Community Service Opportunities
 
This page is designed to help you find a community service placement that suits your interests and skills. Take some time to look through the many options available in your area!!
 
Helpful links:
 
Search for opportunities by local region :This link will take you to a map where you can click on the area in which you want to work.
Volunteer Match : A great website for finding current opportunities in your local area
 
Some of our community partners
ACTERRA
Acterra Stewardship provides many volunteer opportunities to restore natural lands and learn about local ecosystems. Volunteering builds muscles, friendships, and biodiversity! ACTERRA offers student community service days on weekends as well.
 
Deer Hollow Farm
Deer Hollow Farm is an educational center where the public, school classes, and community groups can observe and participate in a historic working farm
 
Hidden Villa
Hidden Villa is a nonprofit educational organization that uses its organic farm, wilderness, and community to teach and provide opportunities to learn about the environment and social justice. Hidden Villa stretches over 1600 acres of open space in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 40 miles south of San Francisco
 
La Comida
La Comida de California is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing appetizing, nutritious and affordable lunch to seniors who live locally, and to enriching their lives by creating a cheerful, socially stimulating atmosphere while they dine.
 
 
 
La Comida
 
 
 
 
 
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RAFT
 
 
RAFT helps overcome the barriers to "hands-on" education. RAFT develops innovative "hands-on" project idea sheets and pre-packaged activity kits created around important concepts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as
well as reading and art. Through workshops, project development support and mentoring, RAFT also helps educators to create their own "hands-on" activities, and gain the knowledge and confidence to use them.
 
Sacred Heart Community Services
 
 
Our mission is to change lives and impact poverty by providing essential services, offering tools for self-sufficiency, and ministering with dignity, compassion and respect. We engage the community and inspire volunteers to love, serve and share.
 
Square Peg Ranch
 
 
Square Peg works with kids who have learning/physical disabilites and teaches them to ride and care for horses. All of the animals in their care are rescue animals. A very inspiring organization!!
 
Tule Ponds
 
 
The Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon Wetland Center was first conceived by Richard Wetzig, a retired Engineer-Scientist from the Alameda County Public Works Agency. His vision was to provide a place for teachers to educate students about the importance of stormwater in the overall health of the watersheds of the San Francisco Bay.
In 2002 work began on a classroom building to facilitate an educational program aimed at studying the effects of contaminants on wetland biota. The Math/Science Nucleus, a non profit organization, is the lead educational agency conducting educational tours, teacher workshops, and research at the site.
 
St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room
 
 
St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room first opened its door in September of 1974 to serve the low-income elderly with a weekend meal supplement in a social and friendly atmosphere. However, the need quickly grew into a daily operation. We now serve as many as 600 hot nourishing meals a day, six days a week (Mon-Sat) year round.
 
 
 
 
Agencies Working with the Elderly and Disabled
Special Olympics, Silicon Valley Region
Contact: Renee Ontiveros, reneeo@sonc.org, 408-392-0170 x204.
Coaching opportunities for students 16 & up. Younger students may participatewith a parent or with a friend or sibling over 16.Year-round program. Practice sites vary throughout county. Volunteer orientation (required) will be held as needed.
 
Lytton Gardens
 
 
Change a life with a smile! Lytton Gardens (in downtown Palo Alto) is home to a diverse population of over 500 low-income seniors who have amazing stories to share. Lytton welcomes friendly volunteers who want to connect with residents & brighten their days. Ways to get involved: go for walks or play games with a senior, bring your pet to visit, take a senior out for ice cream, help a senior with his or her computer, host Bingo or crafts projects, etc.
 
Very flexible hours; 20 hrs minimum. Orientation required.
 
Channing House
 
 

Established in 1961 by Dr. Russel V. Lee, Channing House is an independent, not-for-profit life care retirement community, well known and respected in the community. Our quiet residential location, three blocks from downtown Palo Alto, offers both stunning views and easy access to the best that Palo Alto and the Bay Area have to offer. Active, independent seniors choose to retire here, which makes Channing House a great place to live an active life.

 
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Agencies Working With Children

 

 
 
 
 
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Building Futures Now
 
 
a non-profit organization in East Palo Alto, works with 4th- and 5th-graders from nine different schools.Volunteers needed between 3:30 and 5:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, &Thursdays, to be tutors with our students. Volunteer tutors help our students as "homework buddies" and/or "reading buddies." Volunteers are needed to help students with their homework, plan fun activities for recess time and read with students who finish their homework early.
Must be willing to commit to 1 day per week for 3 months.
Contact: Alison Upton Lopez, alopez@buildingfuturesnow.org, 380-9038.
 
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula
 
Come out and make a difference! Break away from your daily routines to spend time with our kids. One hour a week can truly make a difference in a child’s life! Spend that 1 hour –

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Assisting in the game room

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Coaching a sports team

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Reading to a child

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Teaching a life skills class -- cooking, computers, art, ...

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and many more!

Why volunteer?

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Experience in job training

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College Preparation

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Because helping people is rewarding and FUN!

To get started, complete & submit a volunteer application form, and contact our Volunteer Director to schedule a discussion about your interests and our current opportunities. You should be willing to commit to at least one hour per week of service for at least three months. We provide training and a background check.

Fall program, Sep-Dec.: opportunities offered after school, 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Info: Merilyn Tonga,mtonga@bgcp.org, 650-646-6062.
Find us on our [web site] and on [Volunteer Match].
 
Reading Partners
 
seeks volunteers to serve during the school year, as little as 1 hour a week, as reading tutors for elementary school children from underserved communities who are reading below grade level. Volunteering is flexible, simple, effective, & fun -- about 87% of our students narrow the achievement gap. Locations available throughout the Bay Area, including EPA, Menlo Park, Atherton, & Mountain View.
 Interested? For info & orientation schedule contact Jennifer Ginorio, jennifer@readingpartners.org, 408-945-5720.


Laurens House for Positive Change

http://www.lh4pc.org/index.html
THe mission of Lauren's House for POsitive Change is to prepare low income and or homeless youths between the ages of 7-18 in San Mateo County for success in life. We expose our clients to educational opportunities, the arts, community service to demonstrate the beauty and possibilities in their lives despite hardship

 

 
Local Community
Hands On Bay Area
 
offers fun, rewarding, "done-in-a-day" projects on evenings & weekends -- sprucing up a park, food sorting, working with seniors, & more. Under 16, volunteer with a parent. Teens 16 to 18 can volunteer with a Minor Consent Form signed by a parent or guardian. Visit our website to see which project is right for you.
Questions: info@handsonbayarea.org, 415-541-9616.
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