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Are you part of a club, team, or other Puget Sound student group who is interested in doing a service project or spending a few hours volunteering together? Check out the organizations below who have group opportunities! If you arrange a group volunteer activity, for the purposes of tracking where students are engaging in our community, please notify Program Manager for Community-Based Learning, Tiffany Williams, at tjwilliams@pugetsound.edu.
Boys & Girls Club of South Puget Sound
Mission: The mission of the Boys and Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those most in need, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
What: Help with preparation for or during special events (Fall Festival, Toy Drive, etc.); gardening at various B&GC locations; offer enrichment opportunities for elementary through high school-aged students (3-6 PM during the school year or 8:30-5:30PM in summer), bringing an activity for the kids to enjoy. There are lots of possibilities! Reach out to the organization to discuss options.
Where: Variable; there are nine branch locations throughout Pierce County, the closest to campus being the D.A. Gonyea and Al Davies branches, a 6- or 7-minute drive from campus, respectively.
Group Size: Any size; most projects could keep at least 5 people busy. Larger groups may need to be split between different B&GC locations for multiple projects.
Lead Time: Inquire with organization.
How: Reach out to Volunteer & Recreation Manager, Benton Lefton at leftonb@bgcsps.org or 253-502-4609
Mission: Catholic Community Services' work is concerned with providing loving and compassionate service with particular concern for the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death and the dignity of the human person. Their focus is on supporting poor and vulnerable people through the provision of quality, integrated services and housing.
What: Volunteer groups make casseroles or sandwiches together in their own kitchens to later deliver to Nativity House.
Where: 702 S 14th St Tacoma, WA 98405 (9 Min Drive)
Group Size: Any Size. Group leader must become a registered volunteer, attend an orientation, and obtain food handlers permit (volunteer services will reimburse for cost)
Lead Time: Inquire with organization
How: See more details and complete the online volunteer form HERE (casseroles) and HERE (sandwiches)!
Mission: Their mission is to help people find happiness and healing through the creation and donation of handmade gifts.
What: Volunteers put their artistic skills to use to make blank greeting cards (generic, holiday-themed, birthday-themed, "Get Well Soon," Thank-you cards, etc.) that are later distributed to hospitals, crisis centers, retirement homes, and other organizations to be later written in and encouraging to those in need of happiness or healing. Soon, there will also be opportunities to create handmake scrapbook pages to be included in "In Loving Memory" albums for those who have lost loved ones.
Where: Can be done from anywhere.
Group Size: Any size. A minimum of 10 cards must be created to be mailed at one time.
Lead Time: Flexible, but fill out this form before you submit any cards notify the organization of how many cards they should be expecting.
How: See instructions here.
Emergency Food Network Repack Project
Mission: The Emergency Food Network's mission is to provide Pierce County with a consistent, diverse and nutritious food supply so that no person goes hungry.
What: Volunteers for Emergency Food Network’s Repack Project prepare bulk foods for distribution by repackaging the foods into smaller, family-sized portions. Bulk foods include rice, oats, frozen corn and peas, pasta, etc. Once repackaged, the food is ready to go out to the Pierce County food pantries, meal sites, and shelters that EFN serves.
Where: 3318 92nd St S, Lakewood, WA 98499 (25 min. drive)
Group Size: 8-15 Volunteers
Lead Time: Inquire with organization
How: Create a volunteer account HERE and reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Evan at EvanM@efoodnet.org to express interest.
Mission: The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County was founded by a handful of compassionate community members and has grown into one of the state’s largest animal welfare agencies. Each year, they find loving homes for more than 6,000 pets, reunite over 1,100 animals with their overjoyed owners, and provide care for thousands more in our community. Additionally, they offer several comprehensive programs and resources, including Spay/Neuter & Wellness Vouchers, a monthly Vaccine & Wellness Clinic, a Pet Food & Supply Pantry, behavior advice, and private rehoming services.
What: Group volunteer sessions enable your team to help shelter animals by providing assistance in large-scale grounds keeping, deep cleaning of animal care areas, and other helpful projects that make a difference in the lives of pets in need and staff members’ daily operations.
Where: 2608 Center Street, Tacoma, WA 98409
Group Size: 4-15 Volunteers
Lead Time: Inquire with organization
How: Email volunteer@thehumanesociety.org to register your group!
