Needs From: Togetherhood

In order to sign up to volunteer with Homeward Bound, please fill out an application here

Help us provide shelter during dangerous weather this winter! For the first time ever, Homeward Bound (at our AHOPE Day Center location) is participating in the county wide Code Purple/Winter Weather shelter system.

Designated Code Purple Coordinators call Code Purple 48 hours in advance, indicating that we will be opening the shelter at AHOPE.
AHOPE is one of many locations in this system, and AHOPE is focusing on supporting individuals with pets and couples that would otherwise be split up in order to access shelter. 

Volunteers are needed from 5pm to 9pm on Code Purple Nights. Volunteers assist with:

The Code Purple shelter system will be in effect from November 1st 2025 to April 30th 2026. 

**There can be no volunteers under the age of 18 years old for Code Purple volunteering.**

The Assistant Director of Homeless Services will then reach out to you to coordinate appropriate opportunities and walk you through onboarding if necessary.
New volunteers must undergo onboarding and a background check if the volunteer more than 2 times due requirements of our insurance. 

You can contact the Assistant Director of Homeless Services at volunteer@homewardboundwnc.org or 828-772-2849

Come lend a hand to staff running our AHOPE Day Center, where we assist individuals experiencing homelessness in Buncombe County meet their basic needs and connect to vital services. We strive to end each client’s experience of homelessness and help them on their journey to permanent housing.

Opportunities at AHOPE vary each day and will involve helping Homeward Bounds staff provide day services Monday – Friday between 8am and 1pm. AHOPE is not open on weekends or federal holidays. Opportunities exist in our kitchen, mailroom, front desk, or hospitality desk (laundry/showers). We close for services at 11:30am on Wednesdays, and volunteers are welcome to stay for deeper cleaning, administrative, organizational, and/or maintenance projects on those days. Volunteers will be placed where there is the most need for the day and time for which they have signed up.

Volunteers are welcome to volunteer from 8am to 1pm, or to volunteer for shorter shifts (8am to 11am; 11am to 1pm). If you are starting at 8am – it is advised to come 10 minutes early. You can park in the Firestone Parking lot across the street from the building. In the morning, there is often a line of clients at the door. You can call the assistant director (contact below) if you are having trouble parking or getting inside.

Address
19 N Ann Street
Asheville NC 28801

Station Duties:

Kitchen
Volunteers serve coffee and donated food items (no cooking required), keep the kitchen clean and organized, and create a welcoming environment for everyone who comes through our doors. This role is a great way to provide comfort and care while ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly.

Mailroom
Bring connection and stability to clients by managing the mailroom. Volunteers distribute mail, packages, and checks, as well as voicemail messages left for clients. You may also hand out resource packets and small essentials like sewing supplies or batteries, helping neighbors stay connected and supported.

Hospitality Desk (Basement)
Hospitality Desk Volunteers hand out towels, toiletries, and other daily essentials while helping clients access lockers and supporting with laundry for showers. This role creates a welcoming environment and ensures guests feel cared for and respected.

Front Desk (First Floor)

Front Desk Volunteers assist clients by charging and labeling electronics, securing and tagging bikes, and providing access to lockers. You’ll also support case managers with light administrative tasks that make a big difference in the daily flow of services – such as logging in kind donations as they are dropped off.

New AHOPE volunteers will need to undergo a brief onboarding process and background check once they have volunteered more than 2 times. This is required by our insurance. The best way to sign up to volunteer at AHOPE is to fill out an application at homewardboundwnc.org/volunteer. The Assistant Director of Homeless Services will then reach out to you to walk you through onboarding and connect you to the most appropriate opportunities.

You can contact the Assistant Director of Homeless Services at volunteer@homewardboundwnc.org or 828-772-2849.

At our AHOPE Day Center, we strive to help clients meet their basic needs and connect them to vital services. Our goal is to end each client’s homelessness and help them as much as possible on their journey to permanent housing.

The AHOPE Day Center is open for clients 8am to 1pm on Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri. It is open 8am to 11:30am for services on Wednesdays. AHOPE is not open on weekends or federal holidays. The center serves anywhere from 150 to upwards of 300 people per day, after which there is a lot of cleaning and resetting to do! Team up with Homeward Bound staff to help refresh the Day Center at closing time. Volunteers sanitize surfaces and walls, sweep, mop, take out trash, tidy outdoor spaces, and clean bathrooms.

Cleaning occurs between 12:30pm and 3pm Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri and between 11am and 2pm on Wednesdays. Depending on the number of volunteers, there may be opportunity for more deep cleaning and organizational projects if the daily cleaning is complete.

**If you have a group of volunteers interested in helping with cleaning, please contact the assistant director to coordinate.**

New AHOPE volunteers will need to undergo a brief onboarding process and background check once they have volunteered more than 2 times. This is required by our insurance. The best way to sign up to volunteer at AHOPE is to fill out an application at homewardboundwnc.org/volunteer. The Assistant Director of Homeless Services will then reach out to you to walk you through onboarding and connect you to the most meaningful opportunities.

You can contact the Assistant Director of Homeless Services at volunteer@homewardboundwnc.org or 828-772-2849.

** Any volunteers under the age of 18 can not be on site until 1pm (11:30pm on Wed) and must be accompanied by an adult**