The Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO) in Riverview provides service to South County families in need of assistance. ECHO started in 1987, in Brandon, driven by the local business community and Brandon Ministerial Association.
In 2018 ECHO opened a second location in Riverview.
Its mission is to assist residents of South Eastern Hillsborough County with emergency food and clothing and offer access to life-stabilizing programs and resources.
In support of that mission, the Opportunity Center focuses on workforce development classes – JTJ, GED, and financial literacy. ECHO also assists with emergency food and clothing and offers access to life-stabilizing programs and resources.
They are in need of volunteers to assist in providing food, clothing, and other supplies to families that have experienced a sudden life-altering event. If you have four hours one day a week that you might enjoy helping, here are some volunteer opportunities available.
Client Intake
Work Location: 7807 Capitano St, Riverview FL 33578
Purpose/Objective: The position of the Client Intake Team Member supports all of ECHO’s fundamental programs through careful, thorough, caring, screening, and needs- assessment at our first point of contact.
Key Responsibilities:
• Greet all clients as they enter the doors of ECHO.
• Conduct Screen Interviews, assess all needs the clients have for guidance, and enter data into the database.
• Work hands-on in our client database and ensure accurate and timely completion of input
• Adhere to all validation process requirements to ensure proper services are provided to all.
• Answer phones, route calls, answer questions, and provide service suggestions to callers
• Share knowledge of other non-profits supporting the needs of our community
Qualifications:
• Background Check: required for this position and paid for by ECHO before you can begin working.
• Computer skills:- Proficiency in typing and data collection on a PC.
• Interpersonal skills – Must be comfortable asking sensitive questions.
• Critical thinking: – The ability to find solutions and connect clients with additional community resources.
• Compassion: The Client Center is the front door of ECHO. Sad stories are abundant. Volunteers must possess an extraordinary amount of patience, compassion, understanding, and demonstrate a true desire and willingness to help everyone that comes through our doors.
Work schedule: one day per week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, or Friday from 9:00am-1:00pm
Training: On-job training begins as soon as you start working. You must also complete formal training on the client database which is held monthly at the Brandon office.
Donations Room Champion
Work Location: 7807 Capitano St, Riverview FL 33578
Purpose/objective: Quickly sort and hang incoming clothes and housewares
Key Responsibilities:
• Sort and size to our quality standards all incoming clothing
• Record all materials put on the floor for client use
• Keep racks as full as possible based on incoming donations
• Organize all socks, underwear, and housewares weekly
• When time allows remove empty hangers from racks.
• Pull outdated inventory off racks
• Size shoes properly and restock shelves
• Assist in keeping clothing room clean and presentable
• Assist with restocking toiletries shelves
• Quickly determine if materials meet our standard and recycle if not
Qualifications:
• Quick decision-making skills
• Good Communication Skills
• Task-oriented
• Must be able to lift 30lbs
Work schedule: one day per week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, or Friday from 9:00am-1:00pm
Training: On-job training begins as soon as you start working.
Pantry Team Member
Position Title: Pantry Team Member
Work Location: 7807 Capitano St, Riverview FL 33578
Purpose/objective: Assist clients with their shopping experience.
Key Responsibilities:
• Maintain Food Inventory
• Check expiration dates, restock shelves when needed, answer questions for clients (all cans must be dated one year or less)
• Assist in keeping pantry area clean (floors, shelves, refrigerators, incoming desk)
• Must use proper colored labels (food drive) and proper name of food when boxing excess inventory, mark box with weight, month, and year
• Bag, label and store large volume materials like sugar, coffee, rice, etc.
• Weigh and record incoming food donations, write up donor receipts
• Bag outdated bread and pastries for redistribution
• Assist our ECHO drivers unloading deliveries
• Provide daily inventory updates on all stock
• Take trash out at end of shift and break down any cardboard boxes
Qualifications:
• Organizational skills
• Good Communication skills
• Stock room experience helpful
• Basic inventory control knowledge
• Must be able to lift up to 50lbs.
Work schedule: one day per week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, or Friday from 9:00am-1:00pm
Training: On job training begins as soon as you start working.
Checkout Team Member
Work Location: 7807 Capitano St, Riverview FL 33578
Purpose/objective: Maintain clothing room flow
Key Responsibilities:
• Greet and assist clients in shopping with a smile and pass no judgment
• Record client name, time and give proper clothing guidelines (leave hangers on racks)
• Instruct clients on flow to follow to ensure they get every item for which they qualify
• Bag or box clients’ clothes and when in doubt of an item, see Center Director for the final answer.
• When time allows remove empty hangers from racks.
• Provide diapers/wipes when necessary from behind counter
• Size shoes properly and restock shelves
• Assist in keeping clothing room clean and presentable
• Assist with restocking toiletries shelves
• At times will need to sort incoming donations to our specifications
Qualifications:
• People Person
• Good Communication Skills
• Task-oriented
• Must be able to lift 30lbs
Work schedule: one day per week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, or Friday from 9:00 am-1:00pm
Training: On-job training begins as soon as you start working.
Logistics Team Member (Driver)
Work Location: 7807 Capitano St, Riverview FL 33578
Purpose/Objective:
Pick up material from local stores in southeast Hillsborough County and deliver to the Riverview, Brandon (507 N. Parsons Ave), or the Tampa warehouse.
Key Responsibilities:
• Picking up needed food and other materials necessary to maintain required inventory levels at the Brandon and Riverview facilities.
• Safe driving
• Loading and unloading vehicles
• Maintain positive relationship with donor location representatives
• Support Pantry Team members whenever time permits
Qualifications:
• Valid Florida driver’s license
• Safe driving record
• Very dependable
• Good sense of direction
• Good verbal communication skills
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
Work Schedule: Two hours per day on any one of five days each week.
Training: On job training begins as soon as you start working.
Next Step: Seniors in Service helps nonprofits throughout Tampa Bay find volunteers like you to help accomplish their mission. Fill out the form below and someone from Seniors in Service will contact you soon to walk you through the next steps to begin volunteering. In question 4, please include the word “ECHO.”