Make a Difference by Volunteering in San Francisco Right Now
Get involved and give back to your community.
One of the things that makes San Francisco such a magical place to live is its natural beauty and amazing humans. But it’s well-known that many people and places could use our help. In fact, almost every non-profit trying to make a change in San Francisco relies heavily on volunteers eager to give time, money, or both. If you’ve ever complained about the state of our City, now is the perfect time to do something to improve it. Volunteering is the perfect way to connect with and positively impact the spaces around us, and there is something for everyone, no matter your passion or time available. From handing out hot meals to helping seniors walk their dogs, keep reading to find a volunteer opportunity to help you make a change we’ll all feel good about.
Mission
Remember that one English class book you looked forward to reading and writing about? Well, 826 Valencia is the perfect opportunity to pass along that excitement for learning. Help low-income students find their voice and hone their creative writing skills through tutoring. There’s no minimum time commitment, but the programs benefit from consistency, so the idea is to sign up for a shift a week and bond with your new reading and writing buddy. Monetary donations are also accepted to help keep programs free for underprivileged students in the city.
Tenderloin
GLIDE is a nationally recognized and beloved local center for social justice that offers integrated, comprehensive services to help people meet their basic needs, stabilize their lives, and realize their goals and dreams. They always need volunteers to help serve the 500,000+ meals each year, plus event volunteering and fundraising, care items drives, and more.
Mission
This small, volunteer-run organization is dedicated to sharing the wealth of urban farms and gardens by distributing locally grown food for free in the Mission. You can get involved by handing out pre-packaged food, but the organization is also in need of bags for produce, grocery bags, brown paper bags for bread, bio-bags for soft fruit, small plastic pots for seedling propagation, disposable gloves of any size, and organic fruit in case you grow some of your own and want to donate it to the cause.
Inner Sunset
In 1990, Garden for the Environment turned a vacant lot in the Inner Sunset into a garden that doubles as a classroom, where people can learn about soil, water, plants, creatures, and climate to be better stewards. They need volunteers on Wednesdays and Saturdays to get their hands dirty while learning about sustainable gardening—no experience required.
Fort Mason
Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands, Stinson Beach, Fort Funston, Lands End, the Presidio … the list of parks that make up all 80,000 acres of the Golden Gate National Parks is a huge part of what makes San Francisco San Francisco. Those spaces are home to ancient redwoods, rare and endangered species, and historic landmarks, and for that, we can thank the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. This nonprofit membership organization basically does anything and everything related to conservation, education, and making visiting the parks a fun experience. Volunteers are needed to help clean up beaches, restore habitats, maintain trails, cultivate historic gardens, and more. It’s a great way to see the Bay Area without a huge obligation.
Lower Nob Hill
One of the best things about volunteering is that you will meet all kinds of new people no matter what you’re doing. But if you’re looking for a way to connect with others meaningfully, this organization provides an opportunity to build friendships with the city’s 25,000 seniors who live alone. Regular volunteering opportunities include making holiday and birthday visits or escorting seniors to doctor appointments. You can also donate essential items like toiletries for their senior care kits. They are ALWAYS in need of volunteers; for every volunteer who takes the time to visit, that’s one more elder who isn’t sitting there alone.
Sausalito
Marine mammals are such an essential part of the California coastline ecosystem, and this organization is dedicated to responding to those in distress and caring for them until they can be released back into the wild. (You can see a bunch of their patients here.) They need help with everything from animal care, rescue and response, education, and administrative support. Sign up now so you can attend the next training session.
Online
For anyone seeking a musical outlet, your talents are needed. Musicians On Call, which launched a San Francisco chapter in 2016, is looking for volunteer musicians and singers to participate in its Bedside Performance Program, which offers 30- to 60-minute live sessions to housebound adults, seniors, and children. If you’re not musically gifted but still want to help, you can be a Volunteer Guide (the “eyes” and “ears” of the program) or donate to help fund the chapter.
Hayes Valley
If you’re less about hanging out and chatting and more about getting things done (both important!), Openhouse connects volunteers with LGBTQ+ seniors and adults with unique challenges seeking housing, transportation, and medical services. They rely on volunteers and are always looking for volunteers for essential errands, administrative tasks, friendly visits and phone calls, serving lunches, and more.
