Reach out with something like, “Hi, my name’s Sammi and I’m a local high schooler. I’m really passionate about what you do, and I’d love to get involved. Do you have any opportunities for volunteers? I’m happy to do whatever I can to help. ” You can even send in a resume or just a brief sentence listing a few skills like, “I’m a diligent worker, and I have strong social media skills. ”
Amnesty International (Human Rights) Feeding America (Hunger) Learning Ally (Disability Support) Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Health) Rock the Vote (Non-Partisan Civic Engagement) UNICEF (Health/Advocacy)
Search online for a local soup kitchen or a place of worship that offers meals for those in need.
As a volunteer, you might help socialize and care for the animals, walk dogs, clean up waste, assist with clerical work, answer phones, and interact with visitors.
This is an especially great opportunity to serve if you’d like to pursue a career in medicine.
Get a group of musical friends together and ask the home if you can put on a concert. Offer to help residents with arthritis write letters. Visit with residents and enjoy a meal together to provide company. Walk dogs or take care of pets for the elderly. Help seniors with technology.
This is a great opportunity if you’re looking at a career in teaching or education.
If you can’t find a volunteer tutoring organization, ask a teacher to act as a supervisor for your own self-made volunteering program. Put up flyers around your school and offer free tutoring during lunchtime or right after school.
You can also check a national community organization like the YMCA for opportunities to get involved with their afterschool programs.
To really make an impact, consider making this a long-term commitment so you can build a lasting relationship with the younger kids.
Ask your school or a local service group if you can borrow supplies. You’ll need gloves and trash bags at a minimum, though it would be ideal to have a few trash grabbers, too. Start at a park or beach to be safe. If you work alongside a road, be very careful and wear bright clothes or high-visibility neon vests.
Operation Gratitude (contribute to care packages for deployed soldiers) Toys for Tots (collect toys for children whose parents can’t afford Christmas gifts) Feeding America (collect non-perishable food items to bring to local food banks)
You can even ask your school if you can do the bake sale at the next football game, orchestra concert, or school play to get more people to stop by.
American Cancer Society Relay For Life Girls on the Run 5ks St. Jude Hero Runs
Keep in mind serving as a youth group leader or doing work that benefits the place of worship might not count as service hours. Some schools consider that work that benefits a private organization rather than the broader community. [15] X Research source Regardless, it’s always worth checking with your school to see whether your hours will count or not!
For instance, if you’re organizing a protest for an environmental cause, your school might let you count those hours if you get the event approved in advance.
