Shelter Associate – Women & Children’s Services

The Christian Aid Center is seeking a compassionate, dependable, and capable Shelter Associate to join our Women & Children’s Services team. This position plays an important role in creating a safe, welcoming, structured, and trauma-informed environment for women and children experiencing homelessness.

The Shelter Associate works directly with guests while helping support the day-to-day operation of the Center for Women and Children. This is a hands-on position for someone who enjoys working with people, can remain calm in challenging situations, and understands how to balance compassion with clear expectations and healthy boundaries.

About the Role

Our Shelter Associates are often among the staff members who interact most directly with the women and children staying with us. They help welcome new guests, support daily routines and responsibilities, respond to questions and concerns, maintain a safe and organized environment, and help ensure that shelter policies and expectations are applied consistently and respectfully.

No two days are exactly alike. The ideal candidate is flexible, observant, organized, and comfortable working in an active shelter environment. Most importantly, this person should believe that every individual deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Key Responsibilities

• Welcome and support women and children residing at the Center for Women and Children.
• Assist with the shelter intake process, including reviewing program expectations, completing required screening procedures, checking belongings, documenting medications, assigning beds, providing facility orientation, and following established health and safety protocols.
• Build respectful and professional relationships with guests while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
• Help guests understand and complete shared community responsibilities, providing coaching and support when needed.
• Respond calmly and appropriately to conflict, behavioral concerns, and other challenging situations.
• Help maintain a clean, organized, safe, and welcoming shelter environment.
• Assist guests as they transition from the Christian Aid Center to housing or other appropriate services.
• Accurately enter and maintain guest information and documentation in the Christian Aid Center database.
• Help organize shelter supplies, food and clothing donations, and storage areas.
• Identify maintenance and facility needs and assist with coordination and documentation as appropriate.
• Help prepare the facility for tours, meetings, and special events.
• Participate in Women & Children’s Services team meetings and organization-wide staff meetings.
• Assist with community events and presentations when needed.
• Perform other duties that support the effective operation of the shelter and the needs of the Women & Children’s Services team.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is someone who is compassionate without being easily overwhelmed, able to maintain healthy boundaries, and comfortable working with people experiencing significant challenges.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Two or more years of relevant experience in human services, shelter services, social services, behavioral health, residential programs, customer service, or a related field.
• A high school diploma or equivalent.
• Knowledge of—or a willingness to learn about—homelessness, trauma, mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and family instability.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to de-escalate conflict, maintain composure under pressure, and respond thoughtfully to challenging situations.
• Ability to establish healthy professional boundaries while treating guests and coworkers with dignity and respect.
• Dependability, good judgment, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Basic computer skills and the ability to accurately complete documentation.
• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the position, including regularly using stairs, making beds, cleaning, and lifting or moving supplies and boxes.
• A commitment to helping create an environment that recognizes the value and potential of every person and supports meaningful, transformational growth.

About Christian Aid Center

For more than 75 years, the Christian Aid Center has served people experiencing homelessness and hardship in the Walla Walla Valley. We provide shelter, meals, recovery programming, and supportive services designed to help people move toward greater stability and lasting change.

Our work is rooted in the belief that every person has inherent value and should be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

• If you are dependable, compassionate, comfortable working in a dynamic environment, and want your work to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and families, we encourage you to apply.

This position has the potential to work towards full-time employment. Benefits may include paid time off, retirement plan participation, and other benefits based on scheduled hours and eligibility.

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