Existing Volunteers

Volunteer Sign Up

North Region (Wheat Ridge/Arvada)

Central Region (Lakewood/Edgewater/Golden)

South Region (Littleton/Englewood)

Prayer Requests

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Social Media

Wanna work with us?? We are looking for a Regional Shelter Manager in the North Region (Arvada, Wheatridge). Help us work to end homelessness! If you're interested, please email Christy@swshelternetwork.com OR look us up on Indeed. We're excited to work with you! 🚀🤝💼 ... See MoreSee Less
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Wanna work with us?? We are looking for a Regional Shelter Manager in the North Region (Arvada, Wheatridge). Help us work to end homelessness! If you're interested, please email Christy@swshelternetwork.com OR look us up on Indeed. We're excited to work with you! 🚀🤝💼 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Wanna work with us?? We are looking for a Regional Shelter Manager in the North Region (Arvada, Wheatridge). Help us work to end homelessness! If you're interested, please email Christy@swshelternetwork.com OR look us up on Indeed. We're excited to work with you! 🚀🤝💼 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

Volunteer of the Month

Mueller

The Mueller Family was an intregal part of this season! We appreciate all your hard work!

In-Person Volunteer Trainings

We realize it has been 5 years since we have done an official Volunteer Orientation and Training! All volunteers are strongly encouraged to attend to refresh knowledge and understanding — there are a few new things to learn as well. Please note the opportunites below and plan to attend. 

NORTH

Arvada Library: 7525 W. 57th Avenue, Arvada, Colorado 80002

Friday September 22nd @ 3:00pm

OR

Saturday September 23rd @ 1:30pm

SOUTH

Immanuel Lutheran Church: 3695 S. Acoma St, Englewood, CO 80110

Thursday, September 21st @ 5:00pm

OR

Saturday, September 30th @ 1:00pm

CENTRAL

River Church: 220 S Yarrow St, Lakewood, CO 80226

Thursday, September 14th @ 5:00pm

OR

Saturday, September 23rd @ 3:30pm

Required Volunteer Trainings

Goals and Objectives of Emergency Shelter

Coming soon!

Roles and Responsibilities: Staff and Volunteers

Coming soon!

Shelter Night Processes And Partners

Coming soon!

Shelter Night Expectations For Guests

Coming soon!

Additional Recommended Training

Mental Health First Aid: All Health Network

Coming Soon!

Drug Overdose & Narcan: Public Health Department

Coming Soon!

CPR training: Sheryl Reicher LPN, certified trainer

Coming Soon!

De-escalation: All Health Network

Coming Soon!

Fire Watch: SWSN and the Englewood Fire Department

Coming Soon!

Check Out Our Training Videos

Welcome Video

Volunteer Opportunities Overview

Food and Kitchen Overview

Hospitality Host Position (5-8pm)

Laundry Volunteers

Health and Safety Procedures

De-Escalation Training

Volunteer Survey Results: 2022 – 2023

Vol
Vol 2

Severe Weather Shelter Network had many changes this past season as we were navigating the transition back into the church.

We had a lot of feedback during the season that we unfortunately couldn’t do anything about in the midst of sheltering. We also sent out a survey to our volunteers at the end of the season to truly understand what they thought needed to be improved. (See images above)

What did the volunteers have to say?

We had many surveys submitted at the end of the season and we compiled all the suggestions that we received during the season with the survey answers.

Overall, most volunteers felt that the move back into the churches went pretty well while acknowledging that were some “bugs” that needed to be fixed going into this next season. We acknowledge that this season was full of constant changes to try to adapt to the post-covid shelter model. There were many differences from the pre-covid model that we didn’t expect and there were many post-covid changes that we thought would help, that ended up not working the way that we thought they would.

One of the big changes to this past season was the addition of our database. We wish we had been able to provide more in person training when it comes to this aspect of shelter.

Many volunteers shared that they would have preferred to have training so that they could have had an easier time using the new system during the season. We will be holding trainings in the fall in order to have our volunteers feel confident about how they are using the database as well as the duties of the roles they sign up for.

We had several Regional Coordinators in each region this past season and we have had some great feedback from our volunteers. Volunteers were having challenges during the season understanding who to contact and what was really needed on a shelter night. Near the end of the season, we adjusted to have one assigned Regional Coordinator per region so that there would be no confusion about who to contact. Moving into this next season, we will be introducing one shelter manager in each region who will be the main point of contact. We believe this will help with the communication challenges, the understanding of needs on a shelter night, and make shelter run more smoothly.

One of the main complaints we received during the season was from our food volunteers. Using the database this past season, they were unable to plan with the other food volunteers for the type of food being brought and there was confusion about what food was already onsite. In the past, we had used sign up genius, which had allowed the collaboration to happen.

We have heard you and we will be bringing sign up genius back this next season for the food volunteers. We appreciate your love for our guests and your desire to ensure

that the meals work together. Shelter managers will also be able to keep track of what food is already onsite to ensure there is no food going to waste this next season.

We appreciate our volunteers and the flexibility and grace that was shown.

Severe Weather Shelter Network would not be able to run without our volunteers and partners. We value the relationship we have with each and every one of you! You are truly the hands and feet of the Church as you show kindness and care for our guests that are in shelter on any given night. We appreciate the grace that was shown as we adjusted the program for return to shelter and the changes that were made to ensure the success of the season. We saw the flexibility that the volunteers and partners showed to us and our guests as different needs arose throughout the season.

You all are the backbone to our ministry and we can never thank you enough for everything you do! We look forward to serving with you in the next season.