Get involved

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Make a Financial Gift

Your financial support helps provide overnight shelter, case management, meals, clothing, and individualized care to more than 450 young adults each year. Unrestricted gifts allow ROOTS to respond quickly to urgent needs and ensure young adults receive consistent, dignified support.

Ways to give

One Time or Recurring
Donations Online

Give today

paypal giving

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Employer gift matching

Email us

Gifts of stock

email us

Vehicle donations
through CARS

Learn more

Volunteer hour grants
from your employer

Learn more

Mail a Check

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter
4541 19th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Give in-kind

In-kind donations help meet immediate, practical needs for young adults staying at ROOTS. Because our needs change frequently, we coordinate all in-kind donations in advance and do not accept unsolicited drop-offs.
To find out what items are currently most needed, please visit our wishlist, which is updated weekly, or complete the in-kind donation form to connect with our team.

Shop the Wishlist

Learn more

In-Kind Donation Form

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See Our Financial Statements

Learn more

Stay Connected

Sign up for our newsletter to learn how your support makes a difference, hear directly from staff and community partners, and stay connected to opportunities to get involved.

Sign up for E-Friends Newsletter

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Volunteer with ROOTS

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Help create a safe, welcoming space
for young adults each night.

Volunteers are essential to ROOTS. Each evening, our goal is to have one volunteer or staff member present for every three guests we serve. Volunteers support daily shelter operations while also building community and offering consistent, compassionate presence to young adults experiencing homelessness.
Whether serving a meal, helping set up our space, or simply sitting and talking with a guest, volunteers play a critical role in creating stability, dignity, and belonging.

Volunteer Shifts

ROOTS offers several in shelter volunteer shifts. Volunteers are encouraged to commit to a consistent weekly shift when possible to help provide stability and continuity for our guests.

Evening Shift

7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Support evening shelter operations, including serving dinner, distributing supplies, setting up the space, and building community with guests.

Morning Shift

6:45 AM to 8:30 AM -
Sunday through Friday
7:15 AM to 9:30 AM - Saturday
Help guests start their day by supporting morning routines, assisting with laundry, helping with clean up, and fostering a calm, welcoming environment.

Saturday Lunch
Program Shift

Saturdays late morning
to early afternoon
Support meal preparation, serving, and clean up during our Saturday Lunch Program. Volunteers help create a welcoming, community centered meal experience for guests.

Getting started

Apply to volunteer

Training & Requirements

To ensure a safe and supportive environment for guests, volunteers complete required training and paperwork.

Requirements

• Volunteers must be at least 18 years old
• Background check required prior to first shift

Questions

If you have questions about volunteering or need help finding the right fit, please contact our Volunteer Team.
contact volunteer team

Join our team

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Working at ROOTS means joining a small, committed team that believes relationships matter, harm reduction saves lives, and systems should bend toward people, not the other way around. Our staff bring curiosity, empathy, and a willingness to learn. We value lived experience, cultural humility, and a shared commitment to equity and justice.
At ROOTS Young Adult Shelter, our work is grounded in safety, dignity, and belonging. We support young adults ages 18 to 25 who are navigating homelessness, and we do so with compassion, consistency, and deep respect for each person’s autonomy.
If you are looking for meaningful work, a strong community, and an organization that cares about its people as much as its mission, we invite you to explore opportunities with ROOTS.
Custom Awards and Recognition
See Our Current Openings

Events

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Events are one of the ways we build community, raise critical funds, and invite people into the work of ROOTS Young Adult Shelter. From signature fundraisers to small gatherings, our events center on connection, storytelling, and shared commitment to young adult housing stability.

Whether you attend, volunteer, sponsor, or share with your networks, your participation helps make our work possible.

Upcoming Events

Rise Up is ROOTS Annual Fundraising Event 

For years, Rise Up has been the heart of ROOTS annual fundraising efforts. It is more than a single night. It is a gathering of community members who believe that young adults deserve safety, dignity, and belonging.

Each year, Rise Up brings together supporters, partners, and advocates to fuel the critical work happening every day at ROOTS Young Adult Shelter. The funds raised through Rise Up directly support overnight shelter, meals, case management, and the relationships that help young adults move toward stability and housing.

Learn more
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Community Events and Engagement

Throughout the year, ROOTS hosts and participates in community events that build awareness, deepen relationships, and create opportunities to learn more about young adult homelessness. These may include open houses, tabling at community gatherings, donor events, and partner hosted programs.
Check back often as new events are added.
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Past Events

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has shown up in support of ROOTS. These events reflect the strength of our community and make it possible for young adults to access safe overnight shelter and supportive care.

Rise Up 2025

Building on the momentum of the year before, Rise Up 2025 became our most successful event yet, raising over $220,000 and demonstrating growing community investment in ROOTS’ mission.

Rise Up 2024

Our largest fundraising event to date at the time, raising over $184,000 to support young adults experiencing homelessness through shelter operations and supportive services.