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Volunteer Project Ideas

It can help you develop new skills and have fun working with friends. It can expand your horizons in the short term and possibly lead to a satisfying, lifelong passion. 

It’s easy to catch the spirit of volunteering. But where are the opportunities? You'll find suggestions below.

After you’ve made your choice, commit to it. Give it energy and ample time to determine if it's a good fit. Combine these suggestions with your own ideas and go for it!

Click on each project category below for more details, relevant organizations, and real-life project examples from past honorees.

You can make a difference to someone in need. Reach out to an organization that builds housing for low-income families, or supports communities after natural disasters. Soup kitchens need help serving food. Help out at a garden that grows food for the hungry - or start your own. Or start a drive to collect food and essentials for people in need.

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Consider volunteering to promote wellness or help people who are sick. Your local hospital may have ways for young people to lend a hand. You could raise awareness about healthy eating or donating blood. Many volunteers also raise funds to support hospitalized kids and to fight diseases.

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Who better to help a student than another student? Make a difference by speaking out against bullying or promoting inclusiveness at school. Get younger kids excited about STEM topics, or offer tutoring to peers who need help with something you're good at. Or donate your time to an organization that provides therapeutic or recreational activities for kids.

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From pitching in at a zoo, shelter or wildlife refuge to raising guide dogs for the visually impaired, animal lovers have many avenues for volunteering. Organizations that heighten awareness about endangered species are often driven by volunteer power, too.

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As a literacy volunteer, you'll make a big impact -- by reading to kids at a homeless shelter, to the elderly or the visually impaired. Organizing story hours at a library is a good idea, too; so are starting book drives, and helping young kids keep their reading skills sharp over the summer.

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Put your environmental consciousness to work. Think of ways your school could be greener, and talk to your principal about putting your ideas to work. Or find creative ways to recycle shoes, tires and other things to keep them out of landfills. You could also teach kids about natural resources in your area and how to protect them.

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Into the arts? Then lend a hand at a local theater or gallery. Perform by yourself or with friends at senior centers or hospitals. You can also teach your skills to other kids, or collect materials for cash-strapped arts programs.

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Consider lending a hand to people with intellectual or physical disabilities. You can help with nearby Special Olympics events, or organize inclusive clubs or activities at school. Perhaps you can educate people about what it's like to have autism, Down syndrome or other special needs.

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You can play an important role in keeping your school and community safe. Consider raising awareness about preparing for emergencies and natural disasters. Or educate other students about topics like staying safe online, and the dangers of texting and driving.

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Help our military personnel by assembling and sending personal care packages. Perform an act of kindness for the family of someone deployed overseas. Or you can honor those who served by visiting a veteran's facility, or raising money to send veterans to see the national monuments erected in their honor.

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You don't have to go far from home to help people in need overseas. Raise money for organizations that help children around the world. Many young volunteers collect items like books, shoes and clothes for people living in poverty overseas. Or, if you can, consider going abroad to help with building schools or disaster recovery.

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