Become Part of the Story

Inside a coffee shop with three women standing at the counter, various coffee-making equipment, and decorative plants on shelves. String lights hang from the ceiling, and there is a stone wall with artwork and a green-painted wall with a Wi-Fi sign. 
Hello!

Front Porch has always been shaped by people who choose to show up.

Every cup of coffee, every Wednesday dinner, every conversation, and every moment of hospitality is made possible by students and community members who believe that every person matters.

Whether you have a few hours each week or simply want to find a meaningful way to give back, we'd love to help you find your place.

Whether you're a student, parent, alumni, faith community, or SLO community member, we'd love to help you find your place. Keep reading to explore ways to get involved.

A Community That Shows Up

At Front Porch, volunteering isn't just something people do. It's one of the ways community is built.

Every quarter, more than 500 students choose to invest in their peers by creating spaces where people feel welcomed, known, and cared for. Alongside them, families, faith communities, businesses, alumni, and community members continue to make this place possible in countless ways.

Together, these small acts of generosity become something much bigger.

By the Numbers

Students Showing Up

☕ 300+ students volunteer in the coffeehouse each quarter.

🍽️ 200+ students help make Wednesday dinners possible through cooking, serving, music, and hospitality.

A Community Investing Together

🎶 56 student groups, faith community groups, and community partners served meals or shared their music throughout the year.

🥘 11 community groups prepared and served Wednesday dinners, helping feed hundreds of students.

🤝 200+ individuals and families gave financially in 2025, making everything we do possible.

Two people smiling and giving thumbs up while preparing chopped carrots in a kitchen. There is a cutting board with shredded carrots, a knife, and bowls of chopped carrots on the counter.
Three women standing together in a coffee shop, smiling at the camera, with a green wall and informational posters behind them.

Student Volunteers

The Heart of Front Porch

For many students, volunteering is where Front Porch begins to feel like home.

Coffeehouse volunteers welcome every person who walks through the door. They make drinks, wash mugs, restock supplies, keep the space running, and most importantly, create an environment where students feel seen and valued.

Wednesday volunteers help transform an ordinary evening into one of the most meaningful nights of the week by preparing meals, serving dinner, sharing music, and creating space for connection.

No matter the role, every volunteer helps create the kind of community they hope to find themselves.

What you'll do

• Welcome students

• Prepare coffee and espresso drinks

• Wash mugs and dishes

• Help care for the space

• Build meaningful relationships with your peers

Student Volunteer Sign Up 
Community Volunteers

Invest in the Next Generation

Students aren't the only ones who make Front Porch possible.

Throughout the year, individuals and families from across San Luis Obispo share their time, talents, and generosity to help create a place where college students experience belonging.

Whether you enjoy cooking, organizing, fixing things, welcoming people, or simply lending a hand when it's needed, there's a place for you here.

Ways to serve

🍽 Prepare or sponsor a Wednesday dinner

📦 Organize supplies or seasonal projects

🎉 Help with fundraising events

Community Volunteer Interest Form 
Clubs, Faith Communities, & Community Partners

Some of our favorite days happen when groups come together to serve.

Whether you're part of a faith community, student organization, local business, nonprofit, or community group, we'd love to explore ways we can partner together.

Groups often:

  • Partner with us to create meaningful experiences for students, whether that's hosting an Open Mic Night, leading a special event, or bringing an idea to life together.

  • Prepare and serve a Wednesday dinner.

  • Sponsor meals or events.

  • Share skills, resources, or expertise that strengthen our community.

If your group has an idea, we'd love to hear it or brainstorm with you!

Partner with us

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Our coffeehouse volunteer program is designed for Cal Poly and Cuesta students, but there are many other ways for community members to get involved. Families, faith communities, student clubs, local organizations, and businesses all play an important role by preparing Wednesday dinners, partnering on events, sponsoring programs, and sharing their time, talents, and resources.

  • For our coffeehouse volunteers, we ask students to commit to one one-hour shift each week for the semester. Other opportunities vary depending on the role. Some community volunteers help every week, while others serve a few times each year by preparing a Wednesday dinner, partnering on an event, or helping with a special project.

  • Perfect. We'll teach you everything you need to know.

  • Absolutely. We'd love to help your group find a meaningful way to serve. Fill out one of the forms above or email us at hello@frontporchslo.org and we’ll be in touch!

  • Reach out! We'd love to get to know you and help find an opportunity that matches your interests and availability. Email us at hello@frontporchslo.org

There's a Place for You Here.

The Front Porch community has never been built by one person.

It's been built by thousands of people who chose to offer what they had, whether that was an hour behind the coffee bar, a homemade meal, a song on a Wednesday night, or simply the willingness to show up.

We'd love for you to be part of the story.

Contact Us