Many families want to incorporate giving back into the season of giving thanks. These sites can help you find volunteer opportunities for your whole family.
Seattle Works
Offers a searchable database of volunteer opportunities. Filters such as age of volunteer, populations you would like to help, and zip code-specific opportunities will allow you to find the best fit for your family.
United Way of King County
Searchable database of volunteer activities that enables you to search for family-friendly options.
Volunteer Match
Searchable database allows you to filter results based on specific causes, as well as matches that are a good fit for kid and teen volunteers.
Doing Good Together
Compiles lists of family-friendly volunteering opportunities called Big-Hearted Families. Their listings are not searchable/sortable, but all opportunities are created with families in mind. Any specific age restrictions will be included in the listing.
Flash Volunteer
Sort volunteer opportunities by time frame and/or neighborhood.
Volunteer Washington
Statewide site that lets you search volunteering opportunities and agencies seeking volunteers, filtered by county.
One Brick
Search for volunteer opportunities in a calendar format. Read through the event descriptions to identify which opportunities are a good fit for families.
Host a food drive
A food drive is something that your whole family can be involved in. Many organizations even provide resources, such as printable flyers, food collection containers and suggestions for success and food collection at the conclusion of your drive. Here are just a few of the organizations that you can partner with for a family food drive.
Food Driving Box Northwest: Provides boxes that you keep in your car. Printed right on the box are the most-needed items. Boxes are available at and benefit the 27 Seattle Food Committee member food banks.
Food Lifeline: A member of Feeding America, Food Lifeline distributes donations to 275 member agencies across Western Washington.
foodlifeline.org/how-to-help/host-food-drive
Northwest Harvest: Statewide nonprofit that uses donations to provide more than 2 million meals to Washingtonians every month.
northwestharvest.org/food-drives
Emergency Feeding Program of Seattle and King County: Works with more than 200 partner agencies across King County to provide for food bags to anyone in need. The EFP reports that they supply 430,000 meals per year.
Hopelink: Offers food bank, food delivery and emergency feeding services to families in crisis in the following areas: Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Shoreline and Sno-Valley.
