Are you looking for a life-changing experience in service to the poor on behalf of social justice? Consider volunteering at a Catholic Worker community.
While all Catholic Worker communities welcome volunteers to work in many capacities, those listed below are seeking the specific help indicated.
Since Catholic Worker communities vary widely in their specific work and lifestyle, please read any descriptions under contact information before contacting a community.
Are you looking for a life-changing experience in service to the poor on behalf of social justice? Consider volunteering at a Catholic Worker community.
While all Catholic Worker communities welcome volunteers to work in many capacities, those listed below are seeking the specific help indicated.
Since Catholic Worker communities vary widely in their specific work and lifestyle, please read any descriptions under contact information before contacting a community.
USA volunteer opportunities, listed by State:
CAILIAKSKYMAMNMONJNYOHPATNTXVAWIWV
International volunteer opportunities, listed by country:
Great BritainUgandaDominican RepublicMexico
Los Angeles Catholic Worker Community – Los Angeles ( CA)
Each summer mid-June through early August, the L.A. Catholic Worker extends an invitation to any adult interested in joining us for a period of six weeks during the summer. It is an opportunity to live and work with a gospel-based community, to discern one’s vocation, or just simply to deepen one’s social justice experience on a first hand basis. By the way, the weather here in Southern California is great too.
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Martin de Porres House of Hospitality (San Francisco, CA)
Martin’s requires many hands on a daily basis. Please call or email to let us know when you might like to help.
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Dorothy Day House CW – Berkeley ( CA)
We need volunteers to prepare and serve breakfast. Shifts begin at 5am and 6:30am Monday through Saturday.
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Oakland Catholic Worker – Oakland ( CA)
We are accepting applications for full-time live-in staff members at our house of hospitality for Latin American immigrants. Staff members receive room and board and a stipend, commit for at least a year, should speak Spanish, and will primarily focus on accompaniment/case management for our guests and coordinating our English as a second language classes. Secondary responsibilities could include working with our food programs; managing our newsletter, website, and social media; outreach and advocacy; fundraising; bookkeeping, data-entry, and finances; volunteer coordination; and maintenance of the house, yard, and garden. Begin spring/summer 2017.
We also seek part-time volunteers to help serve food, pass out groceries, teach English, tutor our guests, improve/maintain the house and yard, and complete other tasks.
Franciscan Workers of Junipero Serra – Salinas ( CA)
If you would like to apply to join our community, or have questions about our life and work, please visit our website at www.companionsoftheway.org.
There are openings in our Community for these positions:
Dayroom Hospitality Coordinator
Women Alive! Shelter Coordinator
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Casa de Clara – San Jose ( CA)
We are a small house of hospitality for women and children experiencing homelessness. We are looking for full-time, live-in Catholic Workers (especially women), who want to commit a year or more of their lives to this work. A commitment to non-violence, simple-living, and a faith-based life style are required. Prior community living experience is helpful.
In addition, we need weekly or monthly volunteers to help with various aspects of our work, such as our neighborhood food distribution, and cooking & cleaning at the Catholic Worker. We are also looking for those who can offer their professional services to us – mechanics, plumbers, hair stylists, dentists, etc.
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Simone Weil and Peter Maurin House — Monastic – Dubuque ( IA)
We are looking for a volunteer who would like to join us in our little Monastic House – for a month – or longer. We are in need of help in maintaining the house, and working in our yard and garden. Please call Krystyna and Steven at 563-583-6790.
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St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Worker (Waterloo, IA)
We are looking for a new male member to serve in our Catholic Worker houses. We are a community consisting of three houses. The third house is currently providing shelter for an immigrant family for the next year. We provide food and shelter for the male poor and homeless population of Waterloo. All applicants need to have a working knowledge of the Catholic Worker principles and be willing to live in voluntary poverty. Room and board and a monthly stipend are provided. A desire to build a sense of community with other staff members is very important. We can be contacted by phone 1-319-236-6532 (preferred) or email cweaver2@mediacombb.net with a subject “Catholic Worker inquiry” Thank you very much for helping me with this task. Yours in the peace of Christ, Cheryl Weaver Go to top
Mustard Seed Community Farm – Ames ( IA)
We would appreciate helpers from late April to mid October, helping with farm chores and food distribution.
