Volunteer Center

Becoming a Volunteer Click here to sign up to become a volunteer

Learn about the roles of our volunteers Safe Harbor Volunteer Positions Descriptions 2021.1

Download the current Volunteer Guidebook Safe Harbor Volunteer Guidebook 2021.1

Welcome back Safe Harbor Volunteers!

You are as precious to us as our guests. Since the onset of COVID-19, we have been making continuous and significant adjustments, like these:

HEALTH CHECKS
We have changed the entrance to the Wellington Street doors allowing us to do health checks as guests (and volunteers) enter.

PPE
We have acquired over 14,000 free masks from the State of Michigan; every guest and volunteer will have a new mask daily.
Wearing of masks will be required of all guests and volunteers. (Face shields are available if needed)
MMC has donated 50,000 pairs of gloves, sufficient for our use all season.

SOCIAL DISTANCING
The permanent addition of the large tent provides socially distanced seating for dinner and relaxation; dining will be in scheduled seatings followed by scheduled sanitization.
The sleeping capacity has been diminished and bunk beds have been draped to provide safe sleeping.

HANDWASHING
Hand soap and hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed at multiple locations.

SANITIZATION AND CLEAN AIR
The ventilation and air purifying systems have been upgraded to meet and exceed current standards.
Cleaning of the facility has been contracted to providers who follow current health safety guidelines.
After daily deep cleaning we use an Electrostatic Sprayer that dispenses an electrostatically charged mist of disinfectant that wraps around the surfaces on which it’s sprayed.
We stock EPA and FDA COVID-19- approved cleaners and disinfectants including in food service areas.

MEDICAL ATTENTION, ISOLATION, AND TRACING
24/7 medical personnel coverage via virtual or phone visits help triage guest, volunteer, and staff medical issues to give best advice regarding needed medical care, isolation/quarantine, identification of guests who are higher risk.
We hold out hope for an accurate rapid on-site testing platform ( currently in development) during this season.
We work closely with the Health Dept and will have regular checks. They have visited the shelter and will be continuing to advise us of ways to adjust to the changing hearts safety demands.

GUIDELINES FOR YOU AS A VOLUNTEER
If you have symptoms of illness, have traveled more than 100 miles out of the area within 14 days, or have tested positive for COVID-19, you must cancel your shift on iVolunteer! If this cancellation occurs within a week of your shift, please email volunteers@gtsafeharbor.org to be sure our Volunteer Manager can follow up on a replacement. If you can arrange for a current Safe Harbor volunteer to replace you, let him know that too!)
Our health partners recommend flu shots for everyone associated with the shelter.
Enter through the prescribed entrance, participate in any checks that may be made at the door.
Make sure to use the Check-in system in the Volunteer Welcome area. It will be important for contact tracing purposes.
Be sure to follow precisely all health safety protocols at the shelter.

Brad Gerlach
Safe Harbor Volunteer Coordinator