Durham Crisis Response Center

Durham Crisis Response Center offers services to victims of domestic and sexual violence, including a 24-hour, confidential crisis line, short-term emergency shelter, hospital and court accompaniment, weekly legal clinics with local attorneys, support groups, short-term individual counseling, and referrals for job training, housing, childcare and other community services--all direct services are offered to the community free of charge. They also offer educational workshops and professional training for service providers, churches, schools, police, hospitals, civic groups and other community members.

Volunteers for the following programs must attend a 40 hour training, and MUST have own transportation, phone, and email/internet access. A three shifts per month minimum commitment for one year is required.

• 24-Hour Crisis Line Advocate - Answer a 24-hour crisis line to provide emotional support and information to victims of domestic and sexual violence, accompany victims to the hospital after an assault, and refer them to community resources. A special need exists for Spanish speaking advocates.
• Hospital Responder
• Child Care - Provide care and coordinate special activities for children during a planned morning, afternoon or evening in the shelter. We have a special need for childcare advocates during our weekly, early evening support groups. During these support groups, volunteers provide childcare so that women who have children can easily attend.
• Community Educator - Provide and promote education, prevention and awareness about sexual and domestic violence to various community groups (schools, churches, etc.)
• Court Advocate
• Support Group Facilitator - We offer a variety of support groups to meet the different needs of our clients. Volunteers have the opportunity to assist and facilitate support groups.

Minimal training or requirements exist for the following opportunities:

• Shelter Care Provider - The shelter, like any other home, requires routine maintenance, cleaning and overall upkeep. Volunteers are needed to assist staff and residents in maintaining the shelter.
• Fund-Raising / Special Events Volunteer - Participate in a variety of events, doing everything from planning to publicity to welcoming guests at an event on an as needed basis.
• Thrift Store Volunteer - Assist with Pennies for Change, DCRC’s benefit thrift store. Volunteers are needed to sort donations, straighten and create displays, clean, organize, and work with customers or client
• Office Volunteer - Assisting with data entry, bulk mailings and other day-to-day administrative tasks.
• One-day Project Volunteer - This opportunity is for people who want to volunteer but have schedules that don’t allow for it on a regular basis. One-day project volunteers participate in planned activities that can be completed in a single day, such as food/clothing drives, painting or other beautification projects, or community awareness events.