Kid-friendly Volunteer Opportunities

Getting children and youth involved in volunteering is an ideal way to expand their awareness of our community.  In the Bay Area, there are dozens of volunteer opportunities suitable for children of many ages and interests.

United Way and the Bay Area Volunteer Centers make it easy to find a volunteer project that’s age-appropriate and fun for your family:  call 2-1-1 to connect with the volunteer center in your county or visit mainsite.uwba.org/news and click on the Volunteer tab.  Our website links to a searchable volunteer database, where you can specify the age of your children, choose “family-oriented” projects, and select areas that interest your kids.  For example:

• Teens – Volunteer opportunities can build skills and enable teens to gain valuable work experience.  Bay Area Volunteer Centers offer numerous projects suitable for teens, age 13-17, in a variety of interest areas, ranging from technology and health to law and teaching.
• Young children (age 5+) – Outdoor clean-up projects provide a great opportunity for parents and kids to work side by side to create trails, plant flowers, and maintain park facilities.  Volunteer Centers that serve the Bay Area can connect you with family-friendly opportunities throughout the year.
• Preschool children – For safety reasons, most nonprofits offer opportunities for children 5 years or older, who are accompanied by a parent or guardian.  For younger children, consider hosting a bake sale or lemonade stand and donate proceeds to a favorite cause.

United Way’s Anne Wilson recently appeared on ABC-7’s View from the Bay to discuss “Nurturing Young Volunteers.”   View the video here.