Volunteer at The Bridge at Girard

The Bridge at Girard

Bring the fun to our Bridge Programs at Girard Street! Host a game night or showcase your special skills and talents with residents.

Volunteer With Hope

Host a game night or share a special skill or talent with the adult residents in our Bridge Program at Girard Street.

Get Started!

Volunteer groups are also welcome to host a lunch or seasonal party for the residents. Learn more at a Volunteer Info Session. We welcome individual volunteers as well.

Location: The Bridge at Girard Street
1413 Girard Street NW
Washington, DC 20009

Minimum Age: 18
Volunteer Times: Weekday evenings or lunchtime
About the Program: The program’s goal is to be ‘the bridge’ for individual adults experiencing homelessness who have been deemed eligible for a permanent housing subsidy but need a safe and stable place to stay in the interim to work on getting rental applications and other paperwork together.
Requirements:

Attend a Volunteer Info Session to learn more.

Volunteer Waiver of Liability—can be done upon registration of volunteer shift.

Find a volunteer opportunity that interests you by viewing our current opportunities here. Simply create your Community of Hope volunteer profile and sign up for opportunities on Volunteer Hub!

For certain positions, individual applications will be reviewed and potential volunteers will be contacted for an interview.

Visit our calendar of events and then view availability for an event by clicking the event title. When you want to register for an event, click the sign-up button, and either login or create an account when prompted. Once you are logged in, you can return to the calendar and sign up for any other events you’d like without having to log in again.

You’ll know you have successfully been signed up for an event when you receive a confirmation email.

You are an important part of the team! In order to ensure that we have enough volunteers for each shift, we count on you to keep your commitment. If you are unable to attend, we ask that you cancel via VolunteerHub, email, or phone as soon as you know of a change in your plans. If you miss two or more shifts without contacting Community of Hope staff, your VolunteerHub account will be locked (you will not be able to log in), until you have a further conversation with Community of Hope staff. We appreciate your understanding.

All interested volunteers must create a Community of Hope volunteer profile on Volunteer Hub

Volunteer Orientations are required if you are interested in volunteering as a Mentor and some other positions. Fam-Club at the Triumph volunteers are not required but are encouraged, to attend a remote Volunteer Orientation before volunteering.

References, background checks, and TB tests as appropriate to the position will be required. Background checks can be done through Community of Hope for $10.

Volunteers can get their TB test done at the health provider of their choice; however, Community of Hope does offer a no-cost option at one of our health centers for volunteers using one of our referral forms.

We know our volunteers have many interests and talents. We offer various volunteer opportunities catering to those interests including one-time volunteer activities, ongoing projects, and special community events. Please view our current opportunities here. Only one application is necessary if you are interested in multiple roles.

We have locations across the city where volunteers may serve. Please refer to each volunteer position’s description for the specific location. Visit this page for directions.

There are many ways your group can get involved with Community of Hope! We welcome small groups of volunteers (i.e. usually up to six people) to host a birthday party at one of our housing sites or be a part of Fam-Club at The Triumph. Please contact volunteer@cohdc.org for more information.

Get your workplace or community group involved and work with colleagues to collect Welcome Kit items for families in our housing programs.

We also have opportunities for organizations, companies, and faith-based groups that are ready to make a longer-term commitment to being a Community of Hope Strategic Partner. Please contact our Development Manager at development@cohdc.org or 202.407.7753 to learn more.

We are committed to the neighborhoods where our programs are located. Part of that commitment means helping our neighborhood teens find meaningful volunteer opportunities with us. If you are a teenager age 14 or older in Wards 1, 5, or 8 who is looking to complete service hours or build a skill, contact our Volunteer Manager, Lauren Cranman, at lcranman@cohdc.org for more information.

On March 1, 2020, we changed operations to our Volunteer Doula Program. We no longer use doulas in a volunteer capacity. Instead, we find new ways to connect patients to doulas in the community. We will look to partner with doula collectives and individuals in the area who can provide pro-bono doula services for Community of Hope parents.

If you are part of a doula collective or would like to be considered for our referral lists, please complete this questionnaire.

