How can I help?

Volunteer:

While volunteer work needs to be carefully considered during this time, volunteer support is essential to many organizations doing vital work. Below is an incomplete list of volunteer opportunities, if you know of an organization that needs assistance and should be added to this list, please email anna.kane@yale.edu.

local service

  • CT Mutual Aid: Offer help, make needs known, and provide/receive peer support. Mutual aid offered ranges from case management and legal counsel to art and closed captioning. See their document with resources here.

  • Mutual Aid Facebook Group: Similar to above, but on Facebook.

  • Dwight Hall has compiled an extensive guide to opportunities for local volunteering.

  • Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK): DESK needs volunteers (sign up here) and donations of supplies and food.

  • Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS): Due to new guidelines requiring volunteers to be under the age of 59, IRIS has lost many of the regular volunteers for their food pantry. Email volunteer@irisct.org to help keep the pantry open.

  • United Way: This site lists United Way partner organizations with urgent needs for short-term volunteers. Contact organizations on this list directly to learn more about specific needs and opportunities to help.

remote service

  • Invisible Hands: This organization started by Liam Elkind, JE ‘21, delivers groceries to elderly and immunocompromised individuals in New York. Sign up to volunteer remotely here.

  • Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS): IRIS has recently added two new volunteer positions, online tutors for youth and phone or online English practice partners for adults. Apply here or email volunteer@irisct.org.

  • Dwight Hall’s guide includes some opportunities for remote volunteer work and their Volunteer Corps Facebook group.

  • CT Mutual Aid: Some mutual aid work (such as providing conversation or internet subscriptions) can be done remotely.

  • VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch has postings from nonprofits in need of remote volunteers, ranging from sewing face masks to translation services.

Donate:

This list, compiled by FAST Project Heads Ananya and Tyler, includes organizations which are doing important work both in New Haven and on a national level. In a time when in-person service is difficult, donating to these organizations is one of the best ways to support the most vulnerable members of our community!

Organizations in new haven and connecticut

shelters in the new haven area

soup kitchens in new haven

national organizations