VOLUNTEER Opportunities
Volunteering is a great way to help the community and learn more about the career field you are interested in.
Here are a FEW great websites to help match you with a volunteer opportunity THAT FITS YOU BEST:
HEALTH & MEDICAL
High school students in the HOV Teen Volunteer Program visit patients for two hours each week and brighten their days with conversation, reading, playing games, listening to music or sharing other activities of mutual interest. Participants must make a 12-month commitment to volunteering two hours per week (weekdays after school or weekends) and must complete 18 hours of orientation. hov.org Click here to learn more!
Teens ages 13 to 17 can participate in one of two half-day projects—designed to be fun—while helping children in the hospital. Teens ages 16 and older are eligible for Phoenix Children’s In-Hospital Volunteer Program year-round. phoenixchildrens.org Click here to learn more!
Volunteer opportunities include supporting blood donations and delivering much-needed services to your community. They even have a wide variety of remote (work-from-home) opportunities available. redcross.org Click here to learn more!
Work with children
The mission of Civitan Foundation, Inc. is to provide our community an accessible, safe, and affordable environment while delivering superior life experiences to enhance the quality of life for children and adults with developmental disabilities. We are actively seeking teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17, to experience our Volunteer Program and become active members within our organization with a more enhanced understanding of the population we serve. Click here to learn more!
Teens ages 13 to 17 can participate in one of two half-day projects—designed to be fun—while helping children in the hospital. Teens ages 16 and older are eligible for Phoenix Children’s In-Hospital Volunteer Program year-round. phoenixchildrens.org Click here to learn more!
HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. By volunteering with the IRC in Phoenix, AZ, you use your skills to help people who have fled violence and persecution to rebuild their lives in America. rescue.org Click here to learn more!
Hearts and Hands Days let kids as young as 5 and their parents create greeting cards, dining-room centerpieces and hygiene packs, and work in the food warehouse. Volunteers 9 or older can serve meals in the Family Dining Room. Young volunteers ages 14-17 have additional options to choose from such as bike repair, tutoring, working at a thrift store or learning how to make handmade pizza. stvincentdepaul.net/volunteer Click here to learn more!
Every day of the year is a struggle for those experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County, but generous people who want to help can give in a way that has meaning and impact beyond one meal. The Healthy Giving Council brings like-minded people and groups together with the goal of providing lasting, long-term help to those experiencing homelessness. givesmartaz.org Click here to learn more!
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. We believe affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities. Every year thousands of volunteers make the mission of Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona possible. Be a part of helping Habitat to build a better world. Please look thorough the descriptions of our volunteer opportunities to see which ones are right for you! habitatcaz.org Click here to learn more!
St. Mary’s Food Bank serves to alleviate hunger through the gathering and distribution of food while encouraging self-sufficiency, collaboration, advocacy and education. St. Mary’s Food Bank is truly a community-based organization. Individual donors, corporate donors, and private grants help feed hungry individuals and families in our area. Serving 9 of Arizona’s 15 counties, we are committed to volunteerism, building community relationships and improving the quality of life for Arizonans in need. firstfoodbank.org Click here to learn more!
Families can pack dry goods, sort food and build emergency boxes of food. Volunteers are always in need but must be at least age 12. An adult must participate with youth ages 12-15; ages 16 and older can volunteer on their own. An application and registration must be completed in advance. unitedfoodbank.org/get-involved/volunteer Click here to learn more!
FMSC offers volunteers a one-of-a-kind experience. You’ll hand-pack rice, soy, dried vegetables and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals into bags which are then sealed, boxed, placed on pallets and shipped to our incredible partners working hard to reach the neediest children around the world. Through volunteering at FMSC, you’ll get the chance to impact hundreds of kids in just two hours per packing shift. You’ll experience what it’s like to make a tangible difference today. fmsc.org Click here to learn more!
ENVIRONMENT & SCIENCE
Our internship and Resource Assistant internship opportunities allow young people to get paid experience in the roles that can help shape and guide their careers. And we even offer conservation opportunities across the nation that give high school students access to the experience and real-world problem solving that allows them to build truly rewarding careers. We provide conferences, career fairs, and networking opportunities to enable youth from all backgrounds to meet businesses, non-profits, and academics who would benefit from hearing different points of view. The VirtualIntern, our new online platform, has emerged as a groundbreaking tool for young adults to gain paid work experiences with employers seeking to hire and engage diverse talent. mobilizegreen.org Click here to learn more!
Zooniverse gives people of all ages and backgrounds the chance to participate in real research with over 50 active online citizen science projects. Work with 1.6 million registered users around the world to contribute to research projects led by hundreds of researchers. zooniverse.org Click here to learn more!
The Arizona Sustainability Alliance is a group that recognizes sustainability as the core of continued improvement of the lives of Arizonans and the protection of the state’s natural resources. azsustainabilityalliance.com Click here to learn more!
