Volunteering Opportunities with the Northeast Ohio

Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH)

Improve the quality of life of homeless individuals and facilitate the efficiency and growth of our programming.

Call Emily at 216-432-0540, ext. 103 to become involved

NEOCH Office (clerical support):

Contribute to changes in housing, income, rights and other social justice issues for homeless individuals. Get the opportunity to see how a non-profit operates. Perform clerical work to facilitate the productivity and advancement of NEOCH programming.

Community Voicemail (CVM):

Help ensure every person in need of a phone number gets one. Help foster stability in an individual’s life by updating files and entering data. Facilitate the efficiency of CVM programming. Knowledge of Microsoft Access is helpful but not necessary.
Additionally, serve on the CVM Advisory Board

The Grapevine:

Aid in the production of Cleveland’s street paper, The Grapevine. Promote social justice by helping with layout, writing stories, conducting interviews, archiving and possibly other editorial duties.

Organizing:

Assist with the organization of homeless individuals and help work toward progress. Work with the Homeless Congress or Resident Council Meetings.

The Homeless Congress meets every two weeks and collaborates on solutions for issues in the homeless community. The solutions will be presented to The City in the future. The Congress has representatives from each shelter in Cleveland.
Resident Council Meetings are held monthly at the largest men (2100 Lakeside) and women shelters (Community Women’s Shelter on Payne Avenue). Resident Council Meetings are forums for residents to air their grievances about their stay in shelters. The meetings try to improve shelter life. Plans also are being made to hold meetings at “The Spot” drop-in center.

Organizational Leadership:

Plan and/or steer initiatives to make differences in the fields of Affordable Housing and/or Homelessness. Collaborate with others who have similar interests and passions as you, and develop skills necessary in the non-profit world. Join NEOCH’s Board of Directors. Send your resume to neoch@neoch.org.

	Special Events:
	Help with the planning and implementation of already established NEOCH events and in the creation of future events. Join NEOCH’s Fundraising Committee.

Website, Database and Newsletter Design:

Exercise your computer skills with graphic design and database design. Increase our efficiency in addressing the problem of homelessness. With databases, increase our organization; helping us to store our information better. The database program we use is Microsoft Access.

With graphic design, help us to communicate our messages more powerfully, through better aesthetics, better information organization on our websites and within our newsletters. With improved advertising, help us spread our vision more effectively.

Bridging the Gap Housing Program (BTG):

Assist in bridging the gap between being homeless and being housed! Assist with fundraising/development of the program, managing donations, delivering Welcome Home baskets, helping clients move, serving on the advisory board, and any other area which you feel you can contribute knowledge or experience.

Cleveland Homeless Legal Assistance Program (CHLAP):

Volunteer opportunities exist for lawyers, paralegals and law students. Lawyers can volunteer two hours a month at one of six intake sites. Volunteers conduct interviews, answer questions and assist in addressing the client’s legal needs. Attorneys who can provide direct pro bono legal assistance in the family law area are desperately needed.
Paralegals can also assist at the intake sessions. Law students and paralegals assist clients by conducting legal research and preparing documents and pleadings for client in pro se matters.

CHLAP plans to initiate a series of monthly seminars for clients and local social service providers. Topics will include: divorce, custody, visitation, employment, bankruptcy, housing and Social Security. If you are interested in volunteering for this program, please contact Joan Burda at 216.635.0768, or by email at joanburda@neoch.org.