Places to volunteer around Phoenix, based on your interests & passions

Wanna help change the world? Start by giving back to your community with one of these awesome volunteer opportunities around Phoenix.

It can be disorienting how divided our world can feel — everyone is arguing about something, and tensions are high just about everywhere. It often seems as though words are not enough to calm it down, and most of us would love to take action if we just knew how.

Volunteering is a great way to take small steps to feel more connected to others while creating a better world at large. Whether your drive is altruistic, as a way to beat the lonesome blues, a graduation requirement, or a strategy for resume-building, volunteering is a great fit for everyone. No matter if you love the earth, are a humanitarian, want to care for the animals, or prefer something totally different, there are several places around Phoenix in need of your time and energy. Here is a list to help you better the community and find some of that connection that we all need more of.

Just in case you cannot find an opportunity that interests you on this list, there are hundreds of opportunities on the City of Phoenix website.

Earth: You don’t have to hug trees to help

“Everyday is Earth Day!” my stepdaughter shouted as we cleaned up trash at Canyon Lake. We spent 10 minutes cleaning the beach before jumping in the water — for no other reason than we are a family that strives to be good stewards of the earth. We just think trash-free landscapes are beautiful and easier to find leisure with. While I identify as a hippie type, you by no means have to be a hippie to love the environment. Choosing to help the environment means choosing to live in a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing community.

Keep Phx BeautifulIf you are interested in community gardens, recycling, or landscape cleanups, check out Keep Phx Beautiful. They strive to create a healthy and beautiful Phoenix and have so many programs with which to volunteer. They even provide cleanup kits to those who wish to conduct their own organized cleanup!

Arizona State Parks and Trails: Maybe you would love to be an onsite camp host, or be someone who packs trails, or are simply interested in education. Regardless of your interest in nature, the Arizona State Parks and Trails has a multitude of volunteer opportunities to help make an impact on Arizona’s great outdoors.

Earth Day: If you’ve attended grade school in the United States, you’ve likely heard of Earth Day, April 22. However, not everyone is aware that Earth Day is actually an organization that offers year-round opportunities to better the planet. As my stepdaughter says, “Every day is Earth Day.”

People: The unhoused, kids, seniors, & more

We’ve all seen the signs asking for change, the graffiti on buildings, and seniors struggling down the aisles at Walmart. It is no doubt that our fellow humans, no matter what stage of life they are in, need some more love. I once heard that loneliness is the human condition, but with a population of 4 million in the Grand Canyon State, that doesn’t have to be the case. We can choose to help our fellow brothers and sisters through volunteering.

Boys and Girls Club: The Boys and Girls Club is an iconic after-school program that strives to help youth realize their bright and shiny future. Volunteering here means helping the youngest generations find their way and stay off the street.

Southwest Human Development: If you are passionate about helping children and families, Southwest Human Development is a great choice. They host drives throughout the year — including holiday and back-to-school drives — to ensure that families and children have what they need to grow and develop.

Phoenix Rescue Mission: The Phoenix Rescue Mission strives to help those suffering from homelessness (or recovering) through food banks, mobile pantries, recovery programs, community events, and more. Volunteering with them means helping out with an issue that has only grown in recent times.

Senior Center: Whether you want to read, bathe, feed, or just offer companionship to a senior, it is always a worthwhile time volunteering at a senior center. While helping an aging human, you might just learn a thing or two from all of their acquired wisdom! The link will take you to the City of Phoenix homepage to find a senior center near you.

St. Mary’s Food Bank: One of the largest food banks in America, St. Mary’s Food Bank offers emergency meal kits, community meal sites, job training, and more. Working with food doesn’t have to be the classic soup kitchen service. In fact, St. Mary’s offers food delivery to homes in need of assistance, keeping it discreet and removing some icky stigma.

Animals: Paws for a moment

Animals don’t have voices, but we do. Volunteering with animals can be such a rewarding experience as it is a chance to speak and care for something that doesn’t have a voice while reaping the anti-stress effects of petting something so cute. If you are like me and can’t work with animals because you’ll just end up bringing them all home (we have 18 animals at my house, not including the kids), you can donate or even thrift at your local Humane Society–pro tip: these are some of the best thrift stores around! 

Arizona Humane Society: Phoenix Magazine voted the Arizona Humane Society as the best place to volunteer. While some of the opportunities are pet-free and more people-oriented, there are a lot of fun opportunities involving animals when you volunteer here. For example, you could take an adoptable dog on an outing to get it out of the kennel and showcase it to all the loving people.

Phoenix Zoo:  Zoos have controversy, but even the harshest critics deem the Phoenix Zoo to be one of a noble cause. It runs with the help of over 300 volunteers, with both behind-the-scenes and more hands-on options. If you love animals and want to get involved, be sure to check this one out! (Plus, volunteering means you get to see the zoo while doing good deeds–a huge win-win).

Sun Valley Animal Shelter: Do you love cats? How about dogs? Volunteering here means helping sheltered cats and dogs have a clean, comfortable kennel, as well as sneaking in some snuggle time. If cleaning doesn’t sound like your favorite way to help the fur friends, you can also volunteer to help with one of Sun Valley Animal Shelter’s many community events.

Hunkapi Farms: “Do you have any fun plans this weekend?” I asked one of my teenage students. “Yes, I’m volunteering at Hunkapi!” Hunkapi Farms is named after the Lakota word Hunkapi, which means “we are all related.” Through horses, they strive to offer connection and healing to those with neurodivergence and other challenges. Volunteering here means tending to horses and tending to an underserved community.

Arizona Animal Welfare League: Be an adoption counselor, transport driver, dog walker, foster parent, fundraiser, and more. The Arizona Animal Welfare League relies on the help of volunteers to save animals all over. By signing up to volunteer here, who knows what adorable fur friends you could rescue!

Everything else: Find your own way

So far we have gone over some pretty conventional volunteer categories, but what happens when you’re not very passionate about any of the above? Well, volunteering can include some fun, exhausting, and political opportunities, too.

AZ Science Center: Calling all science enthusiasts! Volunteering here offers the chance to work in exhibitions and demonstrations, or to help with sales and guest services. You only have to be 15 years of age or older to spend your time here, too.

Phoenix Art Museum: Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a docent–or maybe what a docent is? The Phoenix Art Museum takes on volunteers who would like to be docents: those passionate about helping the community engage with art and are interested in leading tours, discussions, and so much more. If you are a lover of art, this may be a great way to connect with the community.

Habitat for Humanity: Like helping people but prefer hitting things? Habitat for Humanity relies on volunteers to help construct houses for low-income families–with the help of professional contractors and builders, of course. Almost every portion of the build is touched by volunteer hands. It’s a great way to help the community while also using some energy.

If you are passionate about the political scope of our modern society, you can volunteer for either the Democrat or Republican party and help maintain the integrity of our democracy.

No matter your passion or interest, there is an opportunity for you to connect and give back to your community. May you find joy and connection. Happy volunteering! 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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