National Volunteer Week highlights opportunity to serve at Paz de Cristo Community Center
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Volunteer opportunities include essential roles in meal service, where individuals help prepare and serve hot, nutritious meals to hungry neighbors. Those interested in leadership positions can serve as meal coordinators, overseeing food preparation and service operations while guiding other volunteers.
Metro Creative
By Jackie Shelley | Executive Director of Paz de Cristo Community Center in Mesa
As National Volunteer Week approaches April 20-26, Mesa residents have a meaningful opportunity to make a difference in their community through service at Paz de Cristo Community Center. Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week celebrates the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges.
Paz de Cristo stands as a vital resource for vulnerable individuals and families in the East Valley, providing essential services to those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. The organization’s mission centers on feeding, clothing and empowering guests who enter their campus — a mission that depends entirely on volunteer support.
The community center operates through the dedicated efforts of local volunteers who staff various critical programs daily. Volunteer opportunities include essential roles in meal service, where individuals help prepare and serve hot, nutritious meals to hungry neighbors. Those interested in leadership positions can serve as meal coordinators, overseeing food preparation and service operations while guiding other volunteers.
Additionally, Paz de Cristo’s showers program offers dignity and fresh starts to those without access to basic hygiene facilities. Volunteers in this program help manage the shower schedule and distribute toiletries and clean clothing to guests.
These services represent more than just meeting immediate physical needs — they provide human connection and dignity to community members experiencing difficult circumstances. For volunteers, the experience offers perspective, purpose, and the satisfaction of making a tangible difference in someone’s day.
Paz de Cristo welcomes not only individual volunteers but also teams of up to 10 people, making it an ideal opportunity for workplace groups, faith communities, student organizations or friends seeking meaningful shared experiences. Volunteers must be at least 12 years of age, with those under 15 requiring adult accompaniment.
National Volunteer Week serves as a reminder that community challenges require community solutions. While homelessness and hunger persist as serious issues in Maricopa County, organizations like Paz de Cristo demonstrate how ordinary citizens can contribute to extraordinary change through consistent, compassionate service.
The timing of National Volunteer Week presents an ideal moment for Mesa residents to commit to regular volunteer service or to try volunteering for the first time. With summer approaching - typically a season when volunteer numbers decrease while community needs remain high — new volunteers are especially valuable.
Those interested in volunteering at Paz de Cristo can contact the volunteer coordinator at volunteer@pazdecristo.org or call 480-464-2370. Team volunteer opportunities require advance coordination, with each participant creating an individual account and completing a volunteer agreement.
By dedicating even a few hours monthly to Paz de Cristo, local residents can honor the spirit of National Volunteer Week while contributing to lasting positive change in their community.
