Many families are more determined than ever to incorporate giving back into their year, especially around seasonal holidays. These websites can help you find volunteer opportunities for your whole family. Whether you’re looking to host a food drive, help a local food bank, or get outdoors and volunteer at a restoration project, there is something for everyone!
Family volunteer idea: Find your best fit
Doing Good Together
Compiles lists of family-friendly volunteering opportunities called Big-Hearted Families. Listings aren’t searchable/sortable, but all opportunities are created with families in mind and with a general theme of kindness. Age restrictions are included in the listings. Sign up for their newsletter by city and receive opportunities right in your inbox.
United Way of King County
A searchable database of volunteer activities that enables you to search for family-friendly options. Volunteer opportunities include tutoring, helping families who experience homelessness, and students/families who experience hunger.
Volunteer Match
A searchable database allows you to filter results based on specific causes and matches that are a good fit for kid and teen volunteers. A recent check revealed 1,145+ potential volunteer opportunities, so surely there is something that will fit your family’s interests and abilities!
Family volunteer ideas: Host a food drive
A food drive is something your whole family can be involved in. Many organizations provide resources such as printable flyers, collection containers, and pick-up after your drive. Here are just a few of the organizations you could partner with:
Food Lifeline
Food Lifeline distributes donations to 275 member agencies across Western Washington and welcomes assistance via food drives conducted either online or in person. This is a perfect opportunity to start your own food drive by following these Five Steps for a successful food drive with your family.
Additional Volunteer Opportunities: Bring your family and kids to volunteer at the Hunger Solution Center, where they welcome kids ages ten and up and have open sessions accompanied by an adult.
Location: Food Lifeline, 815 S 96th St, Boulevard Park, WA 98108
Contact: (206) 545-6600
Hopelink
Offers a food bank, food delivery, and emergency feeding services to families in crisis in the following areas: Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Shoreline, and Sno-Valley.
Food Drive: Hopelink encourages families to start a food drive where they can involve their kids. Feel free to email drives@hopelink.org to get started.
Locations:
Bellevue: 14812 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98007
Kirkland: 11011 120th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98033
Redmond: 8990 154th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052
Shoreline: 17837 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133
Northwest Harvest
Northwest Harvest nonprofit uses donations to provide more than 2 million meals to Washingtonians every month. They advocate the right for everyone to access nutritious food. Participate and help support this non-profit by starting a food drive with your family or volunteering at the organization in the Seattle area.
Food Drive: Northwest Harvest encourages volunteer opportunities by hosting a food drive with your kids and family as a way to get involved.
Additional volunteer opportunities: Get your family involved in the community by volunteering at the SODO Community Market and engaging in hands-on volunteer work, including helping with repacking staple items for distribution, sorting donations, and setting up for the following day. Ages 9 and up are welcome.
Location: Northwest Harvest Sodo Market, 1915 4th Ave, S, Seattle, WA 98034
Contact: (206) 625-0755
University District Food Bank
This Seattle local food bank continues its mission to prevent hunger in the community and provide a store space for individuals to select groceries to take home and focus on giving access to food choices across a healthy eating spectrum.
Food Drive: You can choose between hosting a Community or Private Food Drive; you can email eric@udistrictfoodbank.org to get involved.
Additional Volunteer Opportunities: Join the volunteer team where you can get your kids involved at the local food bank. Children under age 12, must be accompanied by an adult. There are group volunteer opportunities so you can get your neighbors and friends to bring their kids as well. Contact volunteer@udistrictfoodbank.org to get started.
Location: University District Food Bank, 5017 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Contact: (206) 523-7060
Family Volunteer Idea: Outdoor Volunteering
Adopt a Street
Get your family involved in helping clean up the Seattle neighborhood streets by committing to clean up litter along the street of your choice. They provide free supplies and safety equipment, pick up and dispose of collected waste, and track your work as you help clean up the streets. sign up here.
Location: Multiple locations
Contact: call (206) 684-7647 or email adoptastreet@seattle.gov
Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association
This non-profit organization in West Seattle offers Forest Restoration Volunteer Opportunities, where you and your family can sign up to participate in fun, hands-on conservation work and help restore the forests. Volunteering includes helping remove invasive plants and planting native species in the various forest locations. Children ages five and up can volunteer but must have a signed waiver before participating.
Location: Multiple restoration site locations (Delridge Wetland Park, Camp Long, Roxhill Park, and more)
Contact: call (206)-935-2999 or email office@dnda.org
Upcoming Events: Forest Restoration Calendar Events