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Nativity House (Lockport, IL)
Nativity House, a House of Hospitality for expectant mothers and Catholic Worker Farm is currently accepting applications for interns. Interns live on site in intentional Catholic community providing direct service for our guest mothers an supporting the greater Nativity House Community through volunteer coordination, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and community building. Full time or part time available.
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St. Marcellus Catholic Worker Houses for Homeless – Kane ( IL)
We seek distance-volunteers to open their homes to homeless vets — of which there are 400,000 at any given time — in revocable or irrevocable living trusts — under our umbrella. Also, to help us compile contact information for FBCs in your part of the country, or at least, to order and to forward to us the current phone books from one or more cities in your State, so that we may compile such lists, to promote not only the St.MCW charism, but also the whole CW life-style, as well as de-centralized energy production and use, in the tradition of Peter Maurin’s farming communes and workshops with Houses of Hospitality
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Casa Latina Catholic Worker – Louisville ( KY)
Looking for Spanish speaking CW volunteers for our house of hospitality.
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Haley House (Boston, MA)
We are looking for 3-6 summer interns to live in our intentional community while working in Boston’s oldest soup kitchen. Interns will be expected to work 2-3 shifts in the soup kitchen, where they will cook and share a meal with guests and fellow volunteers. Interns will also be given a secondary placement. Examples of secondary placements include our urban garden project, the McKinley Garden, our cooking class series, Take Back the Kitchen, and our pay-what-you-can meal series, Community Tables. For more information and application materials, visit our website: http://haleyhouse.org/internships.shtml
Haley House is also seeking long-term live-in community members. This is a full-time commitment that includes living simply and communally with 4-9 other members while contributing primarily to the day-to-day running of the Soup Kitchen. Members spend their days engaging with guests and challenging attitudes that perpetuate suffering. For more information, visit our website: http://haleyhouse.org/livein_community_join. Contact information . . . | Go to top
Loaves and Fishes Community – (Duluth, MN)
Loaves and Fishes Community is seeking 1-2 new members to participate in community life with us. We are especially seeking of female-identified people to help run our women’s hospitality house, but we are open to people all genders.
There are currently thirteen adults and three kids in our core community. The grown ups range from our 20s to our 70s, including single people and couples of all orientations. Our community is ecumenical and largely secular in function, though we do make time for community reflection and voluntary opportunities for prayer. We value community health, and are mindful about creating time together for connection and joy.
Long-term volunteers are responsible for personal expenses beyond room and board, and are encouraged to find part time employment or school (no more than 20 hours per week).
Duluth has a thriving arts and music culture and tends blue-collar Left in politics. Our community is in a residential neighborhood but close to parks and less than three blocks from Lake Superior. It’s very green here in the summer, and snowy and quite cold in the winter,
For more information, contact Joel at duluthcatholicworker@gmail.com or 218-724-2054. Contact information . . .
Hildegard House Catholic Worker – Duluth (MN)
We are inviting catholic workers (men and women) to live at Hildegard House to be a welcoming presence for those who have experienced trafficking and exploitation that are living or dropping in at our house as well as engage with grassroots groups in our area that are working to end exploitation and empowering and encouraging those who are marginalized. We work in and with a diverse cultural, economic, and spiritual coalition and have accepted the invitation to become allies and accomplices under others leadership acting in community and solidarity. We do extensive urban gardening during our growing season. We are actively engaged with the local water protectors. We are strongly rooted in faith and we act out of our commitment to the principles and tenets of the Catholic Worker Movement for which we look to the Aims and Means for guidance.
We would prefer, if possible, that you visit our community first before making any kind of commitment. If it feels like a good fit, we can work out a longer commitment and take it from there. Room and board is free . We encourage volunteers to pursue part-time employment and other personal interests. Our house is located in a residential neighborhood, is close to the downtown area, and public transportation is easily accessible.
If interested, contact Michele Naar-Obed, (218) 722-2231, or email; hildegardhouseduluthcw@gmail.com, or message us through facebook; Hildegard House Catholic Worker. Go to top
Winona Catholic Worker – Winona ( MN)
We run our house with a large collection of local volunteers who do the works of mercy in a variety of ways. We encourage people to participate in the life of the community in a way that challenges and feeds them. Winona is a small city in southeastern Minnesota, located between the Mississippi River and its bluffs. The scenic beauty of the area helps to strengthen our awareness of rural life, farming and the reality of climate crisis, while our work of hospitality grounds us in the daily needs of the most vulnerable. If you are interested, please contact us by phone at 507.454.8094, or email at winonacatholicworker@gmail.com, or by our PO Box 102, Winona, MN 55987.
