MAKE A DIFFERENCE

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

At The Purple Door, volunteers are the heart of our mission. Your time, compassion, and commitment are essential in our work to end violence and build a safer, healthier South Texas. We’re truly grateful you’re considering joining us.

We believe everyone has something valuable to give. Whether you’re organizing donations, supporting clients at court or the hospital, or reading to children in our shelter, your efforts help us serve survivors with dignity, care, and respect.

Our team will work with you to match your interests and skills with the needs of our agency, so your volunteer experience is meaningful and empowering. We’re always open to new ideas. Reach out and let’s explore how you can contribute.

Together, we can build a stronger, safer community.

Direct Service Opportunities

These roles involve working directly with survivors and require 48 hours of training, consisting of 40 hours of Sexual Assault Advocacy Training and 8 hours of Domestic Violence Advocacy Training, all provided by The Purple Door.

Residential Services
  • Shelter Hotline Support: Assist trained advocates on our 24/7 shelter hotline by answering calls, providing referrals, and supporting clients.
  • Resident & Youth Advocate Support: Partner with our shelter team to meet the daily needs of clients, including children and families.
  • Super Saturday: Support youth advocate at shelter with crafts and fun activities.
  • Transporting Clients/Youth: Assist with transporting clients or youth to planned activities, appointments, and other planned activities. 
Criminal Justice Support
  • Court Accompaniment: Provide support to clients as they attend court hearings and navigate the legal system.
Sexual Assault Victim Services
  • S.T.A.R. (Sexual Trauma Advocate Response): Respond in-person to survivors at Corpus Christi Medical Center – Doctor’s Regional. Must complete Sexual Assault Advocacy Training.

 

Indirect Service Opportunities

These roles do not involve direct interaction with survivors and require a brief orientation. Regular volunteers must complete an 8-hour Domestic Violence 101 Training.

Prevention and Education
  • Community Outreach: Support staff at awareness events or manage informational booths to educate the public.
Additional Support Roles
  • Clerical Assistance: Help with administrative tasks like filing, data entry, and organizing materials.
  • Donation Room Support: Maintain and organize donations to ensure clients receive needed supplies.

 

Special Projects

Perfect for groups or individuals looking for one-time or short-term ways to contribute. A brief orientation is required prior to participation.

Examples include:

  • Provide and serve dinner for up to 65 shelter residents
  • Host a youth reading circle
  • Lead art activities for children and families
  • Organize a movie night at the shelter
  • Offer a Spa Day for adults
  • Facilitate health and fitness sessions for families
  • Help clean and organize our commodity storage room
  • Run a donation drive for essential items
  • Host a button-making station at our admin office

Whether you’re volunteering solo or with a group, your time helps create a stronger, more compassionate community.

New volunteers

Interested in getting involved? Submit an individual volunteer application to get started!

new groups

Volunteering as part of a group? Submit a special projects application to get started!

Existing volunteers

Already have an account? View your profile and manage your volunteer opportunities.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Community Event Registration & Volunteer Information System or CERVIS, is a volunteer management software aimed at streamlining communication, retention, and recruitment of volunteers in the community. The Purple Door has acquired CERVIS to streamline volunteer processing and communication.

By utilizing CERVIS, The Purple Door is able to manage volunteer applications and events from anywhere and at any time. A centralized volunteer database benefits the agency, the community we serve, and the volunteers we work with.

All volunteer information is encrypted and stored safely in CERVIS’ cloud-based servers. All sensitive information, such as a driver’s license, insurance paperwork, and background check results, is double-encrypted and stored securely on CERVIS’ cloud-based servers. All data is owned by The Purple Door.

Select Purple Door staff receive notifications each time an action is taken and/or completed by a volunteer in CERVIS. This ensures quick and easy follow-up with each new and existing volunteer. Volunteers still receive follow-up emails from The Purple Door containing important information.

To register for an event with The Purple Door, volunteers will now access the volunteer portal located on our website. Volunteers are able to view a calendar of upcoming service projects and sign up according to their availability. Sign up for as many or as few service projects as you like! Upon registering for an event, volunteers still receive follow-up emails from The Purple Door containing important information.

If you are having trouble navigating CERVIS, please refer to the links below. You will be redirected to some informational videos located on CERVIS Technologies, Inc. YouTube page.

How to Register for an Opportunity: How to Register for an Opportunity – CERVIS Volunteer Management Software

How to Sign-in at a Volunteer Event: How to Sign-in Using Your Smartphone – CERVIS Technologies

How to get a log of your service hours: Recording Service Project Hours – CERVIS Volunteer Management Software

If you have questions about volunteering or donations, feel free to contact Carissa Perez at (361) 288-4834 or carissa.perez@purpledoortx.org. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and will direct you on the right path.