Volunteer

Pine Street Inn is grateful for the ongoing interest and engagement from volunteers and supporters. The organization offers a variety of both in-person and remote volunteer activities. Thank you for supporting Pine Street Inn’s guests and tenants!

Group Volunteering*

Days: Tuesday – Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
Time: 9:30 AM–12 PM
Number of Volunteers Needed: 5
Help prepare food in Pine Street’s production kitchen. Peel and chop produce, cut and season protein, and clean as needed. A tour of the shelter will be offered at the end of the shift.

Days: Monday – Friday
Time: 9:30 AM–11:30 AM
Number of Volunteers Needed: 10 – 12
Serve coffee and pastries to Pine Street’s shelter guests as a special morning treat. Groups provide in-kind donations of coffee and treats.

Days: Monday – Friday
Time: 1 PM–3 PM
Number of Volunteers Needed: 5 – 15
Host games of BINGO and serve sweet treats to shelter guests. Groups provide in-kind donations of gift card prizes, snacks and ice cream.

Days: Tuesday and Thursday
Time: 1 PM–3 PM
Number of Volunteers Needed: 10 – 25
Double the service, double the fun! Half the group will host games of BINGO for shelter guests while the other half partners with Pine Street’s facilities team on hands-on shelter maintenance. This could mean anything from repainting common areas and cleaning lockers to folding laundry and tackling whatever tasks the team needs most that day. Groups provide in-kind donations of snacks and Bingo prizes.

Host a volunteer event at your office! A Pine Street Inn staff member will join your volunteer event and give a presentation about Pine Street Inn. Volunteers will assemble kits of needed items for shelter guests and/or housing tenants.

Here are the different types of bag assembly projects:

  • Street Outreach Bags
  • Welcome Home Baskets
  • Hygiene Kits
  • Snack Packs
  • Breakfast Boxes
  • Pantry Kits
  • Cleaning Kits

Days: Daily
Time: 4:30 PM–6 PM
Number of Volunteers Needed: 6 – 8
Serve dinner to guests at the Men’s Inn and Yawkey House shelters. Please consider donating desserts as a special treat.

Days: Monday – Friday
Time: 4 PM–6 PM
Number of Volunteers Needed: 15 – 25
Serve dinner restaurant style to shelter guests. Meal sponsorship costs are associated with this opportunity.  Availability is limited. 

*All volunteers must be 18 years of age and older to volunteer in-person

Individual Volunteer Opportunities*

Days: Monday – Friday
Time: 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Prepare sandwiches for shelter guests and outreach van.

Days: Sunday
Time: 11:15 AM–12:30 PM
Serve brunch to our women’s shelter guests

Days: Daily, As Needed
Time: 4:30 PM–6 PM
Serve dinner to Pine Street’s women’s shelter guests.

*All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to volunteer in-person.

Individuals are also welcome to participate in any of our remote volunteering opportunities.

School and Community Groups

Have a group of students under 18 looking to get involved? Make a difference through one of these opportunities:

Hold a donation drive to collect essential items for shelter guests and housing tenants.

Gather donations and assemble kits of needed items for shelter guests and/or housing tenants. Staff will provide guidance and can visit your school or community gathering to bring the mission to life and share the powerful difference your generosity will make.

Help spread joy at Pine Street Inn by putting together birthday bags for shelter guests.

Winter Walk is a two-mile walk through downtown Boston held every February. The event raises awareness about homelessness in our community and provides financial support to organizations working to end homelessness.  Join Team Pine Street and walk with us!

Get a group together to bake desserts for shelter guests! Pine Street serves donations of homemade desserts at dinner service. All desserts must be individually packaged, shelf stable and nut free.

To learn more and sign up to volunteer please contact The Volunteer Department at 617.892.9184 or email volunteer@pinestreetinn.org.

Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, and a soul generated by love.

– Martin Luther King Jr.