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Maryhouse of Little Canada – Little Canada ( MN)
Consider contacting the Maryhouse community to volunteer your time or to participate in the community life. We are currently in need of a resident housemother.
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The Mennonite Worker – Minneapolis ( MN)
The Mennonite Worker often has room for folks interested in sharing in our work. To find our more, visit www.mennoniteworker.com
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White Rose Catholic Worker Farm – LaPlata ( MO)
We offer live-in short or long-term volunteer opportunities. Come help with candle making, hospitality, tomato canning, wild edible foraging, draft horse farming, natural building, permaculture design…and much more! We also invite schools, churches, nonprofits, etc. to bring groups for day or week long immersion, service, and educational opportunities. We are 6 miles from an Amtrak stop! If you are interested, contact us by mail or phone.
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Friendship Room (Steubenville, OH)
We are seeking like minded catholic missionaries to staff our home.
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Lydia’s House (Cincinnati, OH)
Lydia’s House is currently seeking Associate Volunteers to live in a communal setting and work alongside our women and children in crisis. We are in need of year-long Associates who would serve from September 2016 – August 2017. We ask that all applicants for the Associates Program be at least 25 years of age. Applicants should be in good health, both mental and physical, and should demonstrate a willingness to be challenged and grow. Associates must be people of faith who desire to embrace life in a Christian community and commit to regular prayer and service. Applicants should be interested in living alongside the poor and living simply. For more information, visit our website at www.stlydiashouse.org or contact us at info@stlydiashouse.org.
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Nashville Greenlands – Nashville ( TN)
NASHVILLE GREENLANDS
Resident Volunteer Opportunities – Long Term
One opening, beginning mid-August 2018, and occasional openings as current residents move out to other commitments and housing.
Nashville Greenlands is an intentional residential community devoted to urban agriculture and social justice action. We have a network of seven houses we have restored in a poor neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee.
For the resident volunteer opportunities above, we are looking for people with a convincing commitment to a simple, just, and environmentally sensitive way of life, and to advocacy and activism for social justice and world peace.
Our community structure is decentralized and non-directive. Housing and utilities are provided free in exchange for thirty hours per month of help with gardening and housing maintenance, under the guidance of the household coordinator. Beyond this commitment, residents choose their own areas of action and employment. Current residents are key organizers and activists in other community organizations devoted to outreach and service to homeless people, labor organizing and support among exploited immigrant workers, collection and distribution of surplus food to communities in need, criminal justice reform, environmental conservation, and world peace advocacy.
CONTACT AND APPLICATION: To discuss in more detail, call Karl Meyer at 615-322-9523, or to apply, send a personal statement of your interests and motivation, and a resume’ of relevant background to Nashville Greenlands, 2407 Heiman St., Nashville, TN 372018-2415. (A string of email questions will elicit only a referral to the two options listed above.)
Contact: Karl Meyer.
Email: karlmeyerng@hotmail.com
Casa Juan Diego – Houston ( TX)
Volunteer Opportunity: Casa Juan Diego, the Houston Catholic Worker,has an opportunity for live-in Catholic Workers to work with immigrants and refugees. Casa Juan Diego provides hospitality (shelter) in several buildings in Houston, including a main center for women and children; shelter for immigrant men, two houses for sick and wounded men, and social service centers. Assistance is given to 150 paralyzed or very ill immigrants or refugees in the community who can receive no government help. Free medical care is provided to poor immigrants and refugees of the community in our clinic and food is provided to 500 individuals or families each week.
The mission statement of Casa Juan Diego is Matthew 25 in the Bible, where the Lord tells us that on Judgment Day we will be judged on how we have responded to Him in the disguise of the poor.
Functional Spanish is essential.
