Volunteer Opportunities

JennyMendoza

The  Advocate

Looking for community service opportunities but don’t know where to volunteer?

Here’s a list of possible local options with brief descriptions. If any of them capture your interest, simply go on their website and sign up to volunteer. Or, email/contact them directly! 

Meals on Wheels People

Meals on Wheels People and Meals 4 Kids focus on delivering food to seniors and families living below the poverty line. Another service they provide is friendly chats with seniors over the phone. Both options are available to volunteers. Meals On Wheels also has a dining center that accepts volunteers.

Milk Crate 

Kitchen

Milk Crate is a Portland nonprofit outfit started by Micheal Casper during the COVID pandemic, but over time his impact on our community has gotten even greater. His mission is to cook, prepare, and deliver food to families in need. Milk Crate’s team of volunteers continues to grow. Volunteer positions include helping in the kitchen, sorting for drivers, remotely assisting drivers on the day of deliveries, and delivering meals.

Food 4 Families

Food4Families started from a group of Centennial High School students with a desire to assist local households. The Oregon Food Bank partnered with them to ensure sure they have the resources to continue using their mobile food pantries to deliver to communities high in need.

The mobile food pantry is an old school bus; the group also sets up tables outside the bus for families. Beyond current high school students, volunteer positions include bus driver, grant writing, and other administrative and finance tasks. Students still in high can volunteer by guiding clients through the pantries and making grocery selections.

The Rockwood Center

The Rockwood Center is owned and operated by Gresham United Methodist Ministries, a religious nonprofit. The center provides opportunities for the local community to make art, music, and fosters learning environments. If you are talented in music, the group would love to have someone teach others how to play ukulele, keyboard, hand drums, snare drums, or teach singing. Amazing at sewing? Volunteer in their we-sew program!

There are other ways to volunteer, so contact them on its website to find how to help. You can also donate instruments, art supplies, and sewing supplies to the center.

Community Music Center, Inc.

Community Music Center gives the opportunity for people of all ages to learn how to play music on a variety of instruments. Classes are affordable, and the organization has low-cost instrument rentals. As a volunteer, you can be a classroom assistant, help with library work, and help with recital reception hosting. By signing up to receive emails you can see what more volunteer opportunities are available.

Minds Matter Portland 

Interested in helping high school students prepare for college? Minds Matter Portland helps high schoolers from low-income backgrounds plan their future and succeed through college. Volunteer opportunities inlude college mentor, test prep instructor, writing and critical thinking adviser, lunch lead, and grant writing lead. Some of these positions are for college graduates, so if you are about to graduate or have a degree from Mt. Hood, they are available to you.

Friends Of Outdoor School

This group focuses on making outdoor school accessible to all youth and to contribute to their educational development. Outdoor School is an opportunity for many school children in fifth and sixth grade to experience and learn about nature and natural sciences related to their community and economy. There are many volunteer positions, including specific needs one-on-one volunteer, student leader volunteers, and classroom guest speakers.

Family Promise of Metro East

Family Promise helps prevent families from becoming homeless by having emergency shelters available, running stabilization programs (tenancy training, financial capability, educational initiatives, career pathways, tech support, health and wellness), and obtaining housing. It also has food pantries, drop-in community centers, clothing closets, transportation services, and more. Volunteers can be mini-bus drivers, take part in the fundraising committee, the guest services committee, serve with event volunteers, serve as Ambassador of Buzz (newsletter lditor), or become a host site volunteer. There are also virtual volunteer opportunities available.

African Refugee Immigrant Organization

ARIO helps refugee and immigrant families find community, receive help and gain skills towards becoming their own advocates. The group provides family and youth services, employment and training services, community empowerment (workshops and leadership training), house and utility services, health services, helping pupils navigate education through graduating high school, and senior support services. You can volunteer at their events, workshops, programs and services by registering on their website.

Community Services Network

Community Services Network is a group of nonprofits looking to better serve together. There are many roles for CSN volunteers listed on its website. CSN can also send emails for volunteer opportunities happening each month, which may differ each time. If you enjoy helping in different ways each month, I recommend looking into CSN and following its social media where these opportunities are announced. 

Key Club

Available only at high schools for students there, the Key Club is great for being informed on volunteer opportunities available to its members. These might even include volunteering at your own high school. It’s a great place to start for high schoolers nervous about volunteering; as a former member, I highly recommend this to anyone.

Links – to go with Jenny’s Volunteer Opportunities story!!  (side box? or atop/bottom of each section?)

Meals On Wheels People:

Milk Crate Kitchen:

Food4Families:

The Rockwood Center:

Community Music Center, Inc.: 

Minds Matter Portland:

Friends Of Outdoor School:

Family Promise of Metro East:

African Refugee Immigrant Organization:

Community Services Network:

Key Club: