Volunteer with The Harbour

We appreciate your interest in volunteering with The Harbour!


We are restarting our formal volunteer program after a long pause due to Covid. Please read through our volunteer policies and opportunities below before signing up.


Join our Volunteer Newsletter to stay up to date with upcoming volunteer opportunities, and to see highlights from past events


Volunteer Newsletter

Upcoming Volunteer Events

See below for upcoming volunteer events. Please note that some events are held on specified dates, while others will require scheduling with our Volunteer Coordinator. Please follow the link under each event to sign up to participate.

If you have questions regarding the events, reach out to volunteer@theharbour.org

Shelter Cleaning -

Des Plaines

September 16, 2025  10am-3pm

We are hosting an event at our Safe Harbour Emergency Shelter, and we need help getting it ready! If you like organizing, cleaning, or light gardening, this is a perfect opportunity for you!


Involves deep cleaning and some mild garden beautification. Cleaning supplies will be provided.

Sign Up

Weeding -

Skokie

1 - 4 volutneers needed asap

One of our Skokie properties is in desperate need of some garden TLC!


Grab a friend or two for some weeding! Week-days only, no set date scheduled.

Sign Up

Shop the Shelter

Monthly event

We are looking for volunteers and groups that will help us stock and supply our emergency shelter and houses. We will provide volunteers with a list of items needed, and ask that you help us stock the shelves by purchasing or collecting necessary supplies.

Monthly Schedule:

  • September - Hygiene and Personal Care Products
  • October - Uber and Lyft Gift Cards (transport youth to school, employment, and medical appointments)
  • November and December - Holiday Gifts for Youth


Sign Up

Adopt a Garden

monthly on-going

We have several properties with gardens that need to be maintained! All of our properties need a keeper. Locations include Schaumburg, Des Plaines, and Skokie.


This position requires an individual or small team of people who are dedicated to coming to one of our properties on a regular basis to help maintain the garden.

Sign Up

LEARN MORE

Types of Volunteer Opportunities

At The Harbour, we have many opportunities for you to get involved with volunteering! Please read below to see which area fits your goals best.

Facility Volunteering

It's finally spring/summer, the perfect time to volunteer with our Facilities Team! 


A majority of our volunteer needs fall under Facility Volunteering. The Harbour will be hosting monthly volunteering opportunities on the Second Friday of each month at various Harbour properties. These opportunities are available to anyone ages 18+ and do not require a background check to participate. Event opportunities include garage clean outs, landscaping projects, gardening, window washing, property maintenance, etc. 


If you choose to sign up for one of these events, please do so by filling out the form beneath the listed event. Our volunteer manager will reach out to you with details regarding the event two weeks prior to the date. 

On-Going Volunteers

The Harbour is looking for trade workers who want to volunteer their time on an on-going basis. The following is a list of volunteer trades-people we are hoping to partner with. Please contact ellie@theharbour.org if you are interested in volunteering your time and skills.

  • Movers
  • Plumbers
  • Electricians
  • Handyperson
  • Landscapers and Gardeners
  • HVAC Technicians
  • House Cleaners
  • Appliance Technicians
  • Window Washers

Program Volunteering

Our programs allow for valuable, though limited opportunities to engage with youth during volunteering. Monthly skills classes, creative workshops, and mentoring programs allow for our community to work directly with youth to help establish life skills and meaningful connections. 


Please understand that these volunteer opportunities are extremely limited and reserved for long-time Harbour partners and community members. For the safety and confidentiality of our youth, we request that volunteers interested in these opportunities begin first by volunteering with facilities, as well as complete a required background check and fingerprinting.


To learn more about volunteering with our Program Team, fill out the form below and reach out to ellie@theharbour.org with questions.

LEARN MORE

Volunteer Policies

We are so excited to have you join The Harbour community through volunteering! Volunteers are a critical aspect of our organization, helping us maintain our facilities, host events, collect necessary items, and fundraise!

  • Opportunities Beyond Listed Events

    We appreciate your enthusiasm for our mission, but please understand that we cannot accommodate all requests for volunteering. If you are interested in participating, we encourage you to select and sign up for one of the listed available volunteer events. Special requests for volunteer opportunities will be considered but are not guaranteed.

  • Requirements to Volunteer

    We welcome volunteers and are so appreciative of their commitment to The Harbour! All volunteers are required to complete a confidentiality form prior to their volunteer date. However, due to licensing guidelines for our facilities, anyone volunteering at a residential site on an ongoing, monthly basis must complete the requirements of a background check and fingerprinting.”

  • Volunteers Under 18

    Unfortunately, at this time we cannot accommodate volunteers under the age of 18 at any of our facilities. However, if youth are interested in getting involved with The Harbour, we encourage them to reach out! We have many opportunities available for youth to engage with our organization and the community. Please reach out to volunteer@theharbour.org to discuss how to get involved!

Group Volunteering

Are You a Corporate or Volunteer Group Looking for Opportunities? 

Facilities Project

Is your company or group looking to participate in a hands on volunteering project? Our facilities are always in need of volunteers for larger projects!

Projects may include:

  • Painting
  • Deep cleaning
  • Landscaping/ Gardening

Host a Drive

If you would like to host a donation drive or collect essential items for our programs, please email our team at ellie@theharbour.org.


Good items for collection are travel sized hygiene items, cleaning supplies, or items from our Amazon Wish List!

Host a Fundraiser

Do you want to support The Harbour by hosting a fundraiser? Let us know, and we can help you get started!


There are so many ways to raise money for The Harbour, here are a few examples to get you started:


Bake Sale | Athletic Sponsorship | Facebook Fundraiser | Clothing Drive

Reach Out Today!

Contact us at volunteer@theharbour.org to schedule a group volunteer opportunity.


If you have an idea for a project, reach out! We would love to hear it and to work with your group.