Contact Louise Zwick. Phone 713 869-7376. E-mail info@cjd.org.>
Little Flower Catholic Worker Farm – Trevilians ( VA)
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St Francis Catholic Worker – Spotsylvania ( VA)
For our ministry of hospitality and love coupled with a retreat ministry for the homeless who are longing for a stronger connection to Christ. We seek a couple and a single person approximately between ages 45 and 65 to join our faith community and work with our retreatants. We look for willing hearts to make a long term commitment to engage in all aspects of life here — from bookkeeping, letter writing, gardening, bed making, retreat direction and faith sharing with our guests, to community prayer and a little laughter.
We take seriously the command, “Come follow me” and because of that we live a faith fulfilled life.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day often went on retreats, themselves. Dorothy wrote of her own retreat experiences and urged others to make retreats. “Food for the soul,” she called them. Her writing clearly shows she envisioned Catholic Worker retreat houses –“… It is certainly a dream for the future.” We are humbled to be part of the lying out of her dream.
Inquiries Welcome. Please contact John or Polly Mahoney, or Pumpkin, our cat, at the above address and phone.
PEACE — PLEASE PRAY FOR US.
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Norfolk Catholic Worker – Norfolk ( VA)
Looking for students on break or for full-time live-in volunteers interested in living in community with homeless people at our hospitality house, working on our soup line, prayer and Scripture study, and participating in anti-war activism. Drivers license preferable. Please contact Steve Baggarly.
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St Francis Catholic Worker – Madison ( WI)
We are a new Catholic Worker community forming in Madison, WI. We are looking for supporters and volunteers to help build our community.
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Casa Maria Catholic Worker House – Milwaukee ( WI)
Casa Maria is seeking live-in volunteers for our four houses in Milwaukee. Our houses take in homeless women, families, refugees, and asylees. We redistribute used furniture, clothing, and infant items to those in need and participate in urban gardening. Our goal is to soon open a house for people who have been unfairly targeted by Milwaukee’s privatized, child welfare system. We regularly protest militarism, war taxes, gun violence, welfare deform, and have ties to groups working on racial justice and immigration issues. We also need volunteers for our farm in Watertown, Wisconsin. Those interested can contact casamariamke@gmail.com
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Family Worker Farm – (Harts WV)
Host volunteers: full year, summer, short-term; work with children and families; gardening/food security; supporting people through the opioid crisis.
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London Catholic Worker – London ( Great Britain)
Giuseppe Conlon Catholic Worker House is a hospitality house for refugees. We also run a Sunday afternoon drop-in soup kitchen, in London, UK. Volunteers and community members needed to contribute to all aspects of our life and work. We organize and take part in regular resistance activities. Contact us if interested.Farmhouse: currently a family looking for volunteers and community members. Large Farmhouse on edge of London. Help needed with all aspects of our work and mission. Contact us if interested.
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Uganda Catholic Worker Community – Kampala ( Uganda)
We are always looking for full time live-in international volunteers who would like to join our serve with us for 6 months or longer.
The young people are very much encouraged to consider serving and living with us. Ideally, all volunteers should have a good working knowledge of the catholic worker principles including voluntary poverty and MUST be able to speak English.
International volunteers living here with us are asked to contribute a small monthly contribution of $150 to take care of meals and basic incidental expenses. Room and Board is provided free.
Volunteer responsibilities include among others: helping with chores, collecting and distribution of Clothes, working with orphanages, attending to the needs of our homeless groups, carrying out evangelical out reaches, prayer and Scripture study, engaging in peace and justice activities ETC.
The Uganda Catholic Worker is ready to help international Volunteers applying with us with visa support papers for smooth Visa application. Please contact MICHAEL at victoriahost@gmail.com.
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Dominican Republic Catholic Worker – Santo Domingo ( Dominican Republic)
We would love to have 1 or 2 cw volunteers come and join us, we can offer room amd board for 1 or 2 volunteers with a dominican family, my parents! That is all we can offer at this point. You will help us understand more the spirituality of Dorothy Day and how to serve the poor here IN CW SPIRIT. Contact: Felix Cepeda
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Casa de Hospitalidad Wixarika T.C. – Guadalajara,Zapopan, JAL Mexico 45180 ( Mexico)
We are in need of financial support.
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Casa Colibri – Hostotipaquillo, Jal 46440 ( Mexico)
We welcome those interested in visiting Casa Colibre, some understanding of Spanish is needed, as well as a willingness to work and live in a rural Mexican village.