Giving back to our community is a job each of us needs to do more often, an very important role to teach our children to take on, and a wonderful way to spend quality family time together.
Find ways to help people in need, plant trees, provide computers and/or technical knowledge, or beautify schools and playgrounds by giving a day to San Francisco.
Now might be the ideal time to set yourself up for next year's job. But you have to be willing to volunteer part-time in your community. Unpaid work can help you learn new skills, understand more about the workplace, and -- best of all -- give you something to point to when you're looking for a paid job in the future. Check out our great list of volunteer opportunities. Then scope out the possibilities in your own community.
Tips for Volunteers!
Internship Opportunities
• WHOmentors.com, Inc .
SF Park Work Days
Meet your neighbors and help spruce up your local park or any park in the City. Help garden, clean and repair items. You can find the complete schedule of park workdays and contact information on their website.
Community Service Opportunities
• Food Runners—pick up food from a business or restaurant and deliver to a shelter
• Project Open Hand—serve food and deliver to individual homes
• Hands On Bay Area—a variety of activities to choose from
• One Warm Coat—start your own coat drive or contribute to another one
• San Francisco Bay Area Volunteer Information Center—view a hot list of opportunitites
• The Volunteer Center—serving San Francisco and San Mateo Counties
• SFheart.com –find a variety of volunteer organizations
Give Your Love to Others and Lend a Hand
This is a good time to remind ourselves, and teach our kids, about the importance of giving back to our community all year long. There are many ways your family can help others who need a little extra help or love.
Here are a few ideas:
• Families can join SF Recreation & Parks Dept. or the Neighborhood Parks Council to beautify our parks and do some planting. Sign up for a project by calling (415) 831-6328.
• Sort canned food at the SF Food Bank.
• Interested in how President Obama views the importance of service and how he intends to encourage more participation in service projects? Read here.
Service Learning in Our Schools
Read about how implementing a service-learning project at Horace Mann Academic Middle School benefited the school and the community.
ServiceLearning.org has a great web page with resources for elementary, middle, and high school students as well as sections for K–12 teachers, college students, and parents.
Encouraging Kids to Volunteer
Volunteering with children is a great way to help them learn about giving back. Children learn valuable skills while “on the job.” Read more from CompassionateKids.com.
SFkids Tips
When choosing a volunteer opportunity, it's important to consider the following:
Your Child's/Family Interests
Your Interests
Your Child's Abilities
Your Abilities
Location, Frequency, and Duration
Staff Attitude
How long of a commitment?
What ages will an organization accept?
