Based on the latest rise of COVID cases in our county and our surrounding counties, face-covering masks are required as of 06/16/2022.  All guests, staff, vendors and clients must wear a mask inside LSS property.   

Lutheran Social Services has been actively following the current CDC guidelines/suggestions for Covid-19.  Federal health officials are now advising that you dig the masks out and start wearing it in stores, theaters and other indoor places in much of Northeast Florida, which has returned to a high COVID-19 risk level.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now lists Duval, Clay and Nassau counties as spots of high COVID risk. Baker and St. Johns are at medium risk.

• Donation Sorting– Come help LSS organize donations! This would be done during LSS’s normal operating hours during the week. Small groups welcome. No background screening needed. This can be a one-time volunteer option. No client interaction will be involved in this opportunity.
• Transportation- Assist the case workers in transporting clients to appointments (social security, health department, etc). A vehicle, good driving record, and a Level II background check are required for this volunteer opportunity.
• Youth mentoring- Youth mentoring is for refugee youth ages 15-24 years old that have a personal, vocational, or academic goal that they want to work towards. LSS matches a mentee with a volunteer mentor. They meet once a week for an hour or once every other week for two hours to work towards that goal together. Mentees and mentors can meet on Zoom, at LSS, LSS’s after school location, libraries, and other public settings. An example of a goal might be applying for college. The mentor would assist the mentee in researching schools, exploring financial aid options, filling out applications, studying for SAT/ACT etc. We kindly ask that volunteers interested in volunteering with youth mentoring commit to 6 months. This provides consistency our youth and an opportunity to build a trustworthy relationship. A Level II background check is required for this opportunity.
• Vocational mentoring- This mentoring opportunity is for refugee adults that are pursuing a certificate program or a new vocational field. The mentor will walk alongside them as they complete their training and enter into their new career similar to yours. A Level II background check is required for this opportunity. 
• Workshops- Do you have an area of expertise, skill, or hobby you want to share with the refugee population? LSS is always looking for individuals/groups to offer free workshops for our refugee youth/mentoring program and for the general refugee population. This can be a one-time volunteer opportunity and no background check is needed as it will be supervised by staff member. 
• Fieldtrips- LSS looks for free fieldtrip opportunities in the community for refugee youth/mentoring (ages 15-24 years old). Examples: touring a facility to learn about a career, tickets to museum or sporting event, exploring a community resource etc. Please contact us if you have field trip opportunities that you would like to offer. 
• Front Desk– Do you have a set time each week you could volunteer at the front desk? You will be answering the phone, accepting in-kind donations, and welcoming clients as they enter the building. This would allow our staff members to focus on client services. 
• Apartment Set Up- Calling all groups! LSS is looking for small groups that can take on setting up an apartment for incoming families. Assign a group leader who will receive an email from a staff member when apartment set ups are needed. Group leaders will check the availability of their group members and respond to the email if their group can take on the apartment set up. It would include coming to LSS to pick up needed items and transporting them to the apartment. There, the group will set up furniture and home goods in the apartment to make it a welcoming environment. Group members do not need to be background checked. No client interaction will be involved in this opportunity. 
• Language Interpretation: If you are fluent in a foreign language and have experience interpreting, we would love for you to join our volunteer team! Current languages needed: Spanish, Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Pashtu, Tigrinya, and Swahili. This volunteer opportunities requires a Level II Background check.