Volunteer and outreach opportunities enable us to share our gifts and talents while learning from others. Often we receive more than we give. Sharing life situations, challenges, and struggles with others opens our hearts to the BVM core values of freedom, education, charity, and justice.
We invite you to join the Sisters of Charity, BVM in reaching out in love to people in need for an afternoon, weekend or more.
Ongoing Ministry and Social Justice Opportunities
Alabama
Selma, Alabama, Edmundite Missions: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester are developing field learning opportunities to serve the rural poor in and near Selma, Alabama. The ministry includes food and nutrition, after school learning, elder services, clothing, and health care. Mission field visits can be of any duration. Learn more.
California
San Jose: Volunteer to teach English, health education, and financial and employment skills at the Day Worker Center, a nonprofit organization that helps people find daily employment. Learn more.
San Jose: Assist at Casa de Clara San Jose Catholic Worker House, which provides a home for women and children. Services needed include volunteer drivers; assistance with childcare, laundry, gardening, providing meals, and professional services; and taking guests on a weekend outing. Learn more.
Illinois
Wilmette: Volunteer with Illinois Religious Engaged in Nonviolent Endeavors (Project IRENE), a statewide collective voice for systemic change on behalf of women and children in Illinois. Centered at the Capitol in Springfield, advocacy issues include trafficking, economic poverty, and immigration. Learn more.
Chicago: Assist Chicago Shares with providing vouchers that can be used by homeless and needy people for food and necessities. Learn more.
Chicago: Bring your skills to Little Sisters of the Poor, St. Mary’s Home. Volunteers are needed for visiting residents, serving resident meals, assisting with activities and providing maintenance around the home and garden. Learn more.
Chicago: Help feed the hungry at the Providence Soup Kitchen by serving bottomless bowls of hot delicious soup along with complete hot meals with sweets for dessert, Mondays through Fridays 11:30–12:30. Learn more.
Chicago: Assist at Blessed Sacrament Parish by helping in the food pantry, working in the community garden, or tutoring in the adult learning or youth centers. Learn more.
Chicago: Offer your services at Taller de Jose, a community resource center that helps people navigate the complicated social service system through the ministry of accompaniment. Learn more.
Chicago: Volunteer to help bag and distribute groceries at Holy Family Parish Food Pantry. Learn more.
Iowa
Dubuque: Assist retired sisters in the Mount Carmel Continuing Care Retirement Community. You may read to residents or transport sisters in wheelchairs. The Activities Department welcomes assistance with weekly planned events and projects.
Dubuque: Volunteer at Teresa Shelter and Maria House, which provide hospitality and opportunity to women who need emergency/transition housing.
Dubuque: Offer your services at Presentation Lantern Center, a drop-in center that provides one-on-one tutoring for immigrants learning English, finding friends, navigating a new culture, and preparing for the citizenship test.
Dubuque: Volunteer at St. Stephen Food Bank, which obtains wholesome, nutritious foods from many sources for member agencies that feed the hungry in the community. Volunteer drivers pick up food products from local grocery stores daily and make weekly food pick-ups from other area food banks. Learn more.
Dubuque: Assist at Hills and Dales Residential Center, dedicated to building meaningful lives for individuals with disabilities by offering services that support the whole person and enhance community inclusion. Learn more.
Dubuque: Volunteers are needed to help with the Open Closet at St. John Lutheran Church. Duties include shopping helpers, sorting and hanging clothes, and crowd control. Both men and women are needed on the first and third Saturday of the month from 8:40 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Learn more.
South America
Guayaquil, Ecuador: Work at Damien House, a caring home for persons with Hansen’s disease. For more information, visit their website: http://www.thedamienhouse.org
Quito, Ecuador: Volunteer at the Working Boys’ Center in Quito. For more information, visit their website: http://www.c4wf.org
Current Ministry and Social Justice Opportunities
Contact Us
For more information about volunteering with
the Sisters of Charity, BVM, contact:
BVM Office of Life and Mission
Sisters of Charity, BVM
1100 Carmel Drive
Dubuque, Iowa 52003-7991
bvmoutreach@bvmsisters.org