VOLUNTEER

We love our volunteers! Current opportunities to join our volunteer team include:

Client Services Assistant: Our Client Services Assistants are a friendly face in our Crisis Center, where clients visit on a walk-in basis to receive services from LARS. These volunteers support staff in our Crisis Center by accepting donations, preparing and distributing food bags to clients, performing clerical duties, and preparing clients for their visit with a Case Manager.

Food Pantry Assistant: Food Pantry Assistants accept, sort, and organize donations in our food pantry. These volunteers use safe food handling procedures and organizational skills to ensure that all the food we give to clients and their families is safe to eat. Their work is a huge part of what we do at LARS, and they have a big impact on fighting food insecurity in the community.

Life Skills Facilitator: Life Skills Facilitators conduct classes on a monthly basis for our clients. The classes may cover any topic that may be helpful to increasing the stability and self-sufficiency of our clients. These volunteers design and conduct courses based on their skill sets and interests. Areas of particular interest are healthy living and financial literacy.

There are plenty of other opportunities to get involved in the work that we do at LARS, and our volunteer needs are constantly changing. We regularly need volunteers for special events and fundraisers that happen throughout the year.

Fill out the form below to get started volunteering with us!

Ways to Give

• Donate Online via LARS' secure online donation page. By donating to LARS online, you have the option to set up a recurring monthly or quarterly gift that fits your budget to make your giving easy and automatic! You can also make your gift In Memory of or in honor of a loved one.
• Send a Check. Checks can be made out to "Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc" or just "LARS." Mail your contribution to LARS at 311 Laurel Avenue, Laurel MD 20707.
• Give at Work. Federal employees/retirees and those with a United Way workplace giving program can designate contributions through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) or United Way campaign. Our CFC number is 92544. Our United Way number is 8843.
• Donate Stocks. Donating appreciated securities can be a tax‐wise way to conduct your charitable giving. As a Catalogue for Philanthropy featured nonprofit, TDAmeritrade handles gifts of stock for a minimal fee. For more information about the stock donation process, please ​visit the Catalogue's page.​

​LARS is a private non-profit organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 organization. Monetary and in-kind donations to LARS are tax-deductible. We are incorporated in the State of Maryland.

In-Kind Donations

Want to help stock the food pantry from afar? Check out our Amazon Wish List for suggestions and you can have your donation shipped directly to LARS! 

Always Needed

• Food -Our most needed items are: cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, granola bars and jelly.
• Toiletries - Our most needed items are soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, etc.
• Items for our PSH Clients - Click here for a list of items we need to keep on hand
• Household goods - toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies
• Diapers - especially size 2 and up!
• Baby wipes
• Baby formula
• Gift cards - grocery, gas, Target, Walmart, etc.
• Plastic and reusable bags

Donations can be dropped off during regular business hours (M-F 9:30am-1:30pm and Monday evenings 5-7:00pm).
​PLEASE remember to check expiration dates before donating food. We cannot accept anything that is expired or opened. 
For more information on starting a food drive or donating to the food pantry, please call 301-776-0442. 

Sometimes Needed

• ​Furniture - We sometimes have a need for furniture and basic household items for our Permanent Supportive Housing residents, who are typically moving into our program with just the clothes on their backs. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for specific requests. We unfortunately do not have the capacity to pick up these types of items, so all furniture donations would need to be delivered directly to the recipient's apartment or to LARS, depending on size.
• Books - To keep our Little Library stocked (Books in Spanish are also needed!)
• Toys/games - New items needed during the holiday season only

Not Currently Needed

• ​Clothing - We do not have the proper storage or cleaning facilities to collect clothing donations. We provide our clients with vouchers to be used at the Laurel Thrift Store (9880 Washington Blvd N, Laurel MD 20723). Please donate your clothing there or consider other local organizations such as Success in Style or Katie Kares.