Volunteers Needed this Friday in Norwalk

One of the things we love about what we do here at VolunteerSquare is that we get the chance to see firsthand the real power individuals and groups have to make a meaningful difference here in Fairfield County. Lots of times it's a small gesture or simple project that can make a major impact. And one local organization has a chance for you to get in on the action, too.

On Friday April 25th, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Open Door Shelter in South Norwalk is hosting its second annual Clothing Sort & Giveaway. The shelter is looking for volunteers from the community to come help them sort the mountains of donated clothing and other small items and then distribute them to local clients.

The Open Door Shelter in South Norwalk provides critical support to many of the area's homeless population by providing food, clothing, case management, treatment, education and employment training for individuals as they work on the road to independence. Open Door provides shelter nightly with over 95 beds in its Merritt Street location. They serve three meals a day and provide about 30,000 meals each month to individuals and families.

The shelter also operates a number of private residences, providing supportive housing to those who are working and earning an income, but unable to afford housing in the area. In 2010, the shelter launched a great program called Hope Works, a job training initiative intended to get at the root cause of homelessness: unemployment. This program combines job training, computer training, life skills coaching as well as job placement services to help residents get back to a life of independence and self-reliance.

Volunteer Manager Frank Concepcion says volunteers are the lifeblood of the organization and make it possible to reach a large population in need in the community.

Organizers at the shelter say they want the event to not only be productive but also a good time for everyone. They'll have a DJ and food on site for volunteers and clients and we are all hoping for great weather. Sounds like a good time to us!

The shelter needs plenty of helping hands so come down and pitch in - you'll just need to pre-register with the Shelter and you can do that by sending Frank an email. The shelter is located at 4 Merritt Street in South Norwalk. We hope to see you there!

If you can't make the clothing sort this year, don't worry. There are plenty of ways to get involved at Open Door Shelter and loads of other local nonprofits. Just visit VolunteerSquare.com and sign up for our free, custom e-alerts. We'll keep you in the loop on volunteer projects that matter most to you. Be sure to check us out on Facebook & Twitter, too.

W
Submitted by Wilton, CT

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next