The Nature Conservancy has helped protect more than 1.5 million acres in Arizona—including six preserves that are open to the public. They are forging new alliances and developing innovative tools to help communities achieve both a healthy environment and a healthy economy.nature.org Click here to learn more!
AWF works with many conservation and wildlife agencies and organizations dedicated to the management and improvement of our Arizona public lands and wildlife habitat. "There are many opportunities throughout the year where AWF and our affiliates need help from volunteers to ensure successful project completion. Whether your skills come from a wildlife or environmental science background, or you just like to get outdoors to get your hands dirty with habitat improvements, we think you'll find a volunteer project to satisfy your interest and help make Arizona a better place for our wildlife." azwildlife.org Click here to learn more!
work with animals
The Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA (AAWL & SPCA) is the largest and oldest no-kill shelter in Arizona. AAWL rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes more than 4,000 dogs and cats that are abandoned or that have been surrendered by their owners. Every life saved has an army of volunteers in the background, making every day better for AAWL and our animals. Volunteers are the key to success at AAWL! The time and effort volunteers spend with the animals keeps AAWL empowered to save the lives of homeless animals. aawl.org Click here to learn more!
The Arizona Humane Society is the state's largest, private non-profit, 501(c)(3) animal shelter. They rely on animal lovers, like you, to help them in their mission to save the most vulnerable animals and enrich the lives of pets and people. azhumane.org Click here to learn more!
The ZooTeens program recruits students ages 14 to 17 (as of Sept. 1 of the application year) who are interested in animals, nature and conservation. Volunteers speak with guests at interpretive stations, provide mentoring and educational opportunities to Camp Zoo participants and are eligible to work with and learn from professional animal keepers. Applications (with two written recommendations) are accepted through May 31. The program runs September through May. phoenixzoo.org Click here to learn more!
Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium volunteers work closely with zookeeper and aquarium staff performing basic husbandry duties and exhibit maintenance. Applicants must be at least 18-years old and provide proof of age. Volunteers are required to work a minimum of eight hours a day, one day a week and maintain a professional attitude and appearance as you are representing the zoo and aquarium. Dress code consists of comfortable, appropriate clothing and closed-toe shoes, no sandals. Keep in mind, you will get dirty. wildlifeworld.com Click here to learn more!
MUSIC & ART
The mission of Glendale Arts is to integrate the arts into the identity, growth and economic vitality of the City of Glendale by presenting programming and creating partnerships that benefit youth, patrons, artists, organizations and businesses in the community and at the Alex Theatre. Become an Arts & Culture Advocate: Volunteer with Glendale Arts. Support the arts in Glendale by becoming a volunteer with Glendale Arts and the Alex Theatre. glendalearts.org Click here to learn more!
Free Arts AZ is a nonprofit organization in Arizona delivering creative and therapeutic arts programs, at no cost, to children ages 3 to 21 who have faced abuse, neglect and homelessness. Mission: Transforming children’s trauma to resilience through the arts. Vision: Every child who has experienced the trauma of abuse, neglect and/or homelessness has access to resilience-building arts programs and caring adult volunteer mentors. freeartsaz.org Click here to learn more!
The Nash celebrates the rich tradition and ongoing innovation of jazz by presenting quality live performances, providing unique educational programs, and building a vibrant jazz community in the greater Phoenix area and beyond. The Nash envisions an inclusive ever-expanding community that experiences, learns about, and supports the art of jazz. thenash.org Click here to learn more!
Would you like to be part of a dynamic corps of downtown arts supporters? Here’s your chance to get involved! Artlink programming occurs all year, with a variety of ways for you to participate. Complete our volunteer form, and our volunteer coordinator will be in touch with you about events and opportunities to volunteer with Artlink. artlinkphx.org Click here to learn more!
LIBRARY
The library accepts volunteers ages 12 to 17 year-round. A special eight-week program runs during the library’s annual Summer Reading Program. Volunteers register participants, explain the program, prepare crafts, assist with drop-in programming, set up and clean up for story time, straighten shelves, alphabetize and shelve materials and help staff as needed. All volunteers must attend an orientation and training session at the beginning of the summer. phoenixpubliclibrary.org Click here to learn more!
Teen volunteers are welcome at Glendale’s three branch libraries. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old and must be willing to commit to a regular schedule of at least two hours per week for 12 weeks. Volunteer tasks vary by branch but include working as greeters or supporting the Youth Services Department or the Computer Help Desk. glendaleaz.com Click here to learn more!
This Valleywide library system is seeking volunteers who can shelve books and participate in other library tasks. Speaking multiple languages is a plus! Online application asks teens to write a short statement explaining why they wish to volunteer. They must also provide references. mcldaz.org Click here to learn more!