VOLUNTEER AT CCHO
We are always in need of people eager to join with us in providing a safe and stable environment for at-risk children in need of hope, healing and unconditional love. With a 165-acre campus, four residential cottages, an equine therapy ministry, a full event schedule each year and other needs both on and off campus, CCHO offers a host of ways to get plugged into our family of ministries no matter your passions, talents and giftings.
If you’re interested in becoming a part of our growing volunteer team, please fill out the brief form on this page. Once sent, we will contact you at the email address you provide with more details and next steps. Click through the tabs below for a closer look at the variety of volunteer opportunities available, and download individual descriptions of each position for even more information.
Also, be sure to download a copy of our updated volunteer handbook:
Connect2Kids Groups
Connect2Kids Groups serve an invaluable role in the spiritual formation/development of current CRC residents. These groups of volunteers come to CCHO’s campus and provide lunch, a time of devotions and activities/games for our residents. Getting to experience the fellowship and care of communities of believers from around the area provides the residents with continued exposure to the unconditional love of Christ. This outreach can also build connections for relational/spiritual support for when they transition out of the CRC program.
Former Resident Speaker
A Former Resident Speaker can serve as a source of inspiration and motivation to current CCHO residents. By having a shared experience in being a part of CCHO’s CRC, Former Resident Speakers relate to current residents in a unique way. This unique bond can serve as a vehicle for communication that empowers current residents to make positive life choices that enable them to maximize their potential. Former Resident Speakers communicate the impact that CCHO had on their lives, share personal experiences, and encourage current residents to embrace their time at CRC.
MINISTRY VOLUNTEERS
SPARKS
The purpose of SPARKS is to help our clients find interests/hobbies/future careers that may interest them or light a “spark” in them. We want the best for our clients, so helping them reach their full potentials for when they leave CCHO is our goal. We want them to learn different skills that will assist them as they get older. A SPARKS volunteer is someone who teaches our clients skills, activities and hobbies that will help our clients adjust to living in the real world.
Cottage Mentor
Cottage Mentors serve an invaluable role in the spiritual formation/ development of current CRC residents. These individual volunteers come to CCHO’s campus and provide one of the following activities:
• Time of devotions
• Activities/ games
• Participating in a portion of cottage routine with residents
By providing one of the above opportunities this allows residents to experience the fellowship and care of individuals within the community of believers from around the area, providing the residents with continued exposure to the unconditional love of Christ.
Resident Mentor
Resident Mentorship is a structured and trusted relationship between a caring adult and a current CCHO resident. Resident Mentor develops relational connection with a resident that promotes positive communication skills, builds self-esteem, and models appropriate boundaries. Resident Mentor helps empower resident to make positive life choices that enable them to maximize their potential. Resident Mentor commits to supporting, guiding, and being a friend to a resident.
RESIDENTIAL VOLUNTEERS
Helping Hand
Helping Hand volunteers serve an important role in the function and flow of One Heart Stables (OHS). A Helping Hand provides a service focused on general stable maintenance, equine grooming/care, and upkeep of barn, pastures and riding arena. Helping Hand Volunteers enable One Heart Stables Director and other OHS Equine Therapists to focus attention on providing therapeutic experiences to the Children’s Residential Center (CRC) residents, Encompass Outpatient clients, and special needs individuals who benefit from positive interaction/learning from Equine Therapy.
ONE HEART STABLES
Work Group
AGE
Group leader - must 21 or older
Work group volunteers - minimum age would be high school student
RESPONSIBILITIES
Work Group provides services focused on helping to maintain the current buildings and grounds of all campuses that CCHO owns. Services may include but are not limited to: weeding, building/construction, electrical, plumbing, masonry, general cleaning, painting etc. By providing these services Work Groups allow the Maintenance team to focus on other projects that need to be completed on campus.
Events
INDIVIDUAL
Guy(s) or Girl(s); Individuals or Groups, depending on the event
AGE
High school or older
RESPONSIBILITIES
Volunteer(s) will be assigned a specific area of volunteering which may include, but will not be limited to: directing cars where to park, helping with games, face painting, serving food, helping to clean up, etc. Different events will have different areas to volunteer.
