What You Can Do
Volunteer Opportunities
Common Unity Place believes that our best assets are our volunteers. We believe that everyone has talents, gifts, and abilities that can be utilized and put into action in such a way as to strengthen the greater community. Each role is vital in making Common Unity Place a welcoming, nurturing, and safe place to offer hospitality to our neighbors both near and far.
Whether you are available for an afternoon or a few hours each week, we have opportunities for you to make a difference in the lives of people living in the greater Skowhegan area.
Clothes Closet
- Front End Staff: Greeters, merchandise clothing, assist in seasonal change over
- Back End Staff: Sort and fold clothing
- Infant/Toddler Room: Sort, store, merchandise clothing
- Support Staff: maintain flow of merchandise and cleanliness of the building
- Donation Bin Maintenance: moving donated clothing from bin to sorting room
- Shoe sorter
- Underwear and sock sorters
- Cleaning Staff/custodial
CUP Café
- Greeters and guest check-in
- Meal preparation
- Kitchen servers
- Table and kitchen clean up
- Organizing and stocking personal care pantry and blessing box items
CUP Personal Care Pantry
We accept new and unopened packages of the following items to stock our personal care pantry:
- Soap
- Deodorant
- Shampoo
- Toothbrushes
- Mouthwash
- Dental floss
- Feminine hygiene products
- Incontinence products for men and women
- Diapers
- Baby wipes
- Baby wash
- Hairbrushes and combs
- Hand and foot warmers
Volunteer Testimonials
Kendra is a resident of Skowhegan and has been volunteering at the Clothes Closet for approximately five years. Kendra shared the following about her experience. “I enjoy working at the Clothes Closet a lot. Especially now during the pandemic. It gives me time to get out of the house and helps me not to feel isolated and get depressed. The friendships I have made with other volunteers mean a lot. My mom was a Methodist and my grandmother came from the Nazarene faith. Giving back to my community at the Clothes Closet feels good. I like helping the homeless people find just the right sized clothing, providing them with blankets and coats. I find repurposing things for the good of others very rewarding.”
Kendra 
James currently volunteers at the new CUP Café. James does not have his own vehicle but arranges for a ride so he can be at the Café at 7:30 A.M. each week. In this way, he can make sure that there is a pot of hot coffee on and baked goods available when the first clients of the Clothes Closet arrive. He takes great pride in providing hospitality to his neighbors. He explained his experience this way: … I know I am accepted here as I am. It feels good to offer this mutual acceptance to others and to be of assistance to my neighbors.
James 
Catherine lives across the street from Centenary United Methodist Church. She is a regular visitor at both the Clothes Closet and the Café. Catherine was eager to share about her experience. “There is nothing here in our neighborhood to do. The Café and the Clothes Closet are kind of like a community center. I don’t have a car. But I can walk to the Closet and find heThe Café gives me a place to have conversation. It is very laid back and friendly. It has kind of a family atmosphere. I also have been thankful for the Blessing Box located out front of the church. There have been times I did not have the money to buy things I needed. But I found stuff at the Blessing Box. We are all in this together. I spend most of my time at home alone. I look forward to Wednesdays when the Clothing Closet and Café are open. It is a bright spot in my week. Me and the volunteers laugh and giggle and have a good time. We need more places like this in Skowhegan.”
Catherine 
Charleen volunteers in the morning at the CUP Café and in the evenings at the Clothes Closet. “The love of the people keeps me coming back. The church has been very supportive of me-even on my darkest days. I am a survivor of Domestic Violence. The café provides a safe place for people to gather, talk, enjoy companionship. I enjoy being supportive of other people who are hurting.”
Charleen 
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Kendra is a resident of Skowhegan and has been volunteering at the Clothes Closet for approximately five years. Kendra shared the following about her experience. “I enjoy working at the Clothes Closet a lot. Especially now during the pandemic. It gives me time to get out of the house and helps me not to feel isolated and get depressed. The friendships I have made with other volunteers mean a lot. My mom was a Methodist and my grandmother came from the Nazarene faith. Giving back to my community at the Clothes Closet feels good. I like helping the homeless people find just the right sized clothing, providing them with blankets and coats. I find repurposing things for the good of others very rewarding.”
Kendra
James currently volunteers at the new CUP Café. James does not have his own vehicle but arranges for a ride so he can be at the Café at 7:30 A.M. each week. In this way, he can make sure that there is a pot of hot coffee on and baked goods available when the first clients of the Clothes Closet arrive. He takes great pride in providing hospitality to his neighbors. He explained his experience this way: … I know I am accepted here as I am. It feels good to offer this mutual acceptance to others and to be of assistance to my neighbors.
James
Catherine lives across the street from Centenary United Methodist Church. She is a regular visitor at both the Clothes Closet and the Café. Catherine was eager to share about her experience. “There is nothing here in our neighborhood to do. The Café and the Clothes Closet are kind of like a community center. I don’t have a car. But I can walk to the Closet and find heThe Café gives me a place to have conversation. It is very laid back and friendly. It has kind of a family atmosphere. I also have been thankful for the Blessing Box located out front of the church. There have been times I did not have the money to buy things I needed. But I found stuff at the Blessing Box. We are all in this together. I spend most of my time at home alone. I look forward to Wednesdays when the Clothing Closet and Café are open. It is a bright spot in my week. Me and the volunteers laugh and giggle and have a good time. We need more places like this in Skowhegan.”
Catherine
Charlene volunteers in the morning at the CUP Café and in the evenings at the Clothes Closet. “The love of the people keeps me coming back. The church has been very supportive of me-even on my darkest days. I am a survivor of Domestic Violence. The café provides a safe place for people to gather, talk, enjoy companionship. I enjoy being supportive of other people who are hurting.”
Charlene
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