We all want to make a difference in the world. It’s part of how we are designed. At World Relief, we believe making a difference is a two-way street. For 80 years in the U.S. and over 10 years in Memphis, we’ve been guiding people like you to volunteer in ways that make a lasting impact. You can bring your gifts, abilities, and interests, and World Relief will help you connect and walk alongside families and individuals as they rebuild their lives in Memphis.

We are so excited to partner with you as you grow, learn, and make a difference through volunteering.

Volunteer Opportunities

Apartment Set-Up

Position Summary:

World Relief Memphis Initial Welcome Services (IWS) sets up each new client’s home or apartment before the client arrives in Memphis. Apartment Set-Up Volunteers will assist IWS in this task. A Home Set-Up Checklist will be provided, and volunteers should complete the tasks on the checklist. Each Apartment Set-Up opportunity may include

Moving furniture

Assembling furniture

Making beds, hanging shower curtains, and other similar duties as asked

Stocking kitchens with food and cooking necessities

The goal is for a client’s home or apartment to be fully set-up by the time the client arrives at MEM.

Learn more here!

Good Neighbor Team

Position Overview:

Good Neighbor Teams (GNT) are community groups who are matched with a refugee family. These teams commit to walking alongside newcomers for 6 months with the goal that each refugee who arrives to the U.S. will feel the warm welcome of their local community. GNTs help newcomers integrate into their new community through mutual relationship building, the exchange of cultures, teaching life skills, and assisting the local World Relief office with providing core services for the Reception and Placement Program.

Learn more here!

English Tutor

Position Summary:

English Tutors tutor an English language learner in English vocabulary and practical conversational skills. English Tutors and English language learners (ELL) are matched in one-on-one pairs. The English Tutor will be given worksheets and training resources to help them have materials to go through with the ELL. The goal is to spend one hour per week, for at least 10 weeks, committed to tutoring and becoming friends in the process.

Key Responsibilities:

Regularly communicate with the tutee and schedule weekly meet-ups for tutoring.

Tutor the tutee for one hour per week, for a minimum of 10 weeks.

Ask the tutee if they have goals related to learning English. Use those goals as a guide for what you tutor and practice weekly.

Prepare an English lesson or identify and print worksheets to do together during the tutoring session.

Encourage the tutee to talk, read, and write English; recognize progress; and celebrate wins.

Log volunteer hours in the WR Portal.

Qualifications:

18+ years old

Complete the World Relief volunteer onboarding (application, online workshop, live orientation, background check, reference check)

Willing to meet at the tutee’s home or drive together to a public meeting place

Comfortable navigating language barriers using translation apps like Google Translate and Tarjimly

Reliable, flexible, respectful towards other cultures

Time Commitment:

One hour per week for a minimum of 10 weeks (for tutoring)

One hour per week spent preparing for the tutoring session

Learn more by contacting our Volunteer Coordinator Whitney!

Airport Arrival

Position Summary:

When a new client arrives in Memphis, Airport Pick-Up Volunteers greet them at the Memphis International Airport (MEM) and transport the client(s) to their home or apartment. Airport Pick-Up Volunteers are often the first Memphians clients will interact with. The goal is for clients to feel welcomed and more at ease, to be safely transported to their housing, and to do a brief housing and emergency protocols orientation.

Learn more here!

Friendship Partner

Early Childhood Education Volunteer

Position Summary:

World Relief Memphis is seeking compassionate and energetic volunteers to assist with an early childhood education program. This role is crucial for supporting families attending our ESL programs by providing safe, nurturing, and engaging care for their children. By becoming an Early Childhood Education Volunteer, you help parents participate fully in our ESL classes, knowing their children are in good hands.

Key Responsibilities:

Supervise and interact with children aged (age range, 2-5 years old) in a safe, compassionate, and engaging manner.

Organize and participate in recreational activities such as games, crafts, and story time to stimulate and entertain children.

Assist in setting up and cleaning up play areas and materials before and after activities.

Ensure a safe environment by closely monitoring all children and adhering to safety protocols and procedures.

Provide basic care needs, including diaper changes, assisting with toileting, and facilitating snack times.

Communicate effectively with parents about their child’s experiences and any concerns that may arise.

Attend volunteer training sessions and meetings as required.

Communicate with RIYS staff if you will be absent.

Log volunteer hours in the WR Portal.

Qualifications:

18+ years old

Complete the World Relief volunteer onboarding (application, online workshop, live orientation, background check, motor vehicle check, reference check)

Reliable, flexible, respectful towards other cultures

Experience in childcare or child development, such as babysitting, educational settings, or parental experience, is preferred but not required.

Patience with children and a nurturing attitude.

Ability to physically interact with children, including sitting on the floor, bending, stooping, and lifting.

CPR and First Aid certification preferred.

Time Commitment:

Volunteers commit to two mornings per cycle, Monday or Wednesday, for the ESL class cycle. Cycles are typically 7-weeks.

Each early childhood education shift is 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., and it is on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Duration: Minimum 7-week commitment, Two shifts per 7-week cycle.

Learn more by contacting our Volunteer Coordinators Abby and Whitney!

Welcome Meal

Youth Mentor

Career Mentor

Position Summary: When a client arrives, one of their key objectives is to become financially stable and independent as soon as possible. The most important part of achieving that is securing employment. Many times, our clients could use assistance in creating, updating, revising, and or translating their resumes. At the end of your session, the client should walk away with a resume and an idea of how to communicate their work experience effectively and/or a completed online job application.

