Agency: The Lawrence Open Shelter

Address: 944 Ky.

Contact number: 832-0040

The Lawrence Open Shelter provides overnight sleeping space for up to 20 individuals. The organization needs volunteers in several areas. Volunteers can assist in staffing the overnight shelter in shifts such as 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. or 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Training is provided, and volunteers must be comfortable working with a diverse group of individuals and enforcing shelter rules. Volunteer couriers are also needed to pick up food donations for the shelter or to transport linens to and from a cleaning service. Volunteer couriers must provide their own transportation. Call the shelter at the number above for more information about ways to volunteer.

Immediate volunteer needs

• The Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging needs a volunteer to assist in the Lawrence office, 2518 Ridge Court, with filing and other light office tasks. Volunteers may commit to as little as two hours every other week, and scheduling is flexible. The agency provides services for seniors throughout Douglas County. For more information, call Diane McDermed at (800) 798-1366.
• The Goodwill Thrift Shop, 2200 W. 31st St., needs volunteers to help sort donations, hang clothes and assist customers. The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Volunteers can help any time. Proceeds from the thrift shop benefit Goodwill Industries, which provides vocational training for people who are disadvantaged and people with disabilities. For more information, call Pam West at Goodwill, 331-3908.
• The Jubilee Cafe serves breakfast to the homeless community from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and Friday mornings. The organization needs individual and group volunteers to help at meals from now until Jan. 20. Volunteers will prepare and serve breakfast to guests at First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt. Call 864-4073 to volunteer.
• Meals On Wheels needs drivers, particularly over the holiday break when many KU student volunteers are out of town. Volunteers deliver meals to the homebound between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Deliveries generally take less than an hour to complete. Volunteers also are needed at the hospital food preparation site to answer questions and phones while delivery volunteers are distributing meals. Shifts for this can be 30 minutes up to 2 hours. For more information, call Kim Cullis at 979-1440.