We are so grateful to have had a wonderful community of volunteer doulas who supported Community of Hope families for over three years. Thank you!

Volunteers with court-ordered community service hours may volunteer with Community of Hope if they are not serving due to infractions related to a violent or sexual crime or any crime involving a child. The Community of Hope Volunteer Team reserves the right to discern each volunteer’s eligibility to serve on a case-by-case basis. Prospective volunteers must disclose that they are interested in doing court-ordered service prior to beginning their volunteer role.

Mentors can be reimbursed up to $50 every quarter for transportation, meals, and activity costs.

Stories of Hope.

Learn more about stories of healing, hope and transformation from our Community of Hope voices, clients and partners

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When I found out I was pregnant, it was one of the happiest times of my life,” says Portia Quarles, a wife, mom, and champion of maternal health in DC. She wasn’t yet a patient at Community of Hope and reflected on her first prenatal appointment “I was spoken to in a way that felt belittling. It was disheartening. I cried. I felt defeated.”

Portia: A Patient, Mother, and Voice for Compassionate Care

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For Karema, life changed in an instant. She and her one-year-old daughter, Aleema, had been living with Aleema’s father when tensions in their relationship escalated. Realizing their living situation was no longer healthy or stable, Karema made the difficult decision to leave. With nowhere else to go, she and Aleema entered an emergency shelter, where they stayed for a couple of weeks.

A Fresh Start: Karema’s Journey to Stability

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For Shannelle, being a single mother of three came with its share of challenges. She worked hard to provide for her children, but when she left an abusive relationship, everything changed. The financial burden fell entirely on her shoulders.

Shannelle’s Fresh Start!

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When Heather found out she was pregnant, she felt lost. She had been struggling with homelessness and addiction since the pandemic, caught in a cycle of instability and toxic relationships.

Finding Hope: Heather’s Journey to Stability

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When Taylor and her husband moved to Ward 8 three years ago, she knew she wanted to connect with her community in a meaningful way. Taylor found a perfect match in the wide variety of Community of Hope programs that allow her to build relationships and make a lasting impact.

Volunteer Spotlight: Taylor’s Dedication to Community

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Shiquitaa Anderson is a hardworking mother of six, balancing her job as a food clerk at Safeway while raising children between the ages of 3 and 14. A Washington, D.C. native, Shiquitaa loves drawing, especially cartoon characters, and spending time with her kids. But what she cherishes most is providing them with a stable, happy home—something that once felt out of reach.

From Homelessness to Hope: How Shiquitaa Anderson is Building a Brighter Future

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For almost 45 years, Community of Hope has been working to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring—especially for families with children but also for a growing number of individuals. Unfortunately, the need for these services only seems to grow. DC experienced a growth of 14% among people experiencing homelessness and with limited rental assistance and high rental prices this challenge is getting harder. So, we are stepping up to serve MORE people!

Community of Hope Grows to Serve More People Experiencing Homelessness

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For Anita Burrows, a longtime resident of Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8, managing her chronic conditions was a constant struggle. After experiencing preeclampsia during her last pregnancy, Anita’s doctor at Community of Hope connected her with Ashley Keen, a dedicated Community Health Worker here at Community of Hope, to help her take control of her health. Now, two years later, Anita credits Ashley’s guidance and support with helping her stay on top of her medications and manage her blood pressure.

Empowering Health: How a Community Health Worker Transformed Anita’s Journey with Chronic Illness

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“When things got rough—juggling family struggles, financial problems, and even trauma from my brother getting shot at our home—Community of Hope stepped in,” says Tytiana Johnson, a mom and longtime Community of Hope patient. “The homelessness prevention program gave us a place to land when we had nowhere else to go —it gave us a way to move forward, even when things felt impossible.”

Thriving With Support: Tytiana’s Journey

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Two years ago, Community of Hope launched our pharmacy. This game-changing addition transforms how patients access and adhere to their medications. By integrating the pharmacy directly into our health centers, we now provided a much-needed resource for those who face barriers to traditional pharmacy access.