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A ministry of compassion called to share the Vision, the Hope, and the Future in Christ to hurting single women & their children.

Volunteering Opportunities in Washington, IL

How can I Help at My Sister’s House?

  • You can donate your time, help us fundraise, or inquire about opportunities for material donations. View our list of Needs.

  • We accept individual volunteers every Spring for our Annual Pancake & Sausage Supper. Sign up to help with: serving meals, food prep, bake sale, clean up, host/greeters, accepting donations/cashier.

  • We frequently post material requests and “In Search Of” listings on our Facebook feed for material needs and requests made by our residents. These tend to be non-essentials that can greatly benefit or enhance their life (cars, clothing for children, imperishable & canned foods, laptops, etc.)

  • Group service projects with your social club, school classroom, youth group, church congregation, or as a family.

  • Host a service project here with your business department or organization as an outing or team building opportunity.

  • Check out our most recent Run for the House event, hosted by Bethany Community Church.

  • The Washington Fellowship of Christian students recently organized a fundraiser night at the Pizza Ranch in Peoria.

  • Get involved and find opportunities to participate with other local organizations we endorse (see these Resources).

  • Washington Rotary Club helped us build a playset for kids to play in our backyard.

Needs: Volunteer

Our largest group of volunteers ever!

Who can volunteer at My Sisters House?

Occasionally we host events where we create a Sign-Up Genius online. There, individuals can participate in helping us host local fundraisers. Our most popular event is the Annual Pancake & Bake Sale, hosted in March of every year.

We are always welcoming partnerships with groups around our community in Washington, IL. If you are a church, fellow non-profit organization, or social club that would like to find a service project, let us know! Below we have some ideas for projects that have taken place in the past or that we would love to have help with! Anyone is welcome to make contact with our Staff and ask about volunteer needs.

Our purpose at My Sister’s House is to strengthen women facing challenging life circumstances and to help them be active in their community as well. By helping at an official event or offering to help in another way, you can receive a variety of benefits yourself!

  • Achieve a community service award or accolade as part of Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, or Cub Scouts.

  • Write off monetary contributions as deductions on your taxes.

  • Get community service hours for school.

  • Get valuable experience and network with people involved in a faith-based transitional housing organization.

  • Give back to your community and improve the living conditions for the underprivileged.

  • Participate in an event to help reduce domestic violence against women and children.

Contact Our Staff

Guidelines for Volunteer Opportunities and Service Project groups

  • We ask that groups interested in volunteering at My Sister’s House make themselves aware of the conditions of residents at our home. We love caring for the underprivileged in the town of Washington, and ask that you share the same values. See these articles we've written: Transitional Housing Shelter for Women, Safe Shelter for Single Mothers, and FAQ's about Temporary Housing

  • In addition to this, we typically require that any guests to the property be approved by MSH Staff two (2) weeks prior to their visit.

  • For groups visiting in order to volunteer, a Staff member will work with your group leader to determine the best approach to keeping our residents safe.

 

Common Community Service Projects you can choose from

  • Construction projects: Build something onsite that will be donated to the House. The Washington Rotary Club graciously built us a playset in the backyard. If you have a group that likes to build, contact us for more ideas. Repair, paint, or more.

  • Clean Up / Maintenance on Property: Housekeeping responsibilities are mostly left to our residents, but for the grounds around the House there is always some help we need. If your group would like to help us with leaf removal, lawn mowing, lawn care, snow removal or something similar, contact us. Plant some trees, flowers, propose an idea to start a co-op garden or something similar!

  • Fundraiser Events: have your organization host an event on-site, or at a restaurant in the area. We love when others are inspired to make their own volunteer opportunity!

  • Hold a workshop event to teach residents about a certain topic, like a community education class (could be a craft/art project, too).

 

Positions we are looking for:

  • While we do not have any current need for a position on staff, you can stay up to date on our Facebook page for events and get involved through Sign Up Genius.

  • If you would like to become a regular volunteer or donor, start a conversation with our Program Director. We always appreciate the help of residents that may have helpful information about opportunities for grants, charitable donors and more.

News & Events

Washington Rotary Club Donates and Builds a Playset

Who benefits from this? Who are your residents?

Our residents are single mothers and women that have been at-risk for domestic abuse, homelessness, and other threats to their well-being. We care for them and their children with a program that emphasizes their emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Our approach is a faith-based case management relationship where residents have staff and mentors that support the overall growth and education of the resident.

Read: Safe Shelter Program for Single Mothers in Washington, IL

While we have a structure in place to help them achieve independence and self-sustainability, we always need the community’s help to provide necessary material possessions along the way.

Our Story

How Volunteering Impacts the Communities in Tazewell County

Our residents come from very different backgrounds and have a unique story. We believe that every one of their stories has a thread of hope that comes with it. Any contribution we receive is a great help to the community of Washington. Without the support of other residents nearby, we would face a larger challenge to homelessness, abuse, and domestic violence in the area.

If you know of someone that is facing abuse or may need to take their children to a safe place, call this hotline at the number below. If there is no immediate danger, read over our client application. This process normally takes a few weeks, but we can let you know over the phone if there are any current spots open at our House.

 

Helping counteract domestic violence and homelessness: Volunteers at My Sisters House
 

Talk To Us
Mark and Tammy Herrmann Executive and Program Directors