughout the year, SAMMinistries hosts various special events. You can assist the SAMM team at events like our Empty Bowls fundraiser in March, Our Back to School Bash in August, or Christmas Events at the end of the year. Days and times vary. Please contact Volunteer Services at 210-321-5639 for more information.
In order to ensure that our residents attain self-sufficiency, we offer different classes and activities to all the parents living at our Transitional Living and Learning Center. Classes include money management, parenting, conflict resolution, job readiness, and more. Volunteer to help in our Children’s Enrichment Center while the parents are in class. Weeknight evenings from 6:15pm-7:45pm.
Once a week the families of TLLC all share a meal together to build community before parents attend life skills classes for the evening. Each year we seek groups to provide dinner to the families each Tuesday night. Dinner is served at 5:30pm and must be completed in time for class at 6:30pm. Meals cost teams an average of $300. Tuesday evenings. Please note that dates are booked up to a year in advance.