Mission: The Mission of L’Arche is to make known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities, revealed through mutually transforming relationships; to foster an environment in community that responds to the changing needs of our members, while being faithful to the core values of our founding story, and to engage in our diverse cultures, working together toward a more human society.
What: Volunteer groups are needed to help do work on their farm and gardens. Volunteers will work alongside various community members; both with and without intellectual disabilities. The farm is open Tuesday-Saturday from 8am to 4pm.
Where: 11814 Vickery Ave E, Tacoma, WA 98446 (25 Min Drive)
Group Size: Inquire with organization
Lead Time: Inquire with organization
How: Sign up here!
Mission: Lasagna Love's mission is to feed families, spread kindness, and strengthen communities. They connect volunteer lasagna chefs who want to help with individuals and families in need, providing home-cooked lasagnas made with love. Whether someone is facing financial challenges, emotional overwhelm, medical issues, or any other hardship, Lasagna Love strives to provide relief, hope, and connection through the simple yet profound gesture of a warm meal.
What: Volunteer groups help by making a lasagna (accommodating specific dietary restrictions, if possible) for someone in need. Volunteers buy the ingredients, prepare and cook the lasagna, and then deliver the lasagna to those in need.
Where: Anywhere
Group Size: Any Size; other groups have found 4-5 to be optimal to bake together
Lead Time: Varies. After signing up, you will indicate your availability week-by-week, and you'll be matched with a family who has requested a lasagna during your available time window.
How: Sign up here!
Mission: NW Furniture Bank serves as the primary furniture source for agencies across Pierce County. Their organization collects and warehouses furniture for clients referred to them by community partners. They cater to individuals and families facing various challenges, such as victims of domestic abuse, those experiencing loss due to fire or natural disasters, foster children, and particularly families emerging from transitional housing seeking to reconstruct their lives.
What: Various options:
Assemble new Ikea furniture that has been donated
Sort linens and other household items that have been donated
Where: 117 Puyallup Ave, Tacoma, WA 98421 (12 min. drive)
Group Size: 4-25 people (15 is ideal) for building furniture; 4-12 is ideal for sorting
Lead Time: 3 weeks is ideal, but know that Saturday dates for assembling Ikea furniture fill up months in advance
How: Email Haley Haines at info@nwfurniturebank.org
Mission: Volunteer led, community based, neighborhood litter pick ups to beautify the city!
What: Volunteers help pick up litter in a different area of Tacoma.
Where: Various Locations in Tacoma.
Group Size: Any
Lead Time: A few days
How: These are monthly, volunteer-led work parties on Saturdays from 9-11am. They are not exclusive to individual groups but rather are open to the public. They only plan about 1 month in advance, so check back monthly for the next clean-up date HERE. The leader of your group should RSVP your group using the link on the Linktree.
Mission: Paint Tacoma Beautiful (PTB) organizes volunteer crews each summer to paint the exteriors of homes of low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners within Tacoma City Limits.
What: Groups may prep a house for painting, paint as much of a house as their time window allows, or take on an entire house project from start to finish over the course of multiple days. Some groups have also taken on yardwork at the homes they paint. It is up to the group to decide what they want to take on! There are often opportunities to interact and connect with the home owners at your site.
Where: Various locations
Group Size: Any
Lead Time: At least month is recommended
How: One member of your group should complete an interest form HERE. The designated site lead will be required to watch a couple YouTube videos for training purposes, and they will complete a meet and greet with the home owner in advance of the work day.
Mission: Parks Tacoma is an independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community.
What: Volunteer groups help maintain various parks throughout Tacoma with clean up, weeding, removing invasive species, habitat restoration, etc. You can also occasionally find city litter clean-up events on the main volunteer page under Grit City Litter Clean-ups.
Where: Various locations in Tacoma.
Group Size: Any
Lead Time: None required
How: These opportunities are work parties that are not exclusive to individual groups but rather are open to the public. Most work parties are Friday, Saturday or Sunday from 9am-12pm, although occasionally weekday work parties take place, as well. Each participant in your group should go to page for the work party you've selected and register, individually. Check the list of scheduled work parties HERE.
Mission: Rebuilding Together South Sound does essential home repairs for home owners to ensure that they are able to stay in their homes. Many of their clients are elderly and unable to physically complete repair work or afford to hire someone to complete their required repairs.
What: Volunteer groups may do yardwork, clean, paint or help with a construction project such as the building of a ramp. There are occasional one off opportunities as well. No construction experience is required!
Where: Various locations.
