Retired with lots of time
» Score San Diego. This 50-year-old group affiliated with the Small Business Administration puts the experience of retired executives to work to help local small businesses succeed. sandiego.score.org
» San Diego Council on Literacy. There’s nothing more satisfying than helping an adult discover the love of reading for the first time. You don’t need any previous experience—just a love for reading and helping people. literacysandiego.org
» Balboa Park museums. With such a large collection of museums in our showcase park, there are always some looking for volunteers to tour as docents or tour guides. Pick your passion. balboapark.org/volunteer-opportunities-in-balboa-park
Working but want to give back
Sign Me Up: Where to Volunteer If You’re…
» Big Brothers Big Sisters. Kids facing adversity need positive grown-ups to hang out with. Whether it’s by playing sports together, reading books, going for pizza, or getting a makeover, you’ll make an impact and change both your lives. sdbigs.org
» City of San Diego Park & Recreation Department. If being out in nature is what you love, join the weekend cadre of Park & Rec volunteers for trail maintenance, habitat restoration, park beautification, and more projects to keep our city looking great. sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation
»KPBS Radio Reading Service. Tell me a story! This service for the blind broadcasts the readings of newspapers, books, and magazines 24 hours a day over a private audio channel—with all local publication readings produced by volunteers. kpbs.org/radio/reading-service/
Looking for something drop-in or part-time
» San Diego Humane Society. Animal lovers find fostering or volunteering here a great way to give back. The Humane Society will find the best fit for your schedule and give you the training to help animals find loving forever homes. sdhumane.org
» Local arts organizations. If your heart is in the theater, most dance, music, and theater groups gladly welcome volunteers to help with everything from office work to leading backstage tours and housing visiting artists. You might even end up on stage as a supernumerary. Inquire with your favorite group to see where they need help!
Sign Me Up: Where to Volunteer If You’re…
adopt-a-beach volunteer
» Mary Birch Hospital’s NICU. Exhausted parents can’t always be there 24/7 with their tiny babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. You can help soothe and cuddle babies during the most important time of their lives. sharp.com/hospitals/mary-birch/volunteers.cfm
A family looking for a creative project
» San Diego River Park Foundation. Kids love pitching in to help keep our river and its banks healthy, while learning a lot about the local ecosystem. sandiegoriver.org
» Just Call Us Volunteers. Children as young as 10 help prep the food, and kids of all ages help serve it, as the tireless Julie Darling and her group feed the homeless. It’s an especially powerful family experience on holidays like Thanksgiving. justcallusvolunteers.org
» Adopt-a-Beach. Your kids already love the beach—teach them to care for it, too! Adopt a site of your choice and do cleanups based on your schedule; I Love a Clean San Diego provides all the supplies, free. adoptsd.org
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Botanical Building at Balboa Park
