06.06.2018

Treehouse Adds New Volunteer Shift Just for High School Students

By Danielle Wilson, Treehouse Assistant Volunteer Coordinator

It takes many hands to run The Wearhouse, our free store for youth in foster care. In addition to our staff, more than 2,000 people volunteer in the store each year.

This spring, we were thrilled to add a volunteer opportunity specifically for high school students. Twice a month, we provide a fun, engaging and meaningful volunteer experience for students to support our mission while earning the community service hours they need to graduate.

During each two-hour shift, students sort, tag and organize donations with their peers. It’s a great way for teens to socialize with students from other schools.

Until now, the majority of our student volunteers participated with a group from their school or committed to an ongoing shift once a month with a parent. With the new format, we have seen students from all over King County volunteer and get involved in their community.

The Wearhouse serves kids and young adults in foster care. Having students take part in our sorting process assures all items are on-trend and will be popular with the teens we serve.

We begin each shift with an orientation, which provides background on Treehouse and our programs. Each student clearly sees how the work they’ll be doing is serving youth in foster care. We move on to train volunteers in specific tasks, and then we jump into the work.

“The Treehouse experience is a life changer!” said a recent participant. “You learn so much.”

It has been great to see teens work alongside one another, get to know each other and feel connected to something larger than themselves.

If you are interested in participating in a high school shift, visit the sign-up page on VolunteerHub, create an account and register for an upcoming shift. We can’t wait to meet you.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities at treehouseforkids.org/volunteer.

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