EverHope

Bentonville, Arkansas

Former Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter offering screened adult, education, operations, residential-support, corporate, and off-site event volunteering.

EverHope is the current public name of the organization formerly known as Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter. Its Bentonville campus provides emergency care and expanded programs for children and families. All on-site volunteers must be at least 21. The published application process starts with an informational tour, then an application packet with personal references, child-maltreatment and criminal background checks, and a confidentiality agreement, followed by orientation. Individual roles span operations, tutoring, life skills, Horizon Academy support, and positive adult role modeling. Corporate groups can request quarterly volunteer days, while off-site special-event volunteers may serve without completing the application paperwork.

Children in crisisTutoringLife skillsCorporate groupsBackground checks

Volunteer Planning Details

These details are summarized from the public source page and the verified listing fields. Confirm final rules directly with EverHope.

Service Area: Bentonville, Arkansas
Cause: Youth and Student Volunteering
Published Roles: 5 roles
Good Fit Signals: GroupsStudents

Common Requirements Mentioned

Be at least 21 for on-site service
Email the volunteer team and schedule an informational tour
Submit the application packet, personal references, child-maltreatment background check, criminal background check, and confidentiality agreement
Attend volunteer orientation
Wait for a confirmed operations assignment, schedule, site contact, and scope
Follow campus access, confidentiality, tool, maintenance, and safety guidance
Be at least 21
Schedule the informational tour

Volunteer Roles & Application Paths

Administration and Campus Operations Volunteer

Support approved administration or operations tasks such as organizing, phone support, cleaning, groundskeeping, or campus maintenance.

Schedule:

On-site and placement-based after the tour, application, screening, and orientation process.

Key Requirements:

Be at least 21 for on-site service
Email the volunteer team and schedule an informational tour
Submit the application packet, personal references, child-maltreatment background check, criminal background check, and confidentiality agreement
Attend volunteer orientation
Wait for a confirmed operations assignment, schedule, site contact, and scope
Follow campus access, confidentiality, tool, maintenance, and safety guidance

Tutor, Life-Skills, or Horizon Academy Volunteer

Tutor middle-school students, teach approved life skills to teens preparing for independence, or support students at EverHope's on-site K-12 school.

Schedule:

Recurring or program-based after screening and matching; the school or program confirms subject, student group, schedule, and duration.

Key Requirements:

Be at least 21
Schedule the informational tour
Complete the application packet, references, both published background checks, confidentiality agreement, and orientation
Describe relevant tutoring, teaching, youth, or life-skills experience
Wait for an approved match, curriculum or activity, schedule, and supervisor
Follow trauma-informed, educational, child-safety, privacy, and professional-boundary guidance

Residential Positive Adult Role Model

Provide consistent, approved encouragement and positive adult presence for children in residential care.

Schedule:

Recurring and placement-based after the full application and screening process; EverHope confirms the setting, frequency, supervision, and boundaries.

Key Requirements:

Be at least 21
Begin with an informational tour
Complete the application packet, personal references, child-maltreatment and criminal background checks, confidentiality agreement, and orientation
Wait for approval to work directly with children and for a confirmed role and schedule
Follow all trauma-informed, child-safety, supervision, privacy, communication, and boundary requirements

Corporate Quarterly Volunteer Day

Join an approved corporate group project such as organizing warehouse and donation spaces, facility or vehicle maintenance, recreation, or holiday and special-event decorating.

Schedule:

Quarterly and group-based; the corporate contact must request the current dates and wait for an approved project and capacity.

Key Requirements:

Have the corporate group contact volunteering@everhope.org
Confirm that every on-site participant meets the published minimum age of 21
Wait for the confirmed quarterly date, project, group capacity, site contact, and arrival plan
Complete every group waiver, confidentiality, screening, orientation, or safety step EverHope assigns
Follow tool, vehicle, facility, recreation, child-contact, photo, and campus-access rules for the project

Off-Site Special Event Volunteer

Assist with an approved off-site fundraiser through the special-event route that EverHope says does not require the regular volunteer paperwork.

Schedule:

Event-based; the event lead confirms the date, venue, shift, assignment, and arrival instructions.

Key Requirements:

Contact the volunteer team and request a current off-site special-event role
Wait for a confirmed fundraiser, venue, shift, and assignment
Follow event registration, guest, money-handling, brand, photography, setup, and safety instructions
Do not enter the campus or work directly with children unless separately approved through the on-site process