Volunteers of America of North Louisiana is a unique ministry of service that allows people the chance to serve God by serving others. Each year we have nearly 850 volunteers that provide well over 1000 hours of volunteer service. We could not do our work without the help of the community.
Opportunities for volunteers range from hosting a collection drive to tutoring a student to teaching a class to veterans.Below is a list of recurring needs, but we also welcome any ideas you have to benefit the lives of those we serve. If you would like to join our ministry of service, follow these steps:
1. Decide where you would like to volunteer. Look through the list below or create your own project.
2. Complete the Volunteer Application available below (if a minor, parents will need to complete the Release and Acknowledgement Form).
3. Review the volunteer orientation and policies and procedures. Then, complete the Waiver Form below indicating that you have read and understand the policies and procedures.
4. Complete the consent to background check below.
5. Return these forms and the $15 background check fee (check or money order preferred) to the Main Office, 360 Jordan St., Shreveport, La. 71101. Scholarships are available for students or others who cannot afford the fee. Any volunteer that will be working with the LightHouse After-School program will be asked to get fingerprints completed within the first two weeks of volunteering.
6. Once the background check is completed, you will be contacted to schedule a time to meet with the program supervisor.
7. Volunteers will be contacted within the first two weeks, first month and first six months for their feedback on the placement. Volunteers will also be asked to complete a survey once a year.
Unless otherwise noted, for more information contact Carolyn Hammond at 221-2669 or carolyn.hammond@voanorthla.org.
Thank you for whatever service you can give.
Volunteer application | Mentor application (pdf)
Waiver | Waiver for children/teens
Volunteer orientation slides | Volunteer Policies
| Volunteer job | Location | Available dates/times | Job description |
| Sunday dinner chef | Veterans Home | 4-6 p.m. Sundays | Prepare and serve Sunday dinner for the residents of the 56 residents of the Veterans Transitional Living center. |
| Prepare a meal | Group homes | ongoing | Prepare and serve dinner with the residents of our group homes for people with mental illness. Facilities house between 6 and 9 residents. |
| Host a game night or movie night | Independence Lodge | Once a month | Host an evening playing games or watching movies with residents. Games could include Bingo, Scrabble, etc. |
| Guest speaker | Vision of Hope | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mon-Fri | Provide educational/recreational workshops for participants, i.e.teach an art or nutrition class |
| Table server/host | Highland Center | 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thurs | Join Highland area churches in serving dinner to the local community at weekly meals. |
| Landscaper/painter | Veterans Home | ongoing | Landscape the patio and front of the home. |
| Bingo Caller | Corbitt Lodge | Twice a month – 4:30 p.m. Wed. | Call Bingo games for residents |
| Tutor | LightHouse | School year: 3 to 6 p.m. Mon-Thurs Summer: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mon-Thurs |
Tutoring children and helping them with their homework during the school year. Reading to children, helping with arts and crafts, sports, etiquette, and other enrichment activities. |
| Mentor | LightHouse | one hour per week | Mentor a child one hour per week, becoming a role model in their life and helping lead them to success. Mentoring requires a slightly different application so we can best match you with a student. |
| Guest speaker | LightHouse | After school Mon-Thurs or from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mon-Thurs in the summer |
Provide educational/recreational workshops for participants, i.e. art projects or healthy living |
| Meals on Wheels Driver | Meals on Wheels | 11:45 am to 1 pm Mon – Thurs Commitment can be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or substitute |
Volunteer pairs deliver hot meals daily to senior citizens. Drivers pick up food to deliver from the Highland Center and deliver in the Highland neighborhood. Currently seeking drivers for one route on Mondays and Tuesdays and two routes on Thursdays. |
| Guest speaker | Senior Lunch | Noon-1 pm Mon and Wed | Provide educational/recreational workshops for participants, i.e.art project or healthy living |
| Deliver food | Corbitt Lodge and Greenwood Lodge | 2nd Tuesday of the month | Volunteers are needed to pick-up food bags for the Corbitt Lodge and Greenwood Lodge residents once a month. |
| Deliver food | Independence Lodge | 4th Tuesday of the month | Volunteers are needed to pick-up food bags for the Independence Lodge residents once a month. |
| Community Gardeners | Greenwood Lodge | ongoing | Assist clients in the maintenance and care of the community garden and growing station. |
| Creative crafts | All residential and group facilities |
once a month | Volunteer groups can host a craft project for one of our residential homes by making decorations or crafts with a seasonal/holiday theme. |
| Display our information | ongoing | Help spread the news about our services | |
| Host a collection drive | HOPE Basket | ongoing | Host a collection drive to fill the pantries of our residential facilities. The HOPE basket collects food items used most in the more than 300 meals we serve each day. |
| Arts and Crafts leader | LightHouse | after-school Mon-Thurs | Plan and lead and arts and crafts activity for the children ages Kindergarten through 12th grade. |
| Middle School Math Tutor |
Bossier LightHouse | 3 to 5 pm Mon-Thurs | Volunteers are needed to help youth with their math homework, in particular middle school ages. |
| Librarian | Main Office | ongoing | Help Digitize and catalogue our history files. |
| Teach a Creative writing class | Highland LightHouse | ongoing | Plan and implement activities that will increase and enhance our middle school youth’s creative writing and poetry skills. |
| Lead a Bible study | McAdoo and Magnolia | once a month or more often | Plan and lead a Bible study for residents of our facilities, which serve people with mental illness. |
| Teach a cooking class | McAdoo, Magnolia, Veterans Facility | once a month or more often | Plan and lead a cooking class with a group of residents. McAdoo and Magnolia serve people with mental illness. |
| Plan an outing | Veterans Facility | Quarterly | Plan a trip to go fishing, bowling, attend a sporting event or go to the movies for a group of men from the Veterans Transitional Living Program |
| Office help | Housing First | once a week for about an hour | File paperwork for one of our residential programs |
| Plan an outing | Veterans Facility | Quarterly | Plan a trip to go fishing, bowling, attend a sporting event or go to the movies for a group of men from the Veterans Transitional Living Program |
