At Seattle’s Child, we believe in community and in the importance of all of us working together to improves the lives of the kids and families in our neighborhoods and cities. That’s why we’ve partnered with national nonprofit Doing Good Together, an organization committed to making volunteering and service, along with daily kindness, easy and accessible for every family. Check out the volunteer opportunities compiled by the organization below and make “giving back” a natural part of life’s early lessons.
Craft Valentine Greeting Cards for Isolated Seniors / Full Life Care
- Date/Time: Our preferred deadline to receive cards is by February 6.
- Location: Please mail or drop off cards to Full Life Care Main Office, 1625 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108.
- Ages: Everyone can participate.
- Time Commitment: Varies.
Full Life Care is a non-profit providing home and community-based services for adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and their caregivers, regardless of their income level. Full Life Care is dedicated to enhancing individuals’ quality of life, respecting their dignity, and providing for them with care and compassion. Your family can help brighten an elder’s day using your card making supplies and creativity! Hand make Valentine’s Day themed greeting cards to donate to participants in Full Life Care’s ElderFriends program, and support its mission to relieve isolation and loneliness among older adults in King County, WA.
Contact: Email jessicac@fulllifecare.org to receive more details about guidelines and instructions to mail or drop off completed cards at our South Seattle office in Beacon Hill.
My Dear Friend Valentine’s Day Card Writing Campaign / GlamourGals
- Date/Time: The campaign runs from Monday, January 19 through February 11.
- Location: Please sign up for the campaign and get started here.
- Ages: Anyone can get involved and spread love this Valentine’s Day!
- Time Commitment: Varies. Every card makes a difference.
Your family can help bring smiles to 30,000 isolated seniors this Valentine’s Day by writing heartfelt cards to seniors living in care. Since 2000, GlamourGals Foundation Inc. has created important connections between teens and seniors through conversation and its signature complimentary beauty makeover program to reduce senior isolation. In addition, their award-winning My Dear Friend card campaign invites participants of all ages across the country to make a difference by simply writing and mailing heartfelt cards to partnering senior homes, spreading joy and love to over 300,000 isolated older adults nationwide.
Contact: Learn more about how you can get involved with GlamourGals here.
Second Saturday Work Parties / Volunteer Park Trust
- Date/Time: Saturday, February 14 and Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m.–noon. Work parties run every second Saturday.
- Location: Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle. Meet us at the Black Sun Sculpture across from Seattle Asian Art Museum at 10 a.m. on Saturday. If you arrive late, look for a group of folks gardening and/or a pile of gardening tools within the park, and one of our leaders will be able to get you up to speed quickly.
- Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to volunteer. For this event, please ensure that parents or adults volunteer in conjunction with anyone younger than 16 years old.
- Time Commitment: Two hours.
Come meet your neighbors and friends, and enjoy gardening in Volunteer Park at our monthly second Saturdays Stewardship events. Join us as we weed, mulch, prune and clean up the garden beds in Seattle’s Volunteer Park, rain or shine. We will provide gloves and tools. This event is a great way to get outdoors, meet your neighbors, and help keep your park looking beautiful for everyone. Families are welcome!
Contact: admin@volunteerparktrust.org. Registration is available online. Please note, no RSVP is necessary, but helpful for a headcount of volunteers to prepare for. Anyone is welcome to stop by and help
Planting at Sammamish Landing / City of Sammamish
- Date/Time(s): Monday, February 16, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. or Wednesday, February 18, noon–3 p.m.
- Location: 4607 E Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Sammamish.
- Ages: Families with children 8 years old and older or welcome to participate. Volunteers 13 years old and younger should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Time Commitment: Three-hour shifts.
Join the city to help plant native plants along the shoreline at Sammamish Landing. Give back to your community, learn about native plants and enhance wildlife habitat!
- Who can volunteer: This project is perfect for individuals, or families (8+) and groups/organizations looking for service projects/hours and students looking to complete community service hours for school.
- What we provide: Water, snacks, gloves and tools will be provided.
