Places to Volunteer in Boston

Boston Volunteering Shirt
Photo by Abhishek Kumar on Flickr

Kudos to you for your interest in volunteering! Boston has many volunteer opportunities (too many for me to list them all here, in fact). So I want to recommend a couple of sites that can help you find a more comprehensive listing of places to volunteer around Boston, and a few specific organizations I’d recommend.

BostonCares – This site has a calendar of Boston volunteering events, as well as a keyword search (e.g. “children”, “reading”) for volunteer opportunities in the area. It’s all local, and check their resources section for email newsletters that can act as regular reminders.

The Boston Volunteer Meetup – This is a group anyone can join, that regularly meets to volunteer as a group to help different causes. It’s a great way to make friends volunteering, and participate in a diverse set of of activities.

826 Boston – A cause close to my own heart, 826 Boston is the local chapter of a national kids writing tutorship program. Help young students learn to write creatively and clearly; work one-on-one with kids to give them feedback and encourage them to express themselves.

Habitat for Humanity Boston – This well-known charity has an active Boston chapter. If you’re interested in volunteering to help build housing for under-privileged families in our own community, this is a great opportunity.

 

Bikes Not Bombs Love
Photo by Katie Harris on Flickr

Bikes Not Bombs – A unique organization, BNB recycles bikes for environmentally-friendly, community-empowering charity in both Boston neighborhoods and developing countries. If you’re a cyclist, you’ll not only learn some new bike maintenance & mechanic skills, but you’ll also earn a small amount of credit toward the purchase of parts or services for your own bike.

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston – Big Sisters are female mentors for little girls that need positive women role models in their life. You have the opportunity to be part of a team of 5-6 women mentoring a small group of girls, or a one-on-one mentor. It’s usually a once-per-week commitment, and has the opportunity to make a significant impact on a girls’ life.

Tenacity – Can you read or play tennis!? Tenacity is an after-school program that helps provide kids with an active, safe, educational after-school option. They’re looking for volunteers to either be literacy tutors or tennis instructors. It’s a fun, unique way to help kids out.