REQUIREMENTS
Connecting with the Administrative Support Specialist to see what event volunteer opportunities are available; if interested, signing up to volunteer; the Administrative Support Specialist will provide additional information (date, time, location of event) and any additional requirements at the time of contact.
Christmas Time
INDIVIDUAL(S)
Guy(s) or Girl(s) are welcomed
AGE
Middle School or older (can be flexible on age, depending on the situation – please discuss with Administrative Support Specialist)
RESPONSIBILITIES
Volunteer(s) can help in one or more of the following ways leading up to Christmas:
1.) Inventorying Gifts
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Includes: going through donations and noting on a spreadsheet what all was purchased for a child; double-checking to make sure that a donation does not include anything that was listed on the restricted list for kids in our residential program.
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Takes place the week before CCHO’s Christmas All Staff, which is normally held on the 1st or 2nd Wednesday of the month of December. Depending on donors, we may have additional Wish Lists that will need to be inventoried a couple of days after the Christmas All Staff. Volunteers can come on campus Monday-Friday between the hours of 9am-5pm. Dates and times should be scheduled with the Administrative Support Specialist before coming on campus.
2.) Wrapping Gifts
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Includes: coming on campus and wrapping presents for the children in our residential program; making sure that each child has the same number of presents wrapped (this could mean having to group some items together etc.)
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Completed during the 2 weeks after CCHO’s Christmas All Staff. Volunteers can come on campus Monday-Friday between the hours of 9am-5pm. Weekends are available on a case-by-case basis but weekdays during normal business hours are preferred. Dates and times should be scheduled with the Administrative Support Specialist before coming on campus.
REQUIREMENTS
Complete Individual or Group Application; background check (BCII) completed on individual or group leader if over the age of 18; if under 18, CCHO Volunteering Permission Forms signed by the parent or legal guardian must be turned in with application; schedule dates and times with the Administrative Support Specialist before coming on campus; urther instructions provided the day of service.
General Maintenance
INDIVIDUAL
Guy, Girl or Group
AGE
13 or older
RESPONSIBILITIES
Helping with some of the basic up keep of our campus. Weeding and planting flower beds in the spring/ summer/ early fall, cleaning our retreat center and pavilion before an upcoming event, raking leaves in the fall and various other opportunities as they become available.
SEASONAL & EVENT OPPORTUNITIES
Create Care Packages for our Cottage Staff
We have 10-12 staff that work in each cottage (4 cottages total). Each cottage houses a specific gender and age range. Staff work on shifts in the cottages. They are the people behind the scenes who help our kids get to a better place in their life. The staff work on the holidays and take time away from their own families on those special days to be a light to the children that we serve. By creating care packages for our cottage staff you will help to boost morale and let them know just as they show to the children they serve on a day to day basis that they matter the staff get to see that they matter as well. You could do one package per cottage or even better do one per shift per cottage (3 packages per cottage)! Some items that I’m sure they would love to have:
1. Coffee
2. Chap stick, little bottles of hand lotion or hand sanitizer
3. Snacks- peanut butter and cheese crackers, little bags of cookies…
4. Chocolate, Hard candies or gum
5. Homemade cookies/ snacks (please include name of the item and list of ingredients)
6. Office supplies- pens, pencils, note pads (no spiral bound), sticky notes…
Once you have completed your Care Packages please contact Lauren Steiner to schedule a time to come out and drop off your items.
Host a Collection Drive
Contact Lauren Steiner for a list of items that CCHO could use. These items could be anything from canned/boxed food to cleaning supplies. We as that you stick to the items on the list as much as possible as we want to be good stewards of the donations that we receive. Once your collection drive is complete you will need to contact Lauren prior to making your delivery to set up a delivery date and time.
Regular Delivery Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm (exceptions can be made but Lauren must know about them prior to delivery)