- What to wear: Please dress appropriately for outdoor work in cold weather including dressing in layers, wear long sleeves/pants and closed-toed shoes preferably boots with good tread.
- What to bring: If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please bring your own snacks.
All volunteers should also bring a full, refillable water bottle and may also bring a travel mug for hot drinks. Compostable cups will be provided for those that don’t have them or forget them.
Contact: Sebastian Ritacco, sritacco@sammamish.us, 425.414.0829. Click on the dates below for registration. Monday, February 16; Wednesday, February 18
Help Local Children; Pack, Organize, Distribute Donations / WestSide Baby
Date/Time(s):
- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 9 a.m.–noon.
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30–3:30 p.m.
- Teen hours: Wednesdays from 3–5 p.m. Teen volunteer hours are reserved for teens 13–18 years old only.
- Evening shifts on the 2nd Tuesday and the 4th Thursday of the month from 5–7 p.m.
Check the website for details.
- Location: White Center, 10002 14th Ave SW.
- Ages: Families with children 8 years old and older are welcome to participate. Volunteers 8–12 years old need an adult who will work with them for the entire shift. All minors must have a signed consent form.
- Time Commitment: Shifts are two to three hours.
WestSide Baby provides essentials to local children in need by collecting and distributing diapers, clothing, and equipment. Volunteers are an integral part of the organization and tasks can include sorting incoming donations of clothing and other items, packaging diapers, packaging toys, filling orders for children, and other projects as needed. We work every day with the hope that all babies and young children in our community have their physical basic supply needs met by providing diapers, clothing, toys, books, and safety equipment for their care.
Contact: volunteer@westsidebaby.org or call 206.686.5156. Registration is available online.
Birthday Dreams Volunteer Opportunities /Birthday Dreams
- Date/Time: Check the Birthday Dreams online schedule for party dates, times, and items needed.
- Location: Check the Birthday Dreams online schedule for location information.
- Ages: Varies, depending on party location. Please check the age requirements for a party location before you register to volunteer. Please note that volunteers must be 18 years or older to volunteer for a party at Mary’s Place.
Time Commitment: Varies.
Birthday Dreams is dedicated to bringing joy to homeless children with the gift of a birthday party. Birthday Dreams provides onsite birthday parties at homeless shelters and transitional housing facilities with all the trimmings. Kids are treated to cupcakes, ice cream, and a great time. Volunteers can help in a number of ways: by volunteering at parties, baking cakes, or donating the ingredients to provide a child with a special birthday party!
Contact: info@birthdaydreams.org. Register for a volunteer opportunity online.
Valentines for Veterans / Soldiers’ Angels
- Date/Time: Cards should be delivered by February 14.
- Location: Mail your cards and $1 per card to: Soldiers’ Angels Valentines for Veterans, 2895 NE Loop 410, Suite 107, San Antonio, Texas 78218
- Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
- Time Commitment: Varies
Holidays like Valentine’s Day are fun to celebrate when you can share the day with your friends or loved ones. Unfortunately, our military heroes often find themselves alone or feeling homesick during holidays. The mission of Soldiers’ Angels is to make sure no one who serves this country feels unloved – and that’s especially true on Valentine’s Day! You and your family can help by making or purchasing Valentines cards for our military and veteran heroes. Why do we ask for the $1 per card? The $1 helps cover the cost to distribute the thousands of cards we receive. Have questions? Check out our FAQs here.
- Feel free to purchase or make your Valentines.
- Our heroes love hearing from children. Making Valentines is a good activity to do with the kids one afternoon.
- Be sure to write a note of encouragement or thanks on your cards.
- Individually wrapped candy can be included if it is attached to the card.
- You can include the envelope if you want, but it is not necessary. If you include an envelope, do not seal it.
- Include $1 per card, cash or check.
- Don’t be afraid to sign your name! You are welcome to include your return address in the event the recipient may write back to you. However, it is also okay if you do not include any personal information.
- If you would like a donation receipt mailed to you, make sure to include your name and mailing address somewhere on or in the box, otherwise we will not know where it came from!
Contact: info@soldiersangels.
