Father Joe’s Villages remains committed to keeping staff, clients, and volunteers safe during this pandemic.

Father Joe’s villages is requiring staff, clients, and volunteers to follow CDC guidelines on mask wearing and we are continuing to practice social distancing efforts through floor signs, limited capacity, plexi-glass, etc.

As state and federal authorities release new health and safety guidance and requirements, Father Joe’s Villages will continue to review and update our coronavirus-related policies and procedures as warranted and inform you of any changes.

Father Joe’s villages is requiring staff, clients, and volunteers to follow local, state and national guidelines, which states that homeless shelters fall under the same order as health care workers and are required to have proof of vaccination on file.

Father Joe’s Villages staff, volunteers, and vendors must meet this requirement. To comply with this order, we will need to have vaccination cards (front and back) sent to Volunteer Services before you volunteer.

As state and federal authorities release new health and safety guidance and requirements, Father Joe’s Villages will continue to review and update our coronavirus-related policies and procedures as warranted and inform you of any changes.

Yes. All volunteer visits MUST be scheduled in advance. NO EXCEPTIONS, NO WALK-INS. For general volunteer information, please call (619) 645-6411 or email volunteer@neighbor.org

People committing to volunteer 20 hours or more and those working directly with our clients need to attend Volunteer Orientation. Orientation is held the first Tuesday of the month from 6 to 8:30 p.m. except for November and December if the holidays fall on the first Tuesday. Volunteer orientation is held at our East Village campus, 1501 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA, 92101. Current volunteer opportunities with specific time requirements are presented at these orientations and the interview process is explained. Groups or volunteers working at a special event or one-time opportunity are not required to attend an orientation.

Yes. Volunteering at Father Joe’s Villages is an excellent team-building opportunity. We welcome schools, service organizations, alumni groups, families, fraternities and sororities, religious organizations, military and corporate teams. The group leader must schedule the group’s visit and will be the main contact for that group. The group leader must forward volunteer information to all members of the group before the visit. Group activities include serving meals and special projects such as landscaping and painting, or special events such as our Thanksgiving Day 5K or A Short Walk Home.

The minimum age to volunteer is 10 years old. An adult must accompany any minor under the age of 15. While volunteering is a great way to teach children about service, it is important to assess a child’s maturity level and their ability to listen and follow directions before signing up.

Yes. We welcome middle and high school and college groups. Call (619) 645-6411 or email volunteer@neighbor.org to check on availability.

We welcome middle and high school students to complete any school-required service hours, however, we would like to remind every volunteer that it is their responsibility to plan and schedule their visit well in advance, since registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Weekend availability is limited and scheduling early is recommended since many groups schedule the weekends a year in advance.

Community service hours are accepted on a case by case basis and upon our availability. Misdemeanor or felony sexual offenses are not accepted. All court mandated community service volunteers require additional documentation and must meet individually with a Volunteer Services Coordinator. Please contact (619) 645-6411for more information.

You MUST bring a signed volunteer waiver form for yourself and everyone in your group and Parent Authorization when applicable. Please keep personal items to a minimum (i.e. purses, jewelry, electronics, clothing, etc.), as Father Joe’s Villages is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

The dress code at Father Joe’s Villages is mostly casual and comfortable, but we recommend that you not wear tank tops, short skirts, dresses or shorts. We also discourage volunteers from wearing clothing that advertises alcohol or drugs. If you are working in the kitchen or dining room or in our Health Center, we require closed-toed shoes and we can’t allow tank tops or shorts.

We are committed to providing a safe environment for our clients, volunteers, staff and guests so we employ a trained, professional staff of Security Officers. Our security team is on-site at our St. Vincent de Paul Village campus 24-hours-a-day, 365 days a year. At any given time, you can catch one or more of the 43 human officers and two K-9 officers patrolling the premises. Our proactive and professional security team is highly successful in preventing criminal activities and reducing the cost of ambulance transportation through rapid response and compassionate resolution in emergencies.

Our St. Vincent de Paul Village campus is located at 1501 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. We also have volunteer opportunities at some of our other sites so location depends on the volunteer opportunity. Our Volunteer Services Coordinators will send you directions on confirmation of your volunteer time.

For general information, please contact our Volunteer Services Coordinator at (619) 645-6411 or volunteer@neighbor.org. You can also fill out the form on this page above.