Tenderloin and Oakland
Project Open Hand always needs volunteers to pack and deliver meals and weekly groceries to the city’s critically ill and physically vulnerable residents. Check out their Volunteer Hot Spots page for regularly updated opportunities. They ask for a three-month commitment to one weekly shift, during which time you will ensure that many people get a healthy meal for dinner. You can also donate toiletries, birthday and holiday cards, or money.
Oakland
The Bay Area is nothing without our beautiful and bountiful Bay. Help defend its health and ours by volunteering at San Francisco Baykeeper, which patrols the water to investigate pollution and hold polluters accountable. They need volunteers with all kinds of skills, including skippers to lead boat patrols, students pursuing environmental action careers, and anyone willing to pick up trash and conduct cleanups.
Fremont
If you are interested in the Bay Area’s wildlife, this nonprofit focuses specifically on stewardship of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, as well as the conservation, preservation, and restoration of our wildlife habits. Friendly, outgoing volunteers are needed as field trip docents, weekend desk workers, and helping with outreach, and those who prefer to dig in quietly are needed for habitat restoration projects that include pulling invasive species so native plants can thrive.
Mission
It’s no surprise that this is a popular place to volunteer (you know, cause of the whole adorable dog and cat factor), but the organization truly relies on the assistance of volunteers. Most positions where you get to be hands-on with the animals (socializing dogs and cats, fostering) require at least a six-month commitment with two hours a week. If that’s more than you’re able to do right now, you can donate money or go to the Mission Campus located at 201 Alabama Street and drop off much-needed supplies, like towels, blankets, flat sheets, clean/unopened pet items, new pet beds, collars/leashes, carriers and kennels, and unopened food.
Oakland
Rising sea levels seriously threaten our communities, and Save the Bay works hands-on to restore wetlands and advocate for climate-smart policies. They consistently need help with restoration projects, so if you’re not afraid of getting your hands dirty, this is a good one for you.
Potrero Hill and San Rafael
People tend to think of food drives come December, but food scarcity isn’t only a problem over the holidays, which is why this organization is constantly working on getting food out to the community. They always have an urgent need for drivers to deliver groceries, but you can also help out at a Pop-Up Pantry or pack senior boxes and build grocery bags for home delivery at the San Francisco and San Rafael warehouses. Food drives happen often over the holiday, but a virtual food drive is a good idea any year. Have everything you need? For your next birthday, why not ask your friends and family to skip the presents and donate food to tackle hunger?
Tenderloin and Mission
Connect with a person or animal in need at this pioneering nonprofit that helps “build human connections to reduce isolation, enhance health and well-being, and improve quality of life.” They do this through HIV programs, a women’s cancer program, The LGBTQ+ Aging & Abilities Support Network (LAASN), Peer Advocate Care Teams, and the Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) Program, which keeps people and their animals together during times of hardship and poverty. They need volunteers in all areas, but right now, they’re specifically looking for Peer Support volunteers, Pet Food & Supply Bank volunteers, and Pet Assistance Volunteers (in-home care, dog walking, vet visits, etc.)
Tenderloin
St. Anthony provides many crucial services to offer hope, stability, and renewal and “meet people where they’re at.” They always need help preparing and serving meals in their dining room, sorting and assisting shoppers in the Free Clothing Program, and helping with basic computer questions in the Tech Lab. Sign up for a shift online. All shifts need multiple people, so signing up with a friend or group of friends is easy.
SoMa
San Francisco pretty much only has cold nights, which is why St. Vincent de Paul Society’s year-round Blanket the Homeless program is so important. Volunteers distribute small packages containing emergency blankets, socks, gloves, winter caps, nutrition bars, antiseptics, hygiene supplies, and a ‘Resource Guide’ listing locations in the Bay Area for free food, shelter, and other services. You can also donate money or volunteer at one of the programs that serve over 1,000 people every day. The commitment is very low-key, and even one hour of your time is appreciated.
Oakland
We must reduce the amount of C02 in our atmosphere if we want any chance of preserving our planet, and 350 Bay Area works hard to make that happen by shaping policy, educating people, empowering our youth, building coalitions, and mobilizing the masses to take action. There are teams that do everything from making art for the climate movement, writing letters to the editor, creating events to impact change, helping with tech and web stuff, and more. The best way to get involved and find out where you can help most is to join their Monthly Climate Action Meeting on the last Tuesday of every month from 5 to 6 pm. On the call they talk about timely climate actions together and plan future climate events.