Provide Sack Lunches / Plymouth Housing Group
- Date/Time: Any day of the week around lunchtime.
- Location: Assemble the lunches at home and coordinate with Kirsten Mintun, kmintun@plymouthhousing.org, to make arrangements to deliver your lunches. Our buildings are concentrated in the Downtown/Belltown/South Lake Union neighborhoods with one in Bellevue and one in Ballard.
- Ages: Families are welcome to participate.
- Time Commitment: Varies. This can be a one-time opportunity or a monthly recurring opportunity. We would love to work with you in whatever capacity is best for you.
Volunteers are needed to purchase supplies, assemble lunches at home or with a community group, and then deliver 50–100 sack lunches to one of our buildings across the Seattle region. This is a great opportunity to directly impact our residents and address a large need for the community! A lot of residents are seniors or have dental issues so softer foods are ideal.
Here are examples of what to include in a paper bag sack lunch:
- One main protein item such as a meat and cheese sandwich, or a meat and cheese wrap.
- One healthy item such as a fruit cup, apple sauce, or hummus.
- One savory item such as chips, crackers, or pretzels.
- One sweet item such as fruit snacks or pudding.
Please do not include any common allergens such as nuts (peanut butter) or seafood.
Contact: Kirsten Mintun at kmintun@plymouthhousing.org if you are interested or have any questions.
Food Bank Distribution / North Helpline Food Bank
Date/Time(s):
- Wednesdays, 8:30–11:15 a.m. and 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
- Thursdays, 3:30–7:30 p.m.
- Saturdays, 8:30–11:15 a.m. and 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Location(s):
- Lake City location, 12736 33rd Ave NE, Seattle.
- Bitter Lake location at 13000 Linden Ave N. (Saturday volunteering only).
Ages: Children 8 years old and older are welcome to volunteer with an adult; youth 14 years old and older can volunteer on their own.
Time Commitment: Three to four hours.
Sharing food and resources with our neighbors is at the heart of our purpose! Volunteers in this position will work directly with our neighbors to distribute food according to their needs. You can expect to serve with 8–12 other volunteers in various roles to support our food distribution, including:
- Handing out food from specific categories depending on each client’s household size and preferences.
- Restocking food at the distribution tables.
- Running grocery carts to our neighbors’ cars and back (must be 17 years or older).
- Handing out hygiene items to clients.
- Our warehouse is not climate-controlled, so please dress appropriately, and wear closed-toe shoes for safety.
- Please complete our volunteer application before your first shift. If you haven’t volunteered with North Helpline before, please take a few minutes to fill out our Volunteer Application by clicking “Sign Up” in the Volunteer Portal. Applications are typically processed in a day or two.
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, volunteers@northhelpline.org, 206. 413.8271. Please click here to volunteer for a shift. If you haven’t volunteered with North Helpline before, please take a few minutes to fill out our Volunteer Application by clicking “Sign Up” in the Volunteer Portal. We will usually process your application in a day or two. If you have volunteered with us in the last five years, please click “login” in the Volunteer Portal. If this is your first time on the new portal, click “Forgot your password?” to reset your password.
Foster a Future Service Dog (Shuttle Available) / Canine Companions
- Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity.
- Location: SODO Seattle.
- Ages: Please note: If you are younger than 18 years old, you will need parental support and they must sign a minor waiver.
- Time Commitment: Flexible, long-term, and short-term fosters are needed. We ask that you commit 3-6 months.
Our dogs have a very special destiny – to enhance the life of a person living with a disability. Volunteer fosters provide the housing, love and care for Canine Companions dogs in order to continue their Professional Training in the Puget Sound region and be matched as service dogs locally. Providing transportation to and from our field office in Seattle, volunteer fosters allow the dogs to be expertly trained by our instructors during the weekday. You’ll play an important role in their journey without the full-time commitment of looking after a dog. All food, medical care, and resources are provided, and most fosters commit for 3-6 months. Dogs are either Labradors, Golden Retrievers, or a mix of both, and all are over 1.5 years old.
