Volunteer in the community
UW volunteers make no-sew pet blankets for Seattle Humane.
Volunteer! It’s good for you.Â
In study after study, researchers have found that people who volunteer lead longer, healthier, happier lives. Volunteerism correlates positively to stronger self-confidence, better quality of friendships and improved job prospects.
Ready to get out there? Volunteering builds more robust social networks, and because volunteering often helps people discover their passions, the ability to tell oneâs own story. Not quite ready for groups? There are plenty of virtual volunteer opportunities too!
You can easily track your time spent volunteering for UWCFD member charities using the CFD Volunteer Tracker.
Volunteer opportunities
Want to see what’s out there? Check out these volunteer clearinghouses:
- Visit the United Way of King Countyâs volunteer site and search for thousands of volunteer opportunities.
- Visit VolunteerMatch and find an opportunity that is just right for you.
- Idealist.org is a nonprofit connecting people and organizations for jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities and graduate school fairs to help people advance their social impact career.
Check out this recent article for opportunities: Volunteer for your health, happiness and a better world
Volunteer with UWCFD nonprofits around the Seattle area
Plymouth Housing is searching for individual volunteers as well as volunteer groups. There are many opportunities to get involved at Plymouth, for example, providing meal services for residents, starting a crafting club, teaching a life skills class, cutting residents hair, hosting monthly bingo, and much more! The possibilities are endless, and our team would love to chat with you to learn more about your interests! The individual volunteers would be recurring weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly to build relationships, rapport, and consistency in our residents’ lives. Volunteers are very important to helping enrich our residents’ lives and foster a sense of community. Plymouth Housing is a nonprofit that provides permanent supportive housing to people exiting homelessness in King County. We have about 17 operating buildings and serve about 1,400 residents with wraparound supportive services.
Record yourself reading stories for kids! Neighborhood House seeks volunteers to read a favorite childrenâs book on video to be shared with participating families. Volunteers who speak other languages are especially needed.
ROOTS relies on volunteers to set up and clean up shelter areas, prepare and serve meals, hand out supplies, build positive relationships with guests, and more.
The American Red Cross relies on volunteers to carry out 90% of its volunteer work in preventing and responding to humanitarian crises. From boots-on-the-ground opportunities to behind the scenes work in outreach and fundraising, there is something for everyone.
Seattle World School (SWS) is currently searching for volunteers willing to tutor students or assist in classes. SWS is a public middle and high school for low-income immigrants and refugees in Seattle, most of whom are also English language learners. Time commitment is usually an hour or two once a week, but it is flexible and can be as much or as little as the volunteer is willing to commit. No prior teaching experience or knowledge of another language is required, just an interest in helping under served young people.
Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington
Make a Wish partners with thousands of volunteers, donors and medical professionals in our community and has granted more than 7,600 wishes to children with critical illnesses in the last 35 years. Making these wishes come true takes a team and there are a wide variety of volunteer opportunities including wish granting, events volunteers, translators, gift list fulfillment, and more.
Washington Trails Association mobilizes hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, steward and champion trails and public lands. Trails across Washington need our help and support more than ever. WTA welcomes anyone who wants to lend a hand and help out on trailsâwhether youâve had years of experience or youâre brand new to tools.
Food Lifeline is dedicated to ending hunger in Western Washington by providing 90,000 meals to our hungry neighbors every day. Volunteer teams and individuals repackage food for delivery to more than 275 food banks, shelters and meal programs. Learn about how you and your friends can help to end hunger in our community!
Our single biggest volunteer need is foster homes, both long and short term. They are the backbone of our organization, and we couldnât do our work without them. Long-term foster homes help raise our puppies. If you have the time required to train and care for a dog and a desire to help change a life, we welcome you to apply to become a puppy raiser. We need you to attend regular training classes, devote 15-20 minutes each day to training, and care for the dogâs routine needs, including feeding, grooming, exercise and socialization. We will give you lots of support in return. To become a highly valued Summit foster home, please request an application form.
Northwest Education Access provides comprehensive and individualized support to help low-income young people, ages 16-29, build their own path to higher education and beyond. Volunteer opportunities include GED Success Tutors, College Placement Tutor, College Prep Tutor, Academic Tutor, and more
YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential. YouthCare has paused all indoor volunteering but have put together a list of projects that can be done from home including hosting drives to collect needed items, provide meals, and more.
Pasado investigates animal cruelty crimes and provides sanctuary and rehabilitation to animals who have suffered from abuse and neglect. In additional, they also advocate for better laws to protect animals and work to educate the public about how they can help end animal suffering. At Pasado volunteers help in the animal sanctuary, the pet food bank, assisting with the spay and neuter clinic, and support outreach efforts.
ROOTS Young Adult Shelter builds community and fosters dignity through access to essential services and a safe place to sleep for young adults experiencing homelessness. We could not open our doors without our fantastic volunteer team. Right now, weâre looking for more people to fill Morning Floor, Overnight, and Dinner Meal shifts. No experience necessary; training and community provided!
Giving your time to volunteer at the Y is a rewarding and fun way to support neighbors, strengthen community, and connect with other amazing people. There are many ways to contribute, no matter the interests or schedules. Opportunities are available for individuals and families or work and personal groups. Volunteer today to give others a brighter, more hopeful tomorrow.
Giving Foster Kids a Childhood and a Future – We envisionâand strive to createâa world where every child that has experienced foster care has the opportunities and support they need to pursue their dreams and launch successfully into adulthood. Volunteers power Treehouse, collectively donating an average of 1,100 hours per month â thatâs the equivalent of almost seven extra full-time staff members. Volunteers strengthen every Treehouse program, working as tutors, event staff, Wearhouse organizers, envelope stuffers, members of the Board of Directors and much more. Visit Treehouseâs website for more information.
The Ronald McDonald House in Seattle provides more than 28,000 nights of housing a year for families with children receiving treatment at Seattle Childrenâs Hospital. Volunteers play a huge role in supporting our daily operations. As the second largest Ronald McDonald House in the world, we rely on volunteers to help us provide a warm and welcoming home-away-from-home for families. Each month, over 500 volunteers contribute their time to keeping the House open every day of the year.
The Sanctuary Art Center is a collection of art studios providing programs for homeless and underserved youth ages 16-25 in the Greater Seattle area. The best way to help is to volunteer! From programs to policy there are lots of ways to get involved. Sanctuary Art Center is looking for passionate individuals to join our efforts in bringing creativity into the lives of young people. We currently have opportunities on our Board of Directors and in our Employment Internship Programs.
Volunteers help to distribute food to our customers 6 days a week Monday-Saturday. Volunteers assist with packing pre-made non-perishable boxes, shopping for customers, sorting donations, restocking shelves and helping us maintain a clean and safe grocery store.
Want to donate more than time?
Set up monthly payroll deduction or make a one-time gift through the UW Combined Fund Drive (UWCFD) to any of thousands of charitable organizations locally, nationally and internationally.
