Tzu Chi USA
Volunteer Portal
New in October 2026

Signing up for shifts

Sign up for a shift right on the event page, without opening Bloomerang.

Who can use this
  • Volunteers
On this page
  1. Before you start
  2. Signing up
  3. If a sign-up doesn’t go through
  4. Time conflicts
  5. Private roles
  6. Who you can see on a role
  7. Cancelling

Before you start

You can sign up on the event page once you’re signed in and part of the event. The top of the page then says You are part of this opportunity.

The top of the White Center Distribution page, with You are part of this opportunity highlighted.

If it says Opportunity is open instead, you aren’t part of the event yet. Sign up then takes you to the event’s page in Bloomerang, where you register first.

The same page for someone not yet part of the event, with Opportunity is open highlighted.
Signing up for a shift, start to finish.

Signing up

  1. Open the event and find the shift you want, under the next available shift or with See all shifts (see All shifts).
  2. Choose Sign up next to the role.
The event's next available shift, with a Sign up button next to the General Volunteer role.
  1. Check the event, time, role and place, then choose Confirm sign-up.
The Confirm your sign-up dialog, listing the event, shift, role and place.
  1. Choose Done. The role now shows ✓ Signed up, and your name appears in its list with “(you)”.
The role marked Signed up, with the viewer's name at the end of its list.

If a sign-up doesn’t go through

The dialog says why, under Couldn’t sign you up.

The Couldn't sign you up dialog, saying This role filled up while you were deciding, with a Close button.
It saysWhat to do
This role filled up while you were deciding.Choose another role or shift.
This shift has already ended.Choose a later shift.
This role isn’t open for sign-up.Choose another role, or ask the event’s contact.
We couldn’t confirm you’re part of this event.Register through Bloomerang with the link in the message.
We couldn’t sign you up just now.Choose Try again, or sign up in Bloomerang.

Time conflicts

You can’t hold two shifts at the same time. Once you’re on a shift, roles that overlap it show Time conflict instead of Sign up, and a note above them says which shift you’re on.

Tiny House Village's 24 October shift: signed up for Tzu Shao at Henderson, and the same-time General Volunteer role at Southend marked Time conflict.

Shifts you hold at other events you’ve opened on this device count too.

Private roles

Some roles are private: the event’s coordinator assigns people to them directly, so they have no Sign up. When the event belongs to your location, a private role shows Assigned by coordinator in place of the places needed, with who’s on it.

White Center's 10 October shift marked Assigned by coordinator with three volunteers and no Sign up button, and the next shift below with a Sign up button.

If a coordinator puts you on one, it shows ✓ Assigned to you, and your name is in its list. At an event outside your location, that’s the only way you’ll see a private role.

The same private role marked Assigned to you, with Lena C. (you) in its list.

To join or leave a private role, ask the event’s contact.

Who you can see on a role

When the event belongs to your location, each role lists who has signed up, with last initials.

The next available shift with its list of five volunteers highlighted, ending in Lena C. (you).

For an event at another location, the lists are hidden, and you can still sign up.

The same shift with no list of names, and a Sign up button.
For roster viewers

With any staff level at this event’s location (Roster Viewer, QR Check-in, QR Admin or Admin), the lists show full last names.

Cancelling

You can’t cancel a shift in the portal. Choose Open in Bloomerang on the event page and cancel there.

A shift marked Signed up, with the Open in Bloomerang link below See all shifts highlighted.

Or email the event’s contact, shown at the top of the event page.

The top of the event page with the line Questions about this event? Contact, followed by the event's email address, highlighted.

Find an event

Related guides

Screenshots and clips show sample data, not real volunteers.