Key Responsibilities: Here’s what you can expect to do in your three meetings with your client:

Ask the client about their work experience and their current resume if they have one.

Identify current job needs and a field they want to go into.

Identify transferable skills and experiences of the client that will help them get into the field they want.

Draft a clear resume with them. If they already have a resume, update it with them and translate it to English.

Email them a copy and print a copy for them to take home

Practice some interview skills with them using the given guidelines if the job they want requires one.

If needed, search for jobs and companies near the client’s home and/or in the line of work they’re interested in that have online applications.

Fill out the online application and corresponding paperwork with the client. It’s likely you’ll need to translate to the client’s language along the way.

Go over any next steps they need to prepare for after completing the application. Example: read the confirmation email from the application and make a list of what the client needs to bring to the office on their first day of work.

Qualifications: If you have a background in HR, employment services, or something similar, that is great, but not required. While knowing another language is not required, most of our clients at this event speak Spanish. If you speak any language other than English, please let us know so we can try to match you with a client who speaks that language. Language Line (a translation service) will be accessible, and practicing with an English-speaker would be beneficial for our clients.

Time Commitment: Volunteers commit to meeting with a client for one hour per week, for at least 3 weeks.

Learn more by contacting our Volunteer Coordinators Abby and Whitney!

Roadrunner

Position Summary:

Road Runners (RRs) drive routes for the Connect Language Center’s (CLC’s) English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and other appointments as needed. RRs can drive their personal vehicle or request to use one of World Relief Memphis' fleet vehicles (if desired). As transportation often proves to be an obstacle for clients as they’re trying to access services here in the Memphis area, RR's help provide a much-needed resource for clients. Along the way, we hope that volunteers will develop relationships that transform lives for all involved.

Learn more here!

Café English Partner

Position Summary:

Café English volunteers aid in developing World Relief Memphis' Connect Language Center (CLC) students’ conversational English skills on Tuesday or Thursday evenings from 5:30-6:30pm. Each week, Café English volunteers will build meaningful relationships and language skills with students who are eager to practice and learn. Volunteers have the option to purchase specialty coffee from the Café English barista. Cafe English volunteers can partner with a student to have a conversation or be the barista. Generally one barista is chosen per cycle.

Key Responsibilities:

Arrive to the CLC 5 minutes before the start time.

Engage in friendly conversation with ESL students.

Communicate with CLC staff if you will be absent.

Log volunteer hours in the WR Portal.

Qualifications:

18+ years old

Complete the World Relief volunteer onboarding (application, online workshop, live orientation, background check, motor vehicle check, reference check)

Fluent in English conversation

Reliable, flexible, respectful towards other cultures

Time Commitment:

Volunteers should commit to one night, either Tuesday or Thursday, for the class cycle. That is typically 8 weeks.

Cafe English is one hour per week, 5:30-6:30pm.

Learn more by emailing our Volunteer Coordinator Whitney!

Shift Volunteer

Position Summary:

Shift Volunteers (SV) are volunteers who agree to help WRM staff and clients with a variety of client-facing and non-client-facing tasks regularly. Shift Volunteers commit to at least one 2-hour shift per month during WRM business hours (M-F, 8:30am-5:00pm). The tasks a Shift Volunteer will be assigned will vary depending on the needs of staff and clients that day. For example, Shift Volunteers have historically assisted staff with client appointments at MLGW, the DMV, and SSA; delivered mail to clients’ homes; taken WRM fleet vehicles to the mechanic for maintenance; organized donations in a closet and storage room; assisted with airport arrivals; and filed paperwork. This is a great opportunity for volunteers who are open to doing a variety of tasks but want a consistent schedule of volunteering.

Key Responsibilities:

Communicate with the Volunteer Coordinator about the day and time you want to volunteer each month.

Follow instructions and assignments given by the WRM staff overseeing you. Notify that staff person if you have questions or issues arise.

Log volunteer hours in the WR Portal.

Qualifications:

18+ years old

Complete the World Relief volunteer onboarding (application, online workshop, live orientation, background check, motor vehicle check, reference check)

Reliable, flexible, respectful towards other cultures

Willing to drive your personal vehicle or a WRM fleet vehicle (minivans or 15-passenger vans)

Time Commitment:

Shift Volunteers must commit to at least one 2-hour shift per month, during WRM business hours.

Learn more by contacting our Volunteer Coordinator Abby!

Volunteer Application Form

"It's really been wonderful for me to make friends with these women. We talk about other things too [such as] their jobs or what they're cooking for dinner, their culture."

-Melissa, World Relief Sewing Volunteer

“There's a big need for the English help that World Relief is providing...I enjoyed meeting people from different parts of the world and hearing their stories.”

- Ed, World Relief Café English Volunteer

"It has worked out really well, and we’ve really enjoyed it, everyone has loved it. We hope to expand and do more, and create more teams to do this.”

- Johnny, former World Relief Good Neighbor Volunteer with Hope Presbyterian Church

Upcoming Events

All events are at World Relief Memphis unless otherwise noted: 5340 Quince Rd, Suite A, Memphis 38119

July 23: Volunteer Orientation at 6:30 PM. Join us Tuesday 7/23 to learn more about how you can get involved at World Relief Memphis RSVP here!

August 29: Volunteer Orientation at 6:30 PM. Join us Thursday 8/29 to learn more about how you can get involved at World Relief Memphis RSVP here!

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Follow our social media for announcements, updates, and more exciting ways to connect!

If you would like more information or want to reach out to us, email us at

volunteermemphis@wr.org