There is usually a large uptick in volunteering around the holidays, and for good reason too! This is a time of year where a lot of people need help. Whether that be because school is back in session, money is tight due to the season, or because the holidays themselves. With COVID abating, but definitely still on the move, there’s been an increase in interest in giving back.
A lot of volunteer opportunities are individual tasks, go to a beach cleanup, donate food, or maybe support at an event. But a lot of charities and organizations can make a bigger impact through regular volunteers. There are plenty of organizations available through San Diego County that need help, and a lot of great resources to find them, below is a list of just a few of the groups you can support organized by what type of charity it is.
Volunteering Opportunities
Click the links below to be taken to opportunities laid out on this page!
Protecting Local Animals and Wildlife
Clean Up Your Community/ Help the Environment
Education
San Diego Library
SD’s Public Libraries are looking for volunteers to help as ESL and Adult literacy tutors. These programs are amazing gems that provide awesome training and support to ensure you’re able to make a positive impact! These programs require a six-month commitment, but are extremely rewarding and are seriously worth considering. The library is also always looking for general library volunteers! Learn more by checking out their site linked below.
https://www.sdcl.org/volunteers/
Mentorship
You know that saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know?” It’s not really a perfect saying, because both definitely matter. But it can be really hard to get your foot in any doors if you don’t have someone helping you get there.
1 in 3 kids grow up without a positive role model. Kids without positive role models are more likely to drop out of school, begin using drugs, or become disenfranchised. Luckily there are programs to help fix that.
San Diego – Child Welfare Services
SD County’s CWS offers the opportunity to help local kids who are within the foster/adoption program a helping hand. Beyond adoption, CWS manages foster care, foster mentorship, foster tutors, child education and legal advocates, and job coaching. Children within CWS are between toddlers and teenagers and they need support. Learn more by clicking the link below.
Big Brothers Big Sisters – San Diego
I feel the need to interrupt the traditional flow of this article to say that Big Brothers Big Sisters is near and dear to my heart. Many of my friends and my whole family are “Bigs.” I’ve worked closely with Big Brothers Big Sisters for several of their events and, let me just say, this is an organization worth your time.
Bigs meet with Littles around 3 times a month. They are there to talk on the phone, show up for baseball games, and school plays. They are there to listen and to advise and to just help out. If you’re looking to volunteer or learn more, click the link below!
Helping the Homeless
Homelessness is an unfair condition that can often feel inescapable. Tragically, homelessness is on the rise, meaning our infrastructure needs to grow to support and help lift people out of what seems like an endless cycle of poverty. Help fix it by volunteering at one of the locations below.
SD Habitat for Humanity
San Diego’s Habitat for Humanity branch is looking for volunteers who can support with construction work, fundraising, and behind the scenes support (office work, event planning, advocacy, and more). In the midst of a housing crisis and persistently strange weather now more than ever, people need a place to sleep, why not help them while learning a lot by building a home. Click the link below to learn more.
https://www.sandiegohabitat.org/get-involved/volunteer/
Father Joe’s Villages
Father Joe’s Villages is looking for all sorts of volunteers. Whether you’re a plumber, good at math, or just want to help with meal prep, there’s something for you to do to help at Father Joe’s. Father Joe’s Villages are shelters that provide more than just a night of support. They are dedicated to help lift people out of shelters and into long-term housing. Learn more about them by clicking the link below.
https://my.neighbor.org/take-action/volunteer/
SD Food Bank
SD Food Bank
Community food banks were drastically affected by the impacts of the global pandemic as well as recent supply chain disruptions. These problems mean we need more volunteers to help support the infrastructure as it builds itself back up. The SD food bank is one of the most effective ways to give directly back to the community. There are dozens of volunteer opportunities, learn more about them here.
https://sandiegofoodbank.org/volunteer/
Animals
SD Humane Society
The SD Humane Society is an amazing place to volunteer to help with all sorts of animals. Not only can you volunteer to foster a pet, you can also come in and socialize with pets through their enrichment program (yes, you’ll probably have to help cleanup too, but what are you expecting). You can even volunteer with Project Wildlife, their bird and mammal rehabilitation program that helps sick wild animals get back out where they belong! Learn more here.
https://www.sdhumane.org/support-us/volunteer/
Helen Woodward Animal Center
While this location is a bit more… inland… it is a great place for animal lovers to devote their time! Volunteers can work in the office, the can walk dogs, and can even help take care of exotic animals the center has rescued. There’s definitely something for everyone! And hey, if you want to foster, you can! Check out this link to learn more (be sure to scroll down to see the list of volunteer opportunities).
https://animalcenter.org/get-involved/volunteer/
SD County Animal Services
SD Animal Services are always looking for volunteers! They offer spaces to work in community outreach, to join the “Cat Crew,” or to become a “Bunny Buddy,” or to walk dogs (they don’t have an alliterative name sadly). SD Animal Services does a lot for our community and they can definitely use additional support! Learn more about them by clicking the link below!
https://www.sddac.com/content/sdc/das/donate-volunteer/volunteer.html
Elderly
The Elderly need our support! Most elder care facilities have some form of volunteer service that you can join, such as the one at Edgemoor. Edgemoor volunteers help our amazing healthcare providers by assisting in organization, donations, serving food, or just by talking to Edgemoor’s residents. Learn more at the link below!
The Environment
There are dozens of groups dedicated to keeping SD clean. From our beaches, to our mountains, to our deserts, Southern California is a hotbed of unique ecology that needs to be protected. With hundreds of trails, campsites, and public parks, there is a lot of space to cover.
San Diego Parks and Recreation
SD Parks and Rec are looking for volunteers to clean and maintain trails; to help with gardening and park programs; to work out of the community center; and to even work as a park host/docent! If you’re looking to get your whole family involved in volunteering this is a great place to start! Learn more about volunteering by clicking the link below.
https://www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/buttons/Volunteer.html
Beach Cleanings
It is almost impossible to list every beach cleaning organization in San Diego. There are dozens of group-led or solo projects you can join in on to help keep the oceans clean. While that is kind of overwhelming, it makes it really easy for you to hop in and become a regular with any of the awesome groups that are in your area or are at your favorite beach! We wrote a longer article on this a few months ago, check it out here so you can find the organization that works best for you!
https://news.sdpeba.org/clean-the-beaches-volunteer-opportunities