Volunteer with Horizons for Homeless Children

Horizons for Homeless Children is seeking volunteers to support their Playspace Program, which serves over 1,375 children each week in local homeless shelters.

Each Playspace is supported by trained volunteers, called Playspace Activity Leaders (PALs), who play with homeless children who reside in 20 shelters in Southeastern MA and Cape Cod. Horizons will be hosting a New Volunteer Orientation on Wednesday, October 23 in Bourne. Individuals who are interested in signing up can do so online.

Each Playspace has two-hour volunteer shifts that occur throughout the week. For children living in a shelter, Playspace visits with PALs may be the only opportunity to listen to stories being read, create an artistic masterpiece, dress up as a superhero, play a musical instrument, and just have fun.

“Our Playspace Program helps make sure that children can experience the joys of childhood, no matter where they live,” said Kate Barrand, President and CEO of Horizons for Homeless Children. “Critical developmental milestones happen at such a young age, and volunteers like those on Cape Cod help ensure children living in shelters are given the opportunity to learn, play, and thrive. They are an incredible corps of people that help make this program possible for us and our shelter partners.”

Horizons for Homeless Children created the Playspace Program with the belief that play is essential to healthy childhood development, and every child has the right to play. To make healthy play possible for children living in shelters in Massachusetts, regional staff build and maintain developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed, “kid-friendly” spaces and stock them with books, toys, games, and art materials. Horizons’ Playspaces serve infants and young children who are living in homeless shelters. PALs lead play activities in the Playspaces to help each child heal from the trauma of homelessness and gain the cognitive, physical, and social/emotional skills essential to future social and academic success.

Click HERE to learn more about the Horizons’ Playspace Program, or contact Meghan Schafer, Playspace Program Director, Southeast Region, at mschafer@horizonschildren.org.

Across Southeastern Massachusetts, non-profit organizations rely on volunteers to build a stronger community and transform neighborhoods. Wareham Nurse Midwives is proud to support the volunteers who lend their time and talent to help make the SouthCoast a better place.