Volunteer with ReCARES

We rely on the help of committed volunteers to help us serve at our sites. To join the Oakland team, please fill out the Oakland volunteer application form. To join the San Francisco or Marin teams, please contact them (contact information available on our locations page). You can also visit any of our sites during our working hours to learn more. 

What are some common tasks performed by volunteers?

Most volunteers help in-person at a site with the following sorts of tasks:

• Welcoming visitors and helping them with what they need

• Receiving and inspecting donations

• Sorting and organizing supplies and equipment

• Site set-up and break-down

• Cleaning and repairs

We are also looking for additional support around social media, tech (especially database management), and inventory organizing. 

Why should I volunteer?

• Care about health care equity? Frustrated by our dysfunctional health care system? Our work has an immediate, direct impact for the people we serve, many of whom are under/uninsured and/or have financial limitations to accessing needed support. Volunteering is one way to express your values openly through your efforts. 

• Have personal experience with disability and/or at-home health care, whether for yourself, a loved one, or someone else? Your experience gives you wisdom that can help others navigating similar situations. 

• Have you benefited personally from ReCARES? Volunteering offers the chance to pay it forward and help others benefit as well. 

• Interested in the healthcare field? ReCARES has given many students an opportunity to explore what areas they want to pursue. You'll get experience that can be applicable to patient care, home health care, occupational and physical therapy, and more. 

• Retired and looking for an "encore career"? Many of our volunteers come from previous careers in medical settings, home care, special education and more. They're able to apply their skills to a new setting and benefit countless people with their hard-earned wisdom. 

• Looking to stretch your introvert tendencies? Or maybe practice your customer service skills? Several volunteers have gotten more confidence in talking to strangers and building relationships with folks from different backgrounds. 

• Want a way to stay sharp as you enter a new chapter of life? We all know that learning new skills keeps your brain engaged as you age. You could learn bridge, play pickle ball, or pick up your old violin - or you could make a difference in your neighbors' lives by giving out valuable supplies and equipment. You can't volunteer at ReCARES without learning new things, and making new friends of all ages and viewpoints.

• Want to build community and fight loneliness? Our volunteers develop a strong sense of camaraderie and friendships over weeks, months, and years of regular volunteering.

Are there any requirements?

We only ask that our volunteers be committed to helping our visitors and our organizations. Some of our volunteers come from medical backgrounds and/or have lived experience with disability, but this is not a requirement. You will be offered training and instruction about the supplies and equipment we work with, along with our operations. 

We encourage people from all walks of life to apply. We especially need volunteers that can speak Spanish, Cantonese, and other languages. 

Many volunteers help out every week; others help more occasionally. We do not require a certain time commitment, but as with many volunteer experiences, the more you put in, the more you will get out of this.