Giving back to the community is one of the things we love most about our fellow Austinites. Volunteering as a whole family is a great way to spend quality time together, instill values in your children, and contribute to the community where you live. Finding opportunities for the whole family can sometimes be challenging, so we’ve made it easier for you.
Here are just a few of our favorite Austin charities where you can volunteer as a family.
Austin Parks Foundation
Austin Parks Foundation has been committed to ensuring the future of Austin’s parks, trails, and green spaces since 1992. They provide resources, programming, and funding to ensure access to parks for every Austinite. APF has monthly and city wide volunteer events for everyone and with 282 parks across Austin there’s sure to be one near you. For a full volunteer calendar click here.
Keep Austin Beautiful
Keep Austin Beautiful is a non-profit service organization with five areas of focus including clean, beautify, recycle, educate, and recognize. These pillars drive their mission to engage citizens in building more beautiful communities. They offer ongoing volunteer opportunities, most of which are clean-ups throughout the city. All ages are welcome with adult supervision at many of their events. Check out the event calendar to get more information.
Generation Serve
Families with children as young as three-years-old volunteer together for Generation Serve’s family service activities. The volunteer work they organize supports 100 nonprofit partners. Their Service Learning Program pairs education with service, allowing youth to learn about a community need alongside peers and apply what they’ve learned to a project of their own. Check out their website for a full volunteer calendar.
Youth2Seniors
Youth2Seniors is a non-profit organization serving Central Texas by bridging the gap between generations by way of art and giving. Adults can volunteer as program leaders, run events, or donate special talents like marketing or newsletter production. Older youth can participate in volunteer ops and work their way up to becoming a program leader. They offer reward programs for participants through the Operation Give Back program. Check out their website for program dates and schedules.
Austin Pets Alive!
It’s no secret Austin is a pet loving city. Austin Pets Alive! has become quite the famous non-profit over the years and with good reason. They even have celebrity supporters like Justin Theroux! With volunteer opportunities for kids ages 12 and up, it’s a great way to spend time with your family and help our furry friends in need. A registration fee and orientation are required for all volunteers and those accompanying minors. For more information about requirements click here.
Doing Good Together
Empowering families to raise caring, engaged children, Doing Good Together offers unique programs and events, valuable services, and fun activities that promote kindness and giving. Doing Good Together compiles a free monthly listings of creative family-friendly volunteer projects in several major U.S. cities. Each month, they feature at least five opportunities. Be sure to subscribe to this free service to add these volunteer opportunities to your email inbox!
The Green Corn Project
The Green Corn Project organization seeks to educate and assist Central Texans in growing organic food gardens. No worries if you aren’t an avid gardener — a green thumb is not required. Dig-ins are their primary mission and they are kid-friendly and FUN! This is a fantastic opportunity to learn the basics of growing while giving! For the full 2020 dig-in’s schedule check out their website.
The Dog Alliance
The Dog Alliance works with several different organizations like Hounds for Heroes and Bow Wow Dogs. They have several volunteer opportunities such as: raising puppies for our service dog program, walking dogs, and helping maintain their ranch. There is a volunteer orientation and registration fee. For more information about that visit their website.
Urban Roots
Urban Roots cultivates leadership skills through food and farming to transform the lives of young people and inspires, engages, and nourishes the community. Urban Roots is the only farm-based youth leadership organization in Austin. Volunteers work together with more than 1,000 community volunteers to grow more than 25,000 pounds of fresh food a year. They also have paid youth farm programs, for more information click here.
Central Texas Food Bank
With weekday, evening, and weekend volunteer opportunities – perfect for individuals, families, and groups – you can help prepare food donations for distribution, deliver food at mobile food pantries, or lend a hand in the kitchen or garden. The Central Texas Food Bank is the largest hunger relief charity in Central Texas working to educate people about healthy eating and providing free food to families in need. Ongoing opportunities for volunteers are available for kids ages 8 and up. Find out more about opportunities and guidelines on their website.
Featured Photo Courtesy of Keep Austin Beautiful
Want more Austin volunteer opportunities and all around free fun?
Keep an eye on our calendar of events!
