Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering with Abide in Love, Springfield, is a meaningful way to make a real difference in the lives of people facing difficult circumstances. The organization supports individuals and families—especially immigrants and those navigating detention or legal uncertainty—by providing compassion, practical assistance, and advocacy when they need it most.
We truly need you, and there are a variety of ways you can help depending on your time, skills, and interests. Some volunteers assist with connecting families to resources, others help coordinate support, communicate with detainees, or provide encouragement and advocacy. Every act of service matters.
By volunteering with Abide in Love, you become part of a caring community that believes in dignity, compassion, and standing beside people during some of the hardest moments of their lives.
1
Family Outreach
Family outreach team members assist in getting families connected to basic resources. Many families are Spanish speaking, so bilingual speakers are of great help. Needs might involve occasional transportation, resource connection, diaper or food delivery, etc. We will team up someone who has no experience with someone who does.
2
Community Outreach
Community outreach volunteers connect to partner organizations and institutions in and around our community, send letters, hold presentations at meetings and events, offer info at a table or booth for events, and get creative with fundraising ideas. Community outreach will engage with local schools, churches, and groups to educate them on what is going on in our community regarding immigration enforcement. Volunteers share and spread the mission of Abide in Love St. Louis.
3
Fundraising & Donor Relations
Fundraising volunteers assist in raising funds from individuals and corporate donors. We welcome creative fundraising opportunities such as fundraising drives and partnerships with local businesses.
5
Penpals
Pen pals communicate directly with detainees in the Ste. Genevieve detention center. This is a way to offer hope and inquire about what needs the detainee or their family may have. Pen pals often assist in connecting to resources such as calling cards, legal aid, clergy visits, or coordination with family members. You do not need to be bilingual to volunteer as a pen pal.
Occasionally we are asked to help provide transportation for family members to visit detained loved ones, accompany immigrants to ICE check-in meetings, or help retrieve vehicles that may have been stranded at the time of arrest. Bilingual speakers (mostly Spanish, Mandarin, and Indonesian) are preferred for accompaniment.
6
Legal Aid
Abide in Love and our partner organizations are often in need of legal support for our detainees or their families.
7
Notaries
Volunteer certified notaries will assist in notarizing legal documents for families as needs arise.
8
Storytellers
Volunteers who like to write may help tell the stories of what we are witnessing. By interviewing our pen pals about the families they have supported and what they’ve gone through, storytellers can greater communicate the day-to-day realities of these families. Storytelling volunteers may assist in creating a virtual scrapbook/collection documenting the history and progress of our organization, as well as compiling and organizing media coverage.
Our Board
Our board at Abide in Love is made up of people who care about the work we’re doing and the community we serve. They help guide our efforts and make sure we stay focused on supporting those who need it most.
Andrea Frey Metzger & Janelle Richardson
Treasurer