How We Serve

 

Dear Activity Leader,

 

 

Thank you for volunteering to lead an activity at Family Time Women and Children’s Shelter.  These programs could not be possible without your help, and I know you will be as blessed when you leave as the children you are meeting!  Your activities will be a such a joy to so many.

 

 

Our activities are the second Saturday of every month from 9:30am-12:00noon.

 

 

Here are some guidelines for your program:

 

 

You will need to provide approximately one and a half hour programs, or three 30 minute activities. We recommend you invite 1 or 2 girlfriends to help lead the program. The programs need to be based on the passions and talents of the leaders. For example, if you love to bake, prepare a program that will allow the kids to decorate cookies or cupcakes. If your girlfriend loves yoga, she will prepare a 30 minute yoga class and teach the kids the basics… or your girlfriend may love basketball and she could teach a 30 minute basketball clinic while you decorate the cupcakes. *A listing of program ideas is attached and available on our website under Program Ideas. We recommend that you incorporate either a snack station or a food item that would complement one of the programs because the kids love to eat!  Please make your snack healthy.

 

 

-Once you decide what programs you will provide, contact Sandra Rodriguez, chicktimehumble@yahoo.com and discuss your ideas with her. At that time, she will let you know if your activities are appropriate for Family Time. All materials you bring to Family Time must be approved so make sure you discuss those ahead of time.

 

 

-There are approximately 30 residents at Family Time. You must make preparations for all the children who will attend, providing enough materials for all to participate.  Since Family Time is a crisis rescue shelter, sometimes we don’t know how many children will be attending until the night before, but if you plan for 15 you should be safe.  If there are more than that, Sandra will confirm the night before and contact activity leader.

 

 

No idea is too big or small for Family Time.

 

 

Your Volunteers:

 

You are responsible for bringing ALL volunteers needed to facilitate your activity.  Additional volunteers will join us on any given Saturday, but they will serve as rotators to enjoy time with the moms and kids.  Bringing your own volunteers opens up the opportunity for new volunteers to experience Chicktime!

 

 

Your invitations:

 

Chicktime Family Time will create an invitation for your event.  It is important that you organize your programs as early as possible so that we get the invitation out to other volunteers.  You are encouraged to circulate the invitations to your family and friends if they would like to join.

 

 

What to wear:

 

We typically wear jeans, capris/long shorts and Chicktime T shirts.   We will have the T shirts available prior to each activity for a $20 donation.  100% of the money goes to Family Time .  If you are not planning on wearing a Chicktime T shirt, please wear modest tops that show no cleavage, and shirts that stay tucked in or do not ride up past the waistline of your pants.

 

 

What NOT to wear:

 

No short shorts, no excessive, designer jewelry or clothes.  It is distracting for the kids and mothers and we do not want to make them feel like we are overly dressed or made up in a fancy way.  Our goal is to blend in with them and make them feel as though they are respected and still functioning in our community.  Thank you for respecting these clothing boundaries.

 

 

Other things to consider:

 

ALL VOLUNTEERS MUST FOLLOW THESE RULES:

We respect the privacy of these moms and kids.  We do not ask them for their last names and we do not give our last names.  We are on a first name basis.

We respect the confidentiality agreement of the shelter.  We DO NOT DISCLOSE the location of the shelter to ANYONE.

 

 

We leave our purses in the car or locked in office while we are in the facility.

 

 

We do not ask the children or women where they are from or share where we live.

 

 

NO PICTURES may be taken of the facility residents faces at ANY TIME.

 

 

Chicktime volunteers can bring underage volunteers (12 and older) as long as they are accompanied by their mother, aunt, grandmother, or close family friend.

 

 

 

 

 

A prayer for our volunteers and the children/women we serve at Family Time Shelter:

 

 

 

Dear lord,

  

We thank you for the lives that have been transformed through your faithfulness to answer when they call.  We pray that as our caring volunteers pour out of themselves for others that you would sustain them with your mighty power and strong hand so that their giving to others is refreshing for them as well

 

We pray for their families and everything that concerns them.  We ask you to lead and guide them to do your will as they reach out and lift each prayer by name and need.

 

Believing with our volunteers that you hear and answer prayer, we ask in Jesus’s name and thank you in advance. Amen.