Group Size: 5-10 People
Lead Time: Ideally, 8 weeks or more
How: Email Rachel Lehr at rlehr@rebuildingtogetherss.org
Mission: The Santa for Seniors program works to honor and recognize our seniors as vital members of our community. Their program reignites the joy of the holidays and connects seniors with the community. They work with partners throughout the Pacific Northwest to bring much needed and meaningful gifts year round and to provide resources to isolated seniors.
What: Groups can volunteer by making and collecting cards, ornaments, and letters and giving them to seniors living alone.
Where: 3848 S Junett St, Tacoma, WA 98409 (15 min. drive)
Group Size: Inquire with organization
Lead Time: Inquire with organization
How: SIGN UP HERE!
Mission: At Sound Foundations NW, our goal is to build transitional tiny homes that help move our homeless neighbors off the streets, out of tents, encampments, and vehicles, and into spaces that are warm, safe, and dry while they await permanent housing. Tiny homes are a form of non-congregate emergency shelter that replaces tents, homemade tarp shelters, doorways, and RV’s. Tiny homes offer safety, dignity, sustenance, and supportive services while residents stabilize and recover from the trauma and suspicion of living on the streets and prepare to move to permanent housing.
What: Groups can help build Tiny Homes for organizations that offer housing to those in need.
Where: 5 S. Nevada St., Seattle 98134 (45 Minute Drive)
Group Size: Inquire with organization
Lead Time: The calendar opens roughly 3 months in advance
How: Email SoundFoundationsNW@gmail.com to register your group.
Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity
Mission: Using affordable homeownership as an anchor for hope, change, and stability, Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity has been building in the community since 1985. They are committed to transforming neighborhoods—fighting blight and advocating for fair and just housing policies—while increasing access to affordable homeownership for hard working families and providing access to resources so homeowners can improve their lives and their communities.
What: Groups of volunteers can help with a variety of projects, including the list below. No construction skills needed! Commitment is roughly 8:30am-3:30pm.
New Construction
Home Renovation, 'Demo Day'
Furniture Builds
A Brush with Kindness (Part of Habitat's Aging in Place program. ABWK pairs low-income senior homeowners needing exterior home preservation help with volunteer groups looking to serve the community. Common ABWK projects are one-time yard care, landscaping, and/or gutter cleaning.)
Where: Various locations around Pierce County
Group Size: Ideal size for most activities is ~10; see flyer at link below for details; for a group of >10, the A Brush with Kindness program is the best option
Lead Time: May be scheduled up to 9 months in advance. Saturdays in warmer months tend to fill up quick, so earlier is better!
How: CLICK HERE to see the detailed Group Volunteering flyer. Email volunteer@tpc-habitat.org. You might also connect with Puget Sound professor Alison Paradise (paradise@pugetsound.edu) who is a founding member and active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Tacoma/Pierce County, and she'd love to work with you.
Mission: The Tacoma Rescue Mission helps all people including clients, volunteers, donors, and staff to become their best. They provide emergency services such as shelter and food to the homeless or hurting; offer self-sufficiency programs to help lift a person from poverty and break the chains of addiction; support prevention programs and share the Christian faith.
What: Groups can do a variety of things including preparing sandwiches and other goods to be dropped off at the Rescue Mission for distribution, providing kitchen service on-site at one of the locations, landscaping, youth programming, and facility maintenance. CLICK HERE for instructions on preparing food as a group to drop of at the Mission.
Where: Multiple locations. All within 15 minutes by car.
Group Size: Up to 8 people for kitchen service; any size for preparing goods at home.
Lead time: One month
How: SIGN UP HERE! Kitchen shifts are available every day of the week, morning, afternoon and evening; other projects have flexible scheduling
Mission: The Washington Trails Association mobilizes hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, protect and champion trails and public lands.
What: Work parties to work on trail maintenance. Tuesday-Saturday opportunities, lasting from 8:30AM - 3:30PM, not counting transportation. According to the website: "You’ll spend the day team-building and learning new skills and will walk away with a sense of accomplishment knowing that you helped WTA in our mission to create trails for everyone, forever. No experience is needed"
Where: Trail work sites could be anywhere in the state of Washington.
Group Size: 2 to 20 (Groups of 2-6 can self-register for a pre-scheduled work party. Groups of 7-20 can inquire about private work parties)
Lead Time: At least 2 months in advance.
How: Complete the following request form to get started.
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