Where to give the gift of time year-round in Tucson

The agencies that work with members of the community in need say they need that help more than ever this time of year.

It’s “the nature of the holiday season” that motivates people to volunteer, believes Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona’s volunteer coordinator Mikay Wright.

“As we are all reflecting on the gifts or the blessings that we have, I think it tends to be a perspective shift season for a lot of people,” she said.

Beyond the holidays, volunteering helps places like the Ronald McDonald House, Casa Maria, Sister José Women’s Center and The Salvation Army operate on a day-to-day basis.

Casa Maria

Casa Maria Soup Kitchen is part of the Tucson Catholic Workers Movement. Their mission is to feed and clothe those in need, whether that be the unhoused or people living in low-income situations.

Brian Flagg has worked and lived at Casa Maria for 41 years.

“The Catholic Worker believes in living simple and in community and everyday seeking to practice the works of mercy and the works of justice, so we are always out doing justice work,” said Flagg, who identifies as a Catholic Worker.

Casa Maria needs volunteers in the soup kitchen every day from 8:30-11:30 a.m. All you have to do is show up and Flagg will put you to work, or you can fill out the volunteer form at casamariatucson.org/get-involved.

Casa Maria relies almost entirely on volunteers and donations; the organization doesn’t receive government funding.

Jobs in the soup kitchen include packing lunches, bagging chips and cookies, serving soup, doing food preparation and cleaning up.

Flagg said it seems like people want to volunteer more during the holidays, but they need help year-round.

Casa Maria is located at 352 E. 25th St.

Sister José Women’s Center

Sister José Women’s Center is a nonprofit that serves women who are unhoused, experiencing insecure or insufficient housing and severe poverty. Sister José can house up to 60 guests in need of emergency shelter.

The organization also serves women through its day program. Any guest who walks through their doors can receive meals, clothing, do laundry and use their showers.

The volunteer opportunities at Sister José, 1050 S. Park Ave., seem to be endless.

“We are always looking, we’re always happy to bring new people on board, especially people who are really ready to serve and to be present,” said Rachel Milles, the volunteer outreach coordinator.

A lot of volunteers work in the morning emergency services, helping guests get clothing, do laundry and serve breakfast.

Food preparation volunteers are also important at Sister José. These jobs include preparing and serving breakfast and prepping snacks, lunches and dinners.

The most popular volunteer work is their supper club, which serves dinner to the overnight guests at Sister José and is open every night, even on days when the center isn’t open.

While Sister José is a women’s center, they have opportunities for male volunteers. Working in donations, indirect service areas, cooking for supper club and doing donation pick-ups are typical jobs for male volunteers. Sister José is also open to nonbinary people.

Sister José sees a spike in people wanting to volunteer during the holiday season, which is a benefit.

“As the weather turns, that creates a very immediate need,” said Jamie Albrecht, the volunteer engagement coordinator.

“People focus a lot on the holidays, and we do serve meals on those holidays which we’re very proud of, but we also like to sort of call attention to the other days, too,” Albrecht said. “The days surrounding those holidays are very important to our outside guests to receive services.”

To volunteer at Sister José, visit sisterjose.org/volunteer.

Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House of Southern Arizona is a nonprofit that houses families who have a sick child in the hospital.

Families can stay at the house free of charge, allowing them to focus on their child’s care. Everything, from meals to accommodations, is taken care of largely with year-round volunteer help.

One of the most popular volunteer opportunities is “Chef for A Day,” where volunteers buy and prepare meals for all of the families staying at the house. With a large group of volunteers pitching in, the cost of food can be quite inexpensive, Wright said. She’s seen people cook extravagant meals and not-so-extravagant ones, including hot dogs and fruit salads.

The Ronald McDonald House event season happens in the fall and early winter of each year, when the nonprofit needs volunteers to help with their events and one-time volunteer opportunities.

This January, the organization will be looking for long-term volunteers to work at the house and their family rooms at the hospitals. Long-term volunteers will work one shift a week at the same time every week for a minimum of six months.

The family rooms are spaces in hospitals where families who have sick children can go and relax. A family does not have to be staying at the facility to use these rooms.

The responsibilities of volunteering in the family rooms include keeping the rooms tidy and stocked with drinks and snacks.

“But ultimately, the greatest role that the volunteers get to step into in the family rooms is they just get to be a warm presence, a warm, welcoming presence to families using the room,” Wright said.

Volunteers ask how the families are doing, and sometimes, it’s the only time they are asked during the day, as every other conversation is about the sick child, Wright points out.

These rooms are meant to feel like home, and one parent even described it as an oasis, Wright said.

At the house, which is at 2155 E. Allen Road, volunteer responsibilities can look different each shift. Jobs include loading and unloading the dishwasher, keeping the common rooms clean, tidying up the toy rooms, working at the front desk or helping with administrative work. Visit rmhctucson.org for more information.

Because the Ronald McDonald House has many University of Arizona student volunteers, Wright said the house also needs help in May, when students leave for the summer.

The Salvation Army Tucson

The Salvation Army has multiple programs in Tucson, including the Amphi Corps Community Center, the Hospitality House and All Nations. These programs help unhoused and low-income people in need of food, shelter and other services.

Volunteers can help with a range of duties, including assisting kitchen staff to make sandwiches and serve meals, providing administrative support, and ringing the red bell to collect donations during the holidays.

To volunteer for The Salvation Army, contact the Salvation Army volunteer centers: Tucson Amphi Corps, 520-888-1299; Tucson Hospitality House, 520-795-9671; Tucson All Nations, 520-795-4504.