You Can Help: Volunteer Programs

GROUP PROJECTS: A Resource Sheet for Teachers and Students

Organize a drive for canned soups, stews and other nonperishable foods for

the Daystation: A very limited budget for food and our small kitchen

facilities at the Daystation narrow meal options so donations of "heat &

serve" foods are a big help.

Bring, prepare, and serve a meal at the Daystation: Good nutrition is

difficult for homeless people who have no place to prepare healthy meals. A

hearty meal is always welcome.

Organize a drive for special activities for families, like movie passes,

bowling passes, or gift certificates for restaurants, bookstores,

drugstores, CCTA and recreational activities: Feeling isolated from the

cultural and recreational life of the community is very hard on families

living in a shelter on very limited incomes.

Have a "pot luck for COTS" or some other get-together and ask your guests to

donate to our "cabin fever" fund: Give a cash donation to COTS to fund

unexpected needs that are not covered in our budget, such as a cake for a

child's birthday or a pair of shoes for a baby just learning to walk. Throw

a party and invite your friends to give-every dollar helps!

Invite a COTS speaker to your class, church group, work place, or club, and

help raise awareness: Keeping yourself and others informed about community

issues moves us closer to finding long-term solutions. Showing your

interest in the issue of "homelessness" gets other people interested too.

Write to your legislators about the need for low-cost housing in the

community: Many working people can't afford the cost of housing in

Chittenden County. Letting public officials know you are concerned about

the need for low-cost housing makes them concerned too.

Write a letter to the editor about the increase in homeless families: Help

us educate the general public about the surge in families becoming homeless

and help bring about long-term solutions to ending homelessness. Public

opinion is a powerful force for change.

Join our winter Phonathon Nov. 27-Dec. 7, 2006: Help raise pledges to fund emergency shelter and services this winter, to assure that every homeless family in our community has a safe, warm place to spend the night.

Organize a team for COTS Walk 2007 on Sunday, May 6: Get your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers together and walk the walk a homeless person might take in a day to programs and services around downtown Burlington, visit shelters, see where the pledges you raise are put to work. 1,500 walkers, 3 miles, 1 reason. Location: Battery Park