St. Francis Inn
Volunteer Non US Citizen
Yes
Categories:
Spanish Language Preferences:
Location Details
Description
We are a Franciscan, Eucharistic community called to minister with the unhoused of Philadelphia. Formed in the spirit of the Gospel and inspired by the life and compassion of Francis and Clare of Assisi, we try to meet the immediate daily needs of the people we serve with food, clothing and hospitality. Furthermore, we empower persons to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty and address structural injustices. We seek to build relationships with those whom we serve by respecting their human dignity, by helping them to restore hope in their lives, and by living simply among them.
Student Role
Students will assist in various activities to assist our ministries including but not limited to; Helping to prepare and serve our breakfast meals, helping to prepare and serve our lunch/evening meals, assisting at our Clothing Distribution center, picking up donations from various supermarkets, cleaning up around our block and inside our buildings, taking photographs for our social media, writing an article for our monthly newsletter, organizing canned goods, organizing toiletry donations, and potentially taking on more of a supervised leadership role by the end of their time with us.
Work Schedule
Students will work 5 days a week (with their 2 days off changing on a weekly basis). If working M-Th, students will work between the hours of 9am-6pm with breaks. If scheduled for Fri-Sun students will work from 9am-1pm. Most weeks students are given one long day and one short day off unless otherwise requested. If there is something a student needs to do (go out of town for the weekend, go to an appointment during the day, have a meeting with a professor) they can indicate this in their weekly schedule requests.
Orientation
Orientation will be run by Kaitlin Slack (Volunteer Coordinator) and another experienced onsite staff member. We like to have 2 zoom sessions. The first to get to know the students and introduce them to who we are. The second to go over major requirements, questions, concerns, and travel arrangements. During this second meeting I have a PowerPoint presentation. Once students arrive on site they will be oriented by our staff, and will meet with one of us on a regular basis.
Housing Information
Students will be housed onsite in one of several classic Philadelphia rowhouses located on the same block as the ministry site. The Franciscan Community’s houses have access to a large community backyard, a private refuge from the noisy environment on the sidewalks surrounding the soup kitchen and volunteer housing. The houses are fully furnished. It is expected that students keep the houses clean especially upon departure and report any concerns about the state of the houses to staff. Students will be living in a very intentional community. They are invited to join the team for mass everyday, prayer, and a shared meal on Monday nights. Other days of the week they should expect to cook for themselves. They can use food that is at the Inn and supplement with grocery store shopping.
Spanish Language Proficiency
Not Applicable
Other Language Proficiencies
Spanish would be a bonus but not a requirement
Drivers License
No
Student Preferences
Our workplace is physically demanding and fast-paced. Summer temperatures make the work even more challenging. Students should be prepared to work hard and always be ready to lend a hand wherever it is needed. We routinely interact with individuals who are volatile and under considerable stress/mental health challenges/addiction and therefore we seek students who are able to handle themselves thoughtfully and levelheadedly.