Positions

B-More Bags Volunteers design, make and hand finish fashionable, unique, hand-crafted bags, totes, yoga mat bags, hand bags, wine bottle bags, and more. Sold to raise money to support the House Of Ruth's transportation fund for battered women and their children. Working out of a shop at the House Of Ruth's administrative building, volunteers sew bags using machines and by hand. Shop sessions are generally one week night evening each week and periodically on Saturday. Volunteers should know how to sew by hand or machine (limited experience needed).

Child Care Assistants work in our shelter providing childcare to infants, toddlers, preschool & school age children. They supervise structured activities, supervise field trips or special events, and assist with light paperwork. This position does require a background check and fingerprinting (Cost: $46) and is reimbursable after 60 hours of service.

Legal Interns & Advocates provide legal information and referrals to victims of domestic violence. They conduct interviews with victims by telephone or in person. Interns also assist attorneys with trial preparation by subpoenaing documents and witnesses, drafting motions and letters, interviewing victims and other witnesses in order to prepare them to testify in civil and criminal proceedings.

Gateway Project Assisants work in our Abuser's Intervention program. Theycall victims of Gateway Project's program participants to inform of House Of Ruth services and do basic safety planning (This is NOT a counseling position). Answer phone calls in Gateway Project (predominantly talking with men court ordered to attend Gateway Project), enter information into database, and distribute participant status letters and other clerical duties as assigned.

Operations/Administrative Assistants work in our shelter or in our administrative office. They assist with sorting, moving and stacking of donations and light clerical activities. They also provide coverage for the front office, departmental offices and other duties as assigned.

The Mwenzake Project This program seeks to broaden helping relationships that women are exposed to while in shelter, based on our belief that this will translated into an easier, more productive stay in shelter and a better transition upon leaving shelter.  The Mwenzake Project (pronounced m-when-zah-key, Mwenzake is Swahilii for her companion), seeks to enrich the shelter environment by integrating into daily shelter life a cadre of volunteers whose job is to spend time in shelter and create opportunities to interact with shelter residents in positive and helpful ways.    

Mwenzake volunteers will be selected for their maturity, wisdom, compassion, and perspective.  Every effort will be made to ensure that Mwenzake volunteers mirror the diversity of the shelter community.  We are looking for individuals who have an engaging personality, attitude of non-judgement, and abiding desire to make a difference in the lives of battered women and their children. 

Each Mwenzake volunteer will be assigned a staff “coach”.  Volunteers will schedule themselves to come to the shelter during the day or evening, on weekends or during the week, a minimum of one 3- hour session every 2 weeks.  Volunteers and staff will meet as a group on a regular basis to process the experience of being a Mwenzake volunteer, to learn from one another, and to inform further development of the project.

An information session for individuals who want to learn more about being a Mwenzake volunteer, including the orientation and training that will be provided, will be held on Saturday, April 26th, from 1-3pm.    

For additional information about the Mwenzake Project, contact Terri Wurmser, Director of Programs at terri@hruthmd.org or 410-261-3027, or Ora Deans, Shelter Operations Director at ora@hruthmd.org or 410-554-8476.  

Speakers' Bureau Members act as agency representatives at community fairs by providing general information about the House Of Ruth Maryland and domestic violence.

Pro Bono Attorneys provide free legal assistance in civil protective order hearings, and custody and divorce cases. The legal clinic conducts domestic violence and family law training regularly. Legal clinic staff attorneys serve as mentors and assist in monitoring open cases. Pro bono attorneys are needed throughout all jurisdictions in Maryland. Participants are requested to represent one client per year.