Volunteer on the Ithaca Warm Line

Have you ever wanted to be a support for those  feeling lonely and needing social connection? We are always recruiting volunteers for the Ithaca Warm Line. Volunteers will talk with individuals just needing someone to connect with, not finding themselves in a crisis situation.

This line, established in March of 2023, has been an incredible value to our community (and surrounding areas) and allows us to prevent individuals from reaching points of crisis.

Volunteers are asked to work one 4-hour shift per week. The Ithaca Warm Line is operational 24/7 so scheduling can be made convenient for you.

If you are a good listener and want to support others, sign up for this life-changing experience as a volunteer on the Ithaca Warm Line.

We offer on-going comprehensive training for volunteers throughout the year. It is required to complete a 5.5 hour in-person training and then work shifts in our call center, located at an undisclosed location in Tompkins County.

Ithaca Warm Line Volunteers gain:

• Active listening skills and knowledge which improve interactions with partners, children, colleagues, students, friends, etc.
• Experience which strengthens resumes and applications. Students, people entering the work force, and those contemplating a career change find that SPCS volunteer work is esteemed by graduate schools and employers.
• Connection with a diverse group of dedicated and dynamic people.
• Purpose which builds confidence, competence, and joy in living.

Ideal Qualities of an Ithaca Warm Line Volunteer:

• Maturity (typically 20 years old minimum)
• Ability to listen with compassion, open-mindedness and no judgement
• Good communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Some knowledge of technology as multiple computer screens and software applications are used for this work
• Ability to multi-task
• Consistent reliability

If all of this sounds like you, we welcome you to APPLY to join our team by clicking the button below!

The next Ithaca Warm Line Volunteer Training will be held on Saturday, June 15th from 10a – 3:30p in downtown Ithaca. Location to be provided after application approval.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out via our CONNECT WITH SPCS Form.

Volunteer at our Events

We are always looking for volunteers to support our events. You can often find SPCS out in the community at tabling events. We can always use additional support to share our mission. If you are interested in volunteering with us for our events, please email [email protected].

Join our Board of Directors

The Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service Board of Directors is looking for additional members! We are excited to be continuing to grow within the community and are very excited about what the future brings. The organization has recently been expanding in territory, programs, and staff. Join us for this exciting time! We are particularly looking for a Treasurer.

Suicide prevention is vital to our community. We are proud to have a local crisis line and to be a National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call Center covering 17 counties in New York State. We would love to talk to you about the opportunity to get more involved during this meaningful and exciting time of growth.

Our Board of Directors has an Executive Team of passionate professionals connected to our mission who are looking for like-minded people to bring additional strengths to our organization. We currently meet the third Thursday of each month, 5:30p – 7:00p at the SPCS Business Office and have a virtual option for attendance as well.

For anyone interested in additional information or if you would like to complete an application for consideration, please reach out to Lynn Gitlow, SPCS Board President at [email protected] or Tiffany Bloss, SPCS Executive Director at [email protected].