Volunteer Opportunities in Birmingham, AL
Serve with purpose. Impact with love.
M-POWER Ministries is a Christian nonprofit located in Birmingham, Alabama that provides free healthcare and adult education to our friends and neighbors who need it most. We’re looking for volunteer tutors, GED teachers, physicians, nurses, and office volunteers. To apply, fill out our volunteer application and email it to volunteer@mpowerministries.org.
The M-POWER model works because of our volunteers, and we’re grateful for every person who gives their time to serve our Birmingham community. Please join us in giving people medical care, continued education, and more.
Want Your Time to Make a Real Difference?
If you’ve been looking for a way to give back, make your time count towards something meaningful, and use your professional skills, you’ve found the right place.
Why Volunteers Matter at M-POWER
M-POWER began with a small group of volunteers and a handful of local churches who saw firsthand how many of their neighbors in Woodlawn and Avondale were struggling. They decided to do something about it.
That same compassionate spirit is what keeps us going two decades later. Volunteers serve alongside our staff in both the Health Center and Education Center, and much of what we do wouldn’t be possible without them.
When you volunteer at M-POWER, your time goes directly towards helping people who have nowhere else to turn:
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Uninsured adults who come to our free clinic for primary care, chronic illness treatment, and medicine assistance they couldn’t otherwise afford.
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Adult learners who are learning to read, studying and preparing in our pre-GED classes, working toward their GED, or building skills in our ACE MAPS job preparedness training.
Some of the people you’ll meet and serve have waited years to see a doctor or finish school.
You can be a part of helping to end the wait for others. We have a volunteer role for nearly every skill set, whether you're a physician, teacher, nurse, or someone great at organizing and admin.
Volunteer Roles at M-POWER
Our volunteer opportunities fall into two main areas: education and healthcare. Additionally, we need office volunteers across all of our departments. Here’s a closer look at each position.
Adult Literacy Tutor
Some of the adults who come to us don’t know how to read at all and are learning for the very first time; others want to strengthen the skills they already have. As a volunteer adult literacy tutor, you’ll meet one-on-one with an adult learner for at least 90 minutes each week either at M-POWER or another public location like a library. We provide training before you meet your learner, and we ask tutors for a two-year commitment.
Our literacy program is accredited through ProLiteracy, the world’s leader in adult education practice, so you’ll be working within a proven, nationally recognized framework.
GED and Pathways Teacher
Our free GED classes run year-round and cover the four official GED test subjects: Language, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Pathways is our pre-GED program. For any reading level, we use a pre-test to place the student in the right class. They work to improve their grammar, vocabulary, reading, and pre-writing skills before they move up to GED prep.
You don’t need a background in education to excel in this role; it’s a great fit for anyone passionate about learning and teaching and wants to help our adult students work through material that may have felt beyond their understanding for years.
Classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour per subject (an hour and 15 minutes for math).
Physicians and Nurses
Our free clinic serves uninsured adults ages 19–64 in the Birmingham area. Many of our patients are managing chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure without access to regular care. Volunteer physicians and nurses facilitate primary care visits, physicals, and ongoing chronic care with compassion and comfort for patients who would otherwise go without.
Our Health Center hours are:
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Walk-In Clinic: Tuesday and Thursday, registration from 3:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
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Chronic Care Clinic: Monday and Wednesday, by appointment from 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
M-POWER also partners with Jefferson State Community College, UAB, and Samford University to provide clinical experience for their students.
Office Volunteers
We’re not just looking for volunteers with a background in medicine or education. We also need office volunteers to be the friendly face our patients and students first encounter when they walk through our doors. That first impression matters more than you think. If you’re organized, friendly, welcoming, comfortable working with people from diverse backgrounds, and eager to serve your Birmingham community, we encourage you to fill out a volunteer application!
What Does It Take to Volunteer?
Adult Literacy Tutor
TIME COMMITMENT
At least 90 minutes a week, one-on-one; two-year commitment
REQUIREMENTS
Literate; training provided
GED and Pathways Teacher
TIME COMMITMENT
Tuesdays and Thursdays, one hour per subject (1 hr 15 min for math).
REQUIREMENTS
No education background required
Physicians
TIME COMMITMENT
Tuesday and Thursday evenings
REQUIREMENTS
Active license
Nurses
TIME COMMITMENT
Tuesday and Thursday evenings; Monday and Wednesday, 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
REQUIREMENTS
Active license
Office Volunteer
TIME COMMITMENT
Shifts vary
REQUIREMENTS
No experience required
Volunteers must be 19 years and older. There is no background check required. Orientation and training are handled on a case-by-case basis.
How Do I Start Volunteering
With M-POWER?
Getting started as a volunteer with M-POWER Ministries is simple. Here’s what you can expect:
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Email your completed volunteer application to volunteer@mpowerministries.org.
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Connect with our volunteer coordinator to set up any training or orientation your role needs.
Why Volunteer with M-POWER?
Use Your Skills Where They're Needed
There’s no shortage of places to volunteer your time and give back to the community in Birmingham. Why choose M-POWER? There aren’t as many volunteer opportunities where your professional training matters as much as it does here.
For an uninsured adult, a free health clinic volunteer might be the only doctor or nurse they’ve seen in years. For an adult who never finished school, a patient tutor can be the difference between them giving up and earning their GED to create a better life for themselves and their family.
Your skills fill the gap that our neighbors can’t get filled anywhere else.
See the Impact Up Close
Here, you’ll work directly with the people you’re helping—sitting across the table from a student as they read a full page on their own, or treating a patient who can breathe a sigh of relief because their blood sugar is finally under control. The impact of your volunteer work here is seen up close and personal.
Faith in Action
M-POWER Ministries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was founded by volunteers and local churches that wanted to put their faith into action in the Woodlawn and Avondale communities, serving those stuck in generational poverty. If you’re a church member looking for Christian volunteer opportunities, serving here is a meaningful way to tangibly love your neighbor.
Faith is the foundation of everything we do, and we wouldn’t still be here 20 years later without it. We treat everyone who walks through our doors with the dignity and respect they deserve as a child of God.
Two Decades in Birmingham
M-POWER Ministries has been a part of this community for about 20 years, starting in Woodlawn and Avondale and growing into a ministry that serves adults across the Birmingham area. When you volunteer with us, you’re joining an organization with deep roots and a long track record of providing consistent care that impoverished community members can rely on to better their situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to Help Others?
Every week, we help our less fortunate Birmingham neighbors receive medical care and education assistance, allowing them to get a health condition under control or get one step closer to their GED and a better job. We couldn’t do this meaningful work without our volunteers.
Whether you’re a nurse, physician, retired teacher, or simply someone with a willing heart who wants to help and has some time to spare, you can make an impact at M-POWER Ministries as a volunteer. Download and fill out the volunteer application today and email it to volunteer@mpowerministries.org to get started. We can’t wait to meet you!
If you’re unable to volunteer in person, but you still want to support our ministry, you can make a difference by donating online to help ensure our free health center and classes keep running.