Greater Lafayette Family Shelter

The Greater Lafayette Family Shelter (formerly Family Promise)  ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas was formed in 2009. The ministry serves the Greater Lafayette Family Shelter (2010 Elmwood Ave., Lafayette, IN) and its mission to end homelessness in the Greater Lafayette community.

Many opportunities await those who wish to volunteer for GL Family Shelter. Each semester, St. Thomas serves the families residing at the shelter for two designated weeks. Hosting includes meal preparation and evening company on Tuesday and Thursday.

For 2026, our volunteer weeks are:

• March 17 & 19
• May 5 & 7
• October 13 & 15
• December 1 & 3

We use Sign Up Genius for volunteer weeks. Sign up for the next week by clicking the button below. 
Sign up!

Note: The evening volunteers must be willing to engage with the families. During the week, a GL Family Shelter staff member will be present to answer phones or “walk-up” inquiries and manage the after-hour duties.
 

Training:

Those who wish to serve with the GL Family Shelter must compete the Safe Environment Training offered through the Diocese of Lafayette, IN.  Please select the link below:

Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana Online Safe Environment Training

Note: Volunteers must create a username and password to access the training. Training is tracked, and internal tests must be completed and passed before being officially trained. 

Volunteers:

Once trained, the volunteer opportunities are:

• Meal Preparers: Can either prepare and cook a homemade meal or purchase an evening meal from a local restaurant. Either option must be delivered to the shelter no later than 4:45 p.m. Currently, we are asked to cover Tuesday and Thursday of our volunteer week.
•  Evening/Weekend Company: Consists of being present for the families at the shelter. However, we are not babysitters, and parents must be nearby to supervise their children. Volunteers can bring their own games or other activities that might interest the families. It is an opportunity to provide fellowship and a “listening ear” when needed.