PDX Books Bars; age Hands Job Portland area,Oregon USA,Non-Profit & Social Impact

Position: PDX Books Through Bars (age 13+) *Hands On*

PDX Books Through Bars (age 13+)
* Hands On*

PDX Books Through Bars (formerly Books to Prisoners) mails literature and educational books to adults in custody nationwide. We help liberate individuals experiencing incarceration through means of literature and educational materials.

Books Through Bars holds a volunteer project every Tuesday night from 5:30-7:30 pm to answer requests (letters) from adults in custody. Volunteers will read requests, pull appropriate books from the shelves, and package them for mailing.

Project Details

Up to 10 volunteers each week through Hands On Portland. Every Tuesday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.

Masks are required. There will be a max of 12-15 people between Hands On volunteers and our core committee.

The space is ADA-accessible and there are all-gender restrooms on site. We have hand sanitizer in the room for people to use.

Volunteers must park cars in the parking lot off of SE 54th and come around and into the building through the main entrance off of SE Belmont. Follow the directionals to the lower level dining room. VOLUNTEERS MUST SIGN UP BEFORE SHOWING UP.

We also often generate a pile of free books for people to take at each session - if you want to take them to Powells to try and sell them for $ for us, even better.

Due to funding shortages, we are unable to send out as many book packages as we can create with the help of volunteers (books are heavy!). Feel free to bring a few dollars to donate if you can; every cent adds up to enable us to send out more packages more quickly!

Project Requirements

Volunteers must be 13 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 16 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone.
All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a Youth Volunteer Release Form signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project.
If you plan to bring children or guests you must reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team, then sign up your team for this project.
You are responsible for ensuring that everyone signed up through your team attends – only sign up team members who have confirmed their availability. Teams that repeatedly sign up, but do not show up or show up with fewer volunteers than they signed up, may be removed.

Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call .

Issue Area(s):
Adult Education, Civic & Community

Population Served:
Low-income Communities, Other, Offenders/Ex-offenders

Activity Type:
Other, Collecting, Sorting & Packaging

Requirements:
Age Minimum (with Adult): 13+ , Minimum Age: 16+ , Court Ordered Volunteer - Allowed

Upcoming Sessions

Tuesday, December 2, 2025
• 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Full opportunity address and directions will be sent to you by e‑mail after you sign up.