Join the Minnesota Shelter Emergency Staffing Pool

The Minnesota Shelter Emergency Staffing Pool is a short-term initiative designed in response to the acute COVID-19 related staffing challenges at shelters and other temporary congregate settings for people experiencing homelessness or domestic violence. By joining this short-term initiative, you would be stepping up and filling an urgent need to support people experiencing homelessness at a critical moment in our pandemic fight. The Minnesota Shelter Emergency Staffing Pool is a partnership between ServeMinnesota and Worldwide Travel Staffing. This effort is expected to operate over the next two months or so, as needs dictate.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, state and local efforts to protect people experiencing homelessness have had a significant impact. Unfortunately, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has stretched emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness to a breaking point. The rapid increase in cases means that shelters are struggling to maintain adequate staffing for ongoing operations. Right now, more than 30 shelters and congregate living settings for people experiencing homelessness have active outbreaks and may be facing imminent staffing crises. This pool will help weather the staffing crisis in these settings by deploying individuals out to shelters on a shift-by-shift basis where needs are greatest.

The Role

The position is to provide support to shelter staff. You will receive training on site for the role you would be asked to play at a shelter site, which may vary shift-by-shift. Tasks you may be asked to assist with include supporting shelter guests to arrive and register for their stay, keeping a watchful eye in a dorm room, preparing or assisting with food service, or janitorial support. You will have an opportunity to opt into – or decline – any specific role you are asked to play.

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If you have questions, please contact Kevin Peters at 866-633-3700 or via email at kpeters@worldwidetravelstaffing.com.

After completing the application, a recruiter from Worldwide will contact you for a follow-up conversation to better understand your availability and other work parameters. You will be screened and certified to complete shifts. Once you are certified, Worldwide will be in touch with you as requests are submitted by shelters.

Important Details

  • Worldwide Travel Staffing will pay participants in the pool $25 per hour worked.
  • You must be fully vaccinated (a completed series of 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna or 1 dose of Johnson and Johnson) and have received a booster shot, if eligible.
  • You may be asked to complete a background check required at certain settings.
  • You must wear personal protective equipment (PPE) during shifts, which will be provided by the shelter site.
  • You should expect to work at a shelter with active cases of COVID-19.
  • You will select the number of hours, location, and shift times for where you would work.
  • You may be asked to work on short notice, with as little as 12 hours of advanced warning before a shift.

This program is a partnership between Worldwide Travel Staffing and ServeMinnesota, the non-profit commission which oversees AmeriCorps programs and participants in Minnesota.