Your Kindness Changes Everything
Volunteering may feel like a small act. But to the men and families who walk through our doors, it means the world.
Our doors stay open 365 days a year, which means we always need wonderful people ready to serve. When you volunteer, you act as God’s hands to every single person who comes to us, offering dignity, warmth, and the reminder that they matter.
The same is true for the food, clothing, and hygiene items you donate. New shoes. Warm coats. A clean set of clothes. These gifts do more than fill a shelf. They tell a hurting person, “You are worth caring for.” And that message can be the first step toward real, lasting change.
Volunteer Opportunities
There's a place for you here, no matter your skills or schedule. Here are some of the ways you can serve:
Gifts-In-Kind (GIK)
Sorting donations — help organize the clothing, food, and supplies that keep our shelves stocked and our guests cared for.
Kitchen
Meal prep — help prepare the hot, nourishing meals we serve to men in need every single day.
Community Services
Food box distribution — welcome families, help them complete paperwork, and hand out the items that carry them through the week.
Programs
Mentoring (for men) — walk alongside a man on his journey of transformation, offering encouragement, guidance, and friendship.
Admin
Administrative support — help with video editing, document scanning, and other behind-the-scenes tasks that keep things running smoothly.
Maintenance
Mowing and upkeep — help care for the space that so many men call home.
Please note: The minimum age to volunteer is 18.
Ready to Apply?
Getting started is simple. Fill out a volunteer application and send it to hr@urmwichita.org, or mail it to Union Rescue Mission, 2800 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219. Want to learn more first? Call us at (316) 687-4673.
Bring Your Team
Group Volunteer Projects
Looking for a meaningful way to serve alongside your coworkers, church group, or organization? Group projects are a powerful way to build your team while transforming lives in your community.
Group projects include:
- Deep cleaning the dining room — 4 to 5 people
- Cleaning respite equipment — 3 people
- Cleaning vehicles — 4 to 12 people
- Cleaning floors and bathrooms — 3 to 4 people
Most group projects are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule your group, call (316) 687-4673 or email hr@urmwichita.org.
Current Needs
Give the Gifts That Transform Lives
Serving nearly 300 meals a day can empty our pantry shelves fast. Providing shelter, clothing, showers, and laundry for tens of thousands of overnight stays takes a steady stream of supplies. Your in-kind donations save the Mission thousands of dollars each year — and go straight to the men who need them.
One simple request: please give good, usable items — the kind of quality you’d wear yourself. For the men we serve, clothing that’s new or in great condition does more than keep them warm. It helps them feel like they’re worth something. Because they are.
Food Items
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Canned foods
- Frozen fish
- Instant and boxed potatoes
- Juice (apple, orange, cranberry)
- Pork and beans, baked beans
- Spaghetti sauce, rice
- Vegetable or olive oil
- Oatmeal, peanut butter, jelly
- Sugar and flour
- Coffee and breakfast drinksSliced deli meats,
- sausage patties, bacon
- Pancake syrup
- Ziplock sandwich bags
Men's Clothing (all sizes)
New items:
- New men’s underwear (especially boxers)
- New white t-shirts and undershirts
- Socks
- New heavy winter gloves
Gently used items:
- Jeans and casual pants
- Men’s belts
- Sweatshirts and long-sleeved shirts for winter
- Winter coats
Long johns (shirts and pants)
Good tennis shoes and work shoes
Heavy-duty and steel-toe boots
Hygiene Items
- Lots and lots of toilet paper
- Deodorant
- Shampoo
- Q-tips and cotton swabs
- Black hair care products
- Facial tissue and paper towels
- Chapstick
- Fingernail and toenail clippers
- Disposable razors
- New or gently used bath towels
Bedding (Twin XL beds and bunk beds)
New items are preferred, since bedding is laundered every day.
- Bed pillows
- White Twin XL fitted sheets
- in XL sheet sets (any color)
Medical Items
- Cold medication
- Antibiotic ointment
- Ibuprofen
- Eye drops
- Cough drops (regular and sugar-free)
- First aid tape
- Anti-fungal ointment and foot powder
- Bandaids
School Supplies (for New Beginnings students)
- Adult-sized backpacks
- Yellow highlighters
- College-ruled spiral notebooks
Items we cannot accept: Used mattresses, box springs, computers, furniture, appliances, and expired or opened medication. We recommend taking these to His Helping Hand or 2nd Blessing Thrift Shop.
Where to Drop Off Your Donations
Donation Center
3250 E 27th St N, Wichita
Monday- Friday | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Outside those hours?
Bring donations to the URM Shelter at 2800 N. Hillside, Wichita — open anytime.
Questions about donating items or non-cash gifts? Contact Renee at (316) 687-4673 or email renee@urmwichita.org.