TO LOVE AND CARE FOR OTHERS: It may come in the form of serving soup, praying with someone, cleaning the space where we serve or in many other ways. Everything that we do is to show love and to be a vessel for life transformation.

TO WORK HARD: As a volunteer, you may assist with outreach preparation/clean up and serve outside on the street for 2 hours.

TO BE SUPPORTED: You will be thoroughly briefed before hitting the streets by City Relief staff, who will be with you throughout the outreach.

TO HAVE FUN: From fun getting to know each other to laughs with new friends or even singing on the street, your day will be filled with many moments of joy.

Outreaches take place outdoors. We utilize custom outreach buses with a built-in kitchen, seating, and resource center. We drive them to 8 locations 4 days a week. Then our staff and volunteers set up a pop-up mobile outreach at each location to provide for immediate needs like food and hygiene kits, then offer ongoing care coordination.

Volunteers help us make the day a success! You could be asked to do any or all of the following during a day serving with us:

PREPARE soup, drinks and stock the bus if you meet at our base.

WELCOME our guests and invite conversation over a shared meal.

SET UP tents, tables and outdoor service stations.

SERVE homemade soup, drinks & fresh bread.

OFFER socks, hygiene kits and prayer.

INVITE guests to the outreach. Sometimes we send out small groups of volunteers with supplies & flyers to let people know about our outreach.

CLEAN outreach and surrounding area + leave it cleaner than we found it!

CONNECT guests to experienced staff members to have a LIFE CARE VISIT where deep struggles are shared, individualized action plans are developed, and hope is restored.

The minimum age to serve with City Relief is 16 years old. Volunteers under 18 need a guardian's permission to serve, and one adult to serve as chaperone per four minor volunteers. The minimum age to participate in an overnight Service Trip week is 18 years old.

Your health and safety is of the utmost importance. Masking is only required while serving food and we will gladly provide a mask and gloves to any volunteers upon request. We ask that you NOT participate in one of our outreach efforts if you have a fever, have been recently exposed to someone who is sick or if you just don’t feel well. We would be happy to help you reschedule so you can be in your best shape to serve!

Outreaches are outdoors, so dress for the weather!

Come prepared to be outside for the duration of the outreach. Even when you are serving from inside the bus, you will experience the full effects of the cold or the heat!

Please do not wear clothing with vulgar or explicit messages, clothes advertising drugs/alcohol or expensive clothes or jewelry. Where possible, minimize bringing a large amount of personal items.

NOTES FOR SUMMER: Please wear modest clothing that covers you, i.e. longer shorts and t-shirts rather than tank tops. If you are prone to sunburn, bring sunscreen and a hat. Closed toed shoes are required even in the summer.

NOTES FOR WINTER: It gets cold & windy on the street and you will want a warm coat, layers, hats, gloves, boots, etc. You may want to wear multiple layers of socks or insulated pants on cold days since we are outside for 2 hours at a time.

Where possible, please minimize the amount of personal belongings you bring to the outreach. We are not responsible for volunteers' belongings. We can store personal items in our vehicle, however, it will not be locked.

We can’t take everything, but if you have an idea we’d love to discuss it! Please contact us at deliveries@cityrelief.org before you bring items to outreach so we can make sure the items you’re bringing are the best fit. Check out this page for more information.

At our base in Elizabeth, NJ there is street parking available. If you meet us at the outreach location there may or may not be space to park near the bus. In all cases, please be sure you are obeying posted signs concerning parking rules. We are not responsible for any parking tickets you may receive or any damage to your vehicle.

No. Unless the bridges and tunnels are closed and there is no way for us to get to the outreach, we never cancel. In the unlikely event we do have to cancel, we will notify you as soon as possible. If you are worried about your safety and need to cancel, please contact us as soon as possible.

Please do not bring in any outside during outreach unless you have a medical reason to do so. If that is the case, please notify us ahead of time.

You are welcome to enjoy the soup, bread and drinks offered during outreach. In fact, it is a great way to make a connection with one of our guests by sharing a meal with them. You may bring snacks for the bus ride if you are riding with us from the base.

No. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life and faith backgrounds to join us. Please be aware that as a Christian organization, we will pray for the outreach and with our guests. We will also play worship music as we travel to the outreach location. You do not have to participate during any times of prayer/worship, and we ask if any guests ask you for prayer, you guide them to someone who can fulfill that request.