Utilize your abilities, sharpen your skills and grow in new areas. Learn while helping others.

Help fulfill CAFE’s Mission, using creativity and innovation to encourage public service.

You can help from anywhere on Earth (and elsewhere if you can manage a phone or e-mail connection :).

Below is important information on volunteering and what you can gain here.

Skills and experience

We offer skill building opportunities for many new volunteers, such as data entry and office work.

We also love for our volunteers to be a part of our team at events where we serve our diverse community - you may help with set up and take down (setting up tables, chairs and tents), as well as providing information about CAFE!

We are always looking for tutors to support K-12 students in their academic journey..

Develop skills

Build on your experience with your choice from a wide range of hands-on activities in our various programs.

Volunteers are always welcome to suggest how we can improve their experience and our work.

When

If you will be working on-site in our office, you can start and end any time within our office hours of 10 AM – 5 PM Monday – Friday. Evening, weekend and holiday hours may be available on request.

Where

At our office located in South Wenatchee. We also provide outreach to Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan Counties.

Student Info

Students may fulfill community service or internship requirements and gain valuable experience. Course credit and independent study are possible in collaboration with your school.

Volunteers 16 – 18 can do most of the same activities as our older volunteers. They need a parent or legal guardian to co-sign our Volunteer Policies.

Everyone is welcome!

Required community service

We appreciate these volunteers, and they often make a valuable contribution. We also welcome court-ordered volunteering, but not for all alleged crimes. A few other special conditions also apply.

Pay, expenses, costs and fees

We have a limited budget, so there’s no pay, stipends, living expenses or transportation reimbursements available. We pay some other expenses when specifically approved in advance.

Guarantee

We guarantee that all ongoing volunteers will gain experience of lasting value for their lives.

School required & court ordered

Although you’re volunteering with us may be required, your help will be appreciated!

Please clear your volunteering with us before you start. Otherwise, we may not be able to certify it.

Please also make sure our hours and other conditions are convenient for you: more info on volunteering with us. If not, we may be able to help you find volunteering elsewhere. Just ask.

Acceptance

We reserve the right not to accept or to discontinue working with any volunteer. If you discontinue with us, we still certify whatever hours you completed in good faith.

Additional conditions apply to our acceptance of some volunteers as described below.

Volunteering outside our office

We often accept work done outside our CAFE office, when approved in advance by us, if what is accomplished matches the hours you report. We need you to report this periodically, so we can make sure we’re on target. Not all of our activities can be done from outside our office. If in doubt, just ask!

We recommend that you confirm remote volunteering is acceptable in your program.

ID and timesheets

We need to see the original and keep a copy of a government issued photo ID such as a passport or driver’s license, proof of current address and phone number.

School-required

We are happy to cooperate with schools. We cannot issue official course credits for what you do here, but your school may. Please check with them.

We do not charge any fees for accepting school-required community service.

Court-related

In many cases, you can fulfill this with us. We appreciate your considering volunteering here.

Important

We need to know in advance if your volunteering is court related. Please note: We add to all other hours-confirmation letters, “This cannot be used for court-related community service.”

We may certify that some of your hours were outside office. In that case, we reserve the right to include this fact in our letter. We only certify hours that reflect work we approve in advance, and when we decide the time matches tangible accomplishments.

If you make false statements or are caught doing anything harmful here, we may report this to the authorities who deal with your case.

If anything is unclear or you’re unsure whether we may accept your volunteering, you can call and speak confidentially, directly with our Outreach Coordinator, Olga Jimenez, at (509) 245-0100.

Fees and donations

All court fees, fines and administration charges are your responsibility. Due to our limited budget, we do not pay transportation expenses.

Documentation

Before you begin court-related community service here, we need to see the original and keep a copy of official document(s) that clearly explain the reason for your service, specifying what the original charge was and the court’s decision, if any.

Thank you for your interest in helping our public service work!