Summer Volunteer Projects: 50 Ways to Give Back and Create a Summer of Purpose

Possible summer volunteer projects. Summer is a great time to get involved in volunteering and make a difference in your community. Whether you’re looking to build new skills, meet new people, or just give back, there are countless ways to get involved. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 50 ways to volunteer this summer, ranging from local opportunities to virtual options that you can participate in from anywhere.

50 Summer Volunteer Projects to Give Back and Create a Summer of Purpose

1. Volunteer at a local food bank or pantry. Many organizations need help sorting and distributing food to those in need.
2. Assist with park cleanups. Get outside and help keep your local parks clean and beautiful.
3. Donate blood. Blood donations are always in high demand, and every donation can save up to three lives.
4. Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Help provide food and shelter to those in need in your community.
5. Become a mentor. Many organizations offer mentoring programs for youth, and you can help make a positive impact on a young person’s life. While you could start this as one of your summer volunteer projects, you may realize how much you enjoy mentoring and continue to mentor others year round.
6. Volunteer at a hospital. Many hospitals need volunteers to assist with various tasks, such as delivering mail and providing comfort to patients.
7. Help with animal rescue. Volunteer at a local animal shelter or rescue organization and help care for animals in need.
8. Teach a class. Share your skills and knowledge by teaching a class on a topic you’re passionate about.
9. Support a charity walk or run. Participate in a charity walk or run to raise money and awareness for a cause you care about.
10. Help with disaster relief. Join a disaster relief organization and assist with relief efforts in the aftermath of natural disasters.
11. Volunteer at a community garden. Get your hands dirty and help grow fresh produce for your community.
12. Help with environmental conservation. Volunteer with an environmental organization to help protect the planet and preserve natural resources.
13. Assist with literacy programs. Help teach reading and writing skills to children and adults in your community.
14. Volunteer with a youth sports program. Help coach or referee youth sports teams in your area.
15. Support a community center. Volunteer at a local community center and help provide resources and support to community members.
16. Help with senior care. Volunteer at a nursing home or assisted living facility and spend time with seniors who may be lonely or in need of assistance.
17. Become a volunteer firefighter. Join your local fire department and help keep your community safe.

    

18. Help with after-school programs. Volunteer with an after-school program to provide academic support and enrichment activities to children.
19. Volunteer at a library. Assist with library programs and help maintain the library’s resources.
20. Help with arts and culture programs. Volunteer at a museum or arts organization and help promote cultural awareness in your community.
21. Become a Big Brother or Big Sister. Join a mentoring program and provide support and guidance to a young person.
22. Assist with disaster preparedness. Volunteer with a disaster preparedness organization and help your community prepare for emergencies.
23. Volunteer at a homeless outreach center. Help provide resources and support to homeless individuals in your community.
24. Support a local theater. Volunteer at a theater organization and help with productions and events.
25. Help with youth camps. Volunteer at a summer camp or day camp for children and provide support and supervision.
26. Volunteer with a veterans organization. Assist with programs and events that support veterans in your community.
27. Become a literacy tutor. Help individuals improve their reading and writing skills through one-on-one tutoring.
28. Help with youth mentoring programs. Volunteer with a mentoring program for at-risk youth and provide guidance and support.
29. Volunteer with a community service organization. Join a community service organization and assist with various projects and initiatives.
30. Support a youth advocacy group. Volunteer with an organization that advocates for the rights and well-being of youth.
31. Participate in a beach or a park clean-up by picking up trash, pulling invasive weeds or non-native plant species, and beautifying the neighborhood while protecting the environment.

    

32. Participate in a community art project. Help beautiful your neighborhood with art installations.
33. Build and put up bird houses in your community.
34. Build and install butterfly and ladybug boxes in a nearby garden.
35. Help create a community garden where you live. This not only is a summer volunteer project but it can always feed people in your community for either part of all of the year depending on where you live.
36. Join a neighborhood watch organization. Help keep your community members safe by patrolling and reporting suspicious activity.
37. Volunteer at an environmental organization and work to protect trees, plants, animals, and our waterways.
38. Join a local historical society and help preserve local history and heritage.
39. Participate in a community service trip and travel to another part of the world to assist with community projects.
40. Join one of the organizations promoted on the Whole Champion Foundation website. You can search by whatever cause is near and dear to your heart and search our databank of hundreds of other nonprofits and causes.
41. Join a local political campaign and help support candidates and causes in which you believe.
42. Volunteer at a job skills program and share your knowledge with those who are under or unemployed.
43. Join a local conservation group and help preserve local ecosystems and protect wildlife.
44. Plant more trees in your area to provide habitats for animals and insects and to help “clean” the air.
45. Join a community choir or band. Sing or play an instrument and bring joy to others.
46. Create a lending library or a mini food bank on your property and encourage your neighbors to contribute to both.
47. Create a bike for a cause campaign and enlist your friends to participate and raise money and awareness for social and environmental causes.
48. Volunteer to run errands or read to a person in your neighborhood who is elderly or lacks the abilities you have. You can start doing as one of your summer volunteer projects but we are sure that if you extend it into the whole year, the person would be very grateful.
49. Help paint something—a house, a wall, a fence—in your neighborhood to help beautiful the space.
50. Volunteer to walk a neighbor’s dog or do some chores for someone in need of assistance.

While these 50 summer volunteer projects are only the start of things you could do, we at Whole Champion Foundation encourage you to join us in June, July, and August and create a Summer of Purpose for yourself and your family. Summer volunteer projects are a great way to give and to start the momentum for living a life of purpose.