Register to volunteer with Restoration Works International at the Cohen Bray House

We're delighted you're planning to join us at a Restoration Works Volunteer Day at the Cohen Bray House. Volunteer Day is free of charge. It occurs twice monthly on Saturdays and Sundays, from 9 AM to 4 PM. Lunch is provided. Volunteers should register in advance on this page. Choose an upcoming date to register. [Note: Volunteer Days are currently suspended due to the pandemic. Please sign up for our newsletter to be informed when new dates are released.)

What to expect

Volunteers help with maintenance and restoration projects on site and enjoy a rare and unique opportunity to go behind-the-scenes to learn about the architecture and lives of those who inhabited the house from 1884 to 1940. As a volunteer, you also contribute toward the protection of the numerous collections that promote the academic study of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Oakland, California.

Grand-nieces of the original owners, Patty and Nancy Donald, organize and oversee RWI volunteers in the various preservation and restoration tasks both inside and out. Along the way, RWI volunteers make connections with other volunteers as we all pitch in together. So far, RWI volunteers have logged over 100 hours of painting, gardening and other maintenance projects.

What to bring

Please dress in work clothes and work boots/shoes, and bring a hat, work gloves, sunglasses and drinking water/snacks. Tools and materials are provided.