Mental health first aid
Responding thoughtfully and safely when someone is in distress.
Get involved
Volunteer with Street Forum
Volunteering here is about more than serving breakfast. It means showing up with humility, listening without judgment, respecting the knowledge and agency of unhoused neighbors, and helping create a safer, more connected Sunday space at Republic Square.
Expectations
How we ask volunteers to show up
The Sunday forum runs on relationships. We ask volunteers to slow down, listen, and recognize the gaps in privilege between housed and unhoused participants. Making room for honest and sometimes difficult conversation matters as much as handing out food.
Street Forum does not partner its work with policing or other carceral systems. Volunteers are asked to follow the collective’s guidance on de-escalation, on interactions with police, and on documentation.
Photography, video, names and personal stories require consent. When in doubt, do not record, and ask an organizer first.
Training
What volunteers learn
Crisis de-escalation
Calmer, safer responses to conflict, crisis or heightened emotions.
COVID-19 safety
Practices developed to keep essential outdoor programming going.
Filming police encounters
Legal observation and documentation practices around police interactions.
Navigating privilege gaps
Housed volunteers avoiding paternalistic or savior-oriented behavior.
Human connection
Slowing down, sitting with people, treating conversation as real care.
Roles
Ways to plug in
- 01Breakfast prep and café setup
- 02Coffee, taco and food-service support
- 03Hygiene and supply distribution
- 04Resource-guide distribution
- 05Donation sorting and kit packing
- 06Winter-drive and tent-fund fulfillment
- 07Setup, breakdown and equipment transport
- 08Translation or Spanish-language resource support
- 09Volunteer coordination and training support
- 10Documentation, photography and social media, with clear consent rules
- 11Advocacy support and action-alert distribution
Roles, orientation requirements and age limits change with the season and the size of the crew. Before your first Sunday, reach out through Instagram or the sign-up links so organizers can tell you what is needed that week.
Can’t make a Sunday?
Supplies, funds and advocacy actions keep the café running just as much as hands at the table.