Volunteering: How to Find Opportunities Near You and Make a Difference

Are you looking for ways to make a difference in your community? Volunteering is an excellent way to do just that. There are many organizations that offer volunteer opportunities, both locally and abroad. Here are some of the best ways to find volunteer work near you and make a positive impact.

VolunteerMatch

is a great resource for discovering volunteer opportunities in your area.

All you have to do is type in your location and you'll be presented with a list of possibilities. You can also filter the results by remote projects, subject area, and required skills.

Engage

(formerly All for Good) is another great resource for finding volunteer opportunities. Just enter the type of volunteer work you want to do in the Keywords field and then enter your location.

You'll be presented with thousands of results to choose from. You can also filter the results by age group, volunteer skills, and your own interests.

JustServe

is a great resource for finding unique events and ongoing opportunities. Just type in the location of your choice and you'll be presented with a list of possibilities.

United Way

is a non-profit organization that specializes in giving back to the community, especially in education, health care, and fundraising.

They offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities including supporting children, gardening, construction, therapy, disaster services, and even working at a food bank.

AARP

is another great resource for finding volunteer opportunities. They specialize in helping Americans age 50 and older feel more comfortable and confident during the aging process. They offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities including legal services, GED preparation, Homeboy Heals (mental health program), and tattoo removal.

Homeboy Industries

is an organization founded by Father Gregory Boyle that specializes in gang intervention and reentry programs. They offer a wide range of services including tattoo removal, anger management classes, and parenting classes.

Volunteers are needed for these services.

Kitty Bungalow

offers volunteer opportunities such as student teachers (who help socialize the kittens, provide them with lots of hugs and basic care) and truancy officers (who help catch and transport cats).

Meals on Wheels of West Los Angeles

offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities for both locals and visitors. They provide nutritious meals and friendship to people who cannot plan, buy, or prepare meals for themselves due to illness, disability, or old age.

The Metro Art Teachers Council

is another great resource for volunteers. They are committed to raising awareness about the wide range of public art on the Metro rail system through tours that provide information on communities that improve art, artists and their processes.

ACCESS Services

has compiled a list of volunteer driver programs which provide community-based transportation services in which a friend or neighbor in the community volunteers their time and car to help passengers get to the places they need to go. Finally, there are many companies involved in community service projects that need volunteers. These companies provide turnkey business solutions for volunteers who want to help out with these projects.