Opportunities From: Haywood Pathways Center

Opens the Clothing Cottage for our residents once a week for 2 hours and once every month on a Saturday for a few hours. 

Prepare about 25 sandwiches and wrap individually.

Occasionally, Chef Shawn will ask for help putting out condiments for those as well as a variety of prepared salads, canned foods such as Ravioli or soups, chips, cookies....leftovers from the walk in refrigerator that Chef Shawn has designated for lunch.  

Quick and easy does it! This commitment requires about one hour anytime between 9am-11:30am. 

If you have only one hour to give and like to drive a van… this is the job for you! Each week-day morning, for one hour, between 8:00-10am, we take our refrigerated van to Publix for the daily food donation. It’s like Christmas, you just never know what the boxes will hold! No CDL is needed, but heavy lifting is required. The boxes can weigh up to forty pounds. Once back on campus we can assist with unloading if needed.

We receive many generous donations and our office fills with them regularly. We need volunteers to help us sort the items, put them away in their various locations, and keep them organized.  

Help Chef Shawn prepare dinner for 80!  No experience required and NO DISHES to wash! We have a fully functioning Industrial Kitchen with walk-in fridge/freezer, 6 burner gas stove, double oven and large convection oven. Through our partnership with MANNA and Publix, the fridge is always stocked with chicken, ground beef and other proteins. There is also plenty of fresh produce as well.

Dinner is served in the Dining Room and Family Dorm at 6 pm each night. We also pack to go boxes for non-residents to pick up after dinner is served to our residents.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEADING A NEW DINNER COOK TEAM OR VOLUNTEERING FOR THIS OPPORRTUNITY INDIVIDUALLY, PLEASE EMAIL THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR DIRECTLY AT volunteer@haywoodpathways.org

Cook Teams bring 2-5 helpers, start prepping around 4:00 pm, ask grace at 5:50 and serve at 6:00. We encourage our teams to eat the meal and visit with our residents until 6:30. Your gift of presence means more than you know! Pathways residents are blessed by a thriving chaplain ministry, so our cook teams can simply enjoy table fellowship with our residents over the meal they have prepared.

Our Kitchen Manager, Chef Shawn, is on-site to help as needed. Cook Team leads can contact Chef Shawn prior to their scheduled cooking night to plan the menu and allow Chef Shawn to pull the ingredients, and, of course, you can bring your own items if preferred. If you prefer to just show up and cook what Shawn has planned, you can do that too!

This is a great opportunity for all levels of expertise and age groups. No clean up necessary since the residents take responsibility for leftovers and cleaning.

*note for Dining Hall.  Please park on the right side of our parking lot and enter the dining hall up the ramp on the right.

This team of volunteers needs to be characterized by resourcefulness, courage (not easily scared), the ability to handle awkward situations calmly, skills to defer giving an answer and taking a message, and firm kindness. We will train you for the specific tasks! Volunteers will answer the phone, do brief phone interviews to determine eligibility for entrance, and greet guests who come in the front door of the office.

Ideally, our team would fill the hours of 9-5, Monday thru Friday. I am happy to fill the team with different levels of time commitment. For example, if one volunteer is willing to come every day from 9-12 but one volunteer is willing to come one day a week from 3-5, all are welcome. I think 2 hours per week is probably the minimum commitment. I would also like to have a list of willing “substitutes” in the case of travel or an emergency.

Music has a special way of creating comfort, connection, and joy in everyday life. At Haywood Pathways Center, a simple song can help soften the stress of the day, spark conversation, bring back good memories, and remind residents that they are seen, valued, and not alone.

Our musically inclined volunteers help bring warmth and hospitality to the dining hall through short musical visits on Friday or Saturday evenings. Volunteers may play piano, guitar, sing, lead familiar songs, take song requests, or provide peaceful background music as residents gather around the evening meal.

This is not a formal concert. It is a ministry of presence and encouragement. Volunteers use music to help create an atmosphere of dignity, peace, and community — supporting Haywood Pathways’ mission to offer shelter, nourishment, support, and hope to our neighbors.

Our residents love to use their hands to create beautiful or functional objects. If you also love to create objects of joy, please share your hobby with us! The best time for art experiences or crafting classes are the weekends and weekday evenings.

Days are based on your availability, typically between the hours of 3:30-5:30 pm or 7:00-8:30 pm. We will pair up your preferred subjects and skills with our residents/children. On occasion we have adults completing their G.E.D who could benefit from additional support as well. Some residents need help learning to read.  Reach out if you’re interested, we would love to add your name to our call-list. Please note, this position is need-based and will vary depending on the current individuals staying with us.