Shelter Sunday is a one day door to door solicitation organized by Amherst Friends for the Homeless, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. On the third Sunday in October, volunteers gather in the lobby of the UMass Fine Arts Center and are sent in groups to different neighborhoods in Amherst, Pelham and Hadley. In a few hours they visit over 4,500 residences. Last year over $34,000 was collected and distributed to organizations that provide services to our neighbors in need.

If you would like more information, click here to send an email.

Craig's Place Emergency Shelter, an overnight shelter for men and women at the First Baptist Church.

Not Bread Alone, serving a noon meal every Saturday and Sunday at the First Congregational Church in Amherst.

Safe Passage, providing crisis intervention, support, and advocacy services to women and their children who have experienced domestic violence.

Amherst Survival Center, located in North Amherst, providing groceries, clothing and meals during the week.

Grove Street Inn, a shelter for the homeless in Northampton serving both men and women from the area.

Interfaith Emergency Shelter, providing overnight emergency shelter to men and women in our area.

We need organizers, people to help plan for the day. This involves four or five meetings over the course of a year. The time commitment is small, and the benefits to those in need are substantial. If you would like more information about helping in this way, please click here and send us an email.

We also need door to door canvassers. They will meet in the lobby of the UMass Fine Arts Center on Shelter Sunday and will receive maps, envelopes, and instructions about how to ask for a donation. Canvassers are formed into groups of four or five. If you come with friends, you can go out together. If you come alone, you will be joined with three or four other volunteers.

Last year over 300 people, most of whom are UMass students, took part in Shelter Sunday.