Volunteer
The Father McKenna Center has a small paid staff and volunteers are essential to providing the care and accompaniment that is the legacy of Father Horace McKenna. Thankfully, The Father McKenna Center is graced by hundreds of volunteers each year. We would love for you to be one of them!
Day Program and Food Pantry Volunteer Opportunities
Click to see list of current opportunities
Day Program Volunteers
Days: Monday to Friday
Time: 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
We are looking for volunteers to greet and sign in guests, help prepare and serve meals, distribute clothing, and clean sanitize our facility.
Receptionist
Welcome and sign in our guests, distribute mail, and oversee our phone charging station. We ask that reception volunteers be 18 years or older.
Kitchen Assistant
Assist Kitchen Manager by preparing lunch and serving our guests restaurant-style in order to maintain social distance. This position requires extended periods of standing upright.
Meal Service (Breakfast and Lunch)
Assist Kitchen Manager by serving our guests restaurant-style. We ask volunteers to serve our guests as waiters so that our guests practice social distancing.
Clothing Distribution
Twice per month
Assist an FMC staff member to distribute clothing to our guests.
Cleaning/Organization Projects Assistant
Assist staff members with sorting and organizing clothing and food donations and/or cleaning and sanitizing our facility.
Food Pantry Volunteers
Days: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri (Note: Closed Wednesdays)
Volunteer Hours: 1:00 – 2:45 pm
We are looking for volunteers to help “shop” for canned goods in our Food Pantry for DC residents. We also need help to distribute fresh produce, milk, eggs, meat, and bread. We ask volunteers to help set up and clean up the food pantry area as well.
FMC Service Access Team Member
FMC is partnering with Franciscan Mission Service (FMS) and its DC Service Corps Program to host a year-long FMC Service Access Team Member.
DC Service Corps members serve full-time at a local non-profit in Washington, DC, while they receive the following benefits: professional mentoring, weekly faith formation sessions, servant leadership trainings, spiritual direction, retreats, a monthly stipend, health insurance, and a private room (cost covered by FMS) in the FMS house in the Brookland neighborhood. Learn more here
The FMC Associate from the DC Service Corps will assist with FMC’s efforts to “accompany and care for men experiencing homelessness and families facing food insecurity” in our nation’s capital. For many years, FMS has partnered with FMC in these efforts, and several of the center’s employees started off as FMC Associates with DC Service Corps.