Flexible options for drop-off/pick-up:
Our training location in SODO, Seattle. Service dog shuttle at the West Seattle YMCA (Mon-Thurs, 8:20-8:45 AM/3:20-3:45 PM). Contact us about ridesharing to a central location.
FAQs:
- Can I foster if I have pets at home? Yes, as long as your pets are fully vaccinated, friendly, and get along with other animals.
- Can I foster with small children in my home? Yes, the dogs are well-socialized with children of all ages.
- Do I need experience in dog training? No, professional trainers handle all training while the dog is at the Puget Sound Field Office.
If you’re interested but don’t meet every requirement, we’d still love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out at seattleprogram@canine.org, and we’re happy to discuss possible options, including pickup from work locations around King County.
Contact: seattleprogram@canine.org.
Got love to share? Foster a Pet / Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC)
- Date/Time: Flexible.
- Location: Foster an animal in your home and check in with RASKC, 21615 64th Ave S, Kent.
- Ages: Children may participate in caring for animals, though an adult in the household must be the official volunteer.
- Time Commitment: Very flexible. You can wait until the time is right for you to foster.
Got love to share? Consider becoming a foster volunteer! As a foster volunteer, you make a short-term commitment to nurture one or more animals from the shelter in your home on a temporary basis. For example, some dogs have lingered in the shelter too long and need some respite; and some cats need a break from living in a kennel. Providing time in your home helps them sleep deeply and feel their best selves again. RASKC also offers puppies, kittens, and rabbits for foster care too.
Foster volunteers are given online training, great support, and everything necessary– free pet food, free medical care for the animal, and a free kennel. When the pet is ready to be adopted, you may choose to: a) Select who the animal will be adopted to within our Adopters Welcome guidelines, b) Bring the animal back to the shelter, or c) Adopt the animal yourself. You can decide when the time is right for you to foster– on an ongoing basis or just every once in a while. Community service might be available for school (if it is okay with the school). Usually, 1.5 hours is credited for each day an animal is cared for in your home.
- Complete a RASKC volunteer application if you are an adult. One application per household.
- Go to RASKC’s website. View the Training Module 4 – then answer the questions. The other training modules are optional.
- Submit your completed liability release form if you are an adult.
Contact: Sarah Luthens, RASKC.Volunteers@kingcounty.
Evan’s Creek Trail Decommissioning Project / City of Sammamish
- Date/Time: Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Location: Stormwater Facility, 2679 233rd Pl NE, Sammamish. This facility is located in the Summer Ridge housing community; please double check address when navigating. Street parking only is available. Please carpool or plan to be dropped off. If you do park nearby, please do not block driveways, mailboxes, roads, etc. when parking.
- Ages: Families with children 8 years old and older or welcome to participate. Volunteers 13 years old and younger should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Time Commitment: Three-hour shift.
Join the City on a special restoration project as part of the Evan’s Creek Preserve Expansion Project. Volunteers will be helping prep a section of trail that is slated to be decommissioned by stabilizing steep areas and planting vegetation to discourage use of unsafe social trails that were created by people going off-trail. We will provide water, snacks, gloves and tools.
What to wear: Please dress appropriately for weather, and wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes suitable for hiking (e.g. hiking boots with good tread & ankle support) and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please bring your own snacks. All volunteers should also bring a full, refillable water bottle. Compostable cups will be provided for those that don’t have them or forget them.
Contact: Sebastian Ritacco, sritacco@sammamish.us, 425.414.0829. Registration is available online.
Check Out Our Featured Project Of The Month!
Create Greeting Cards
EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you’re ready. Each project includes conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month’s project and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness).
Let’s Show Kids that Love Rules!
Though it may seem cliché this time of year, the need for love is real. As many face isolation, angst, and uncertainty, we can lead by example to show our kids that love rules. And we can do that with more than just words. Let’s focus on love in the books we read, the gifts we give, and the activities we pursue. To do that, remember DGT’s offerings, including love-themed books, our Shop Kind Gift Guide, and our Valentine’s-themed Kindness Challenge.
This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ and reposted with permission. When calling or emailing to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement, or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together™. Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. © 2025 Doing Good Together™
