places to volunteer your time in Greensboro
Volunteering in your community is one of the best ways to make a real difference, and it’s also a great way to meet people who care about the same things you do. Whether you’re helping out at a local food bank, mentoring students, or joining a neighborhood clean-up, your time and skills can make a big impact. Plus, volunteering gives you a sense of purpose and connection that’s hard to beat.
In Greensboro, there are so many amazing nonprofits where you can lend a hand and be part of something bigger. From supporting local causes to learning new skills and meeting others in your community, the rewards of giving back are endless. Below, we’ve put together a list of ways to get involved. If your favorite nonprofit isn’t on here, just send us a note and we’ll add it. We hope you find a cause that speaks to your heart and jump in!
Greensboro Non-Profits to Volunteer With:
After Gateway Inc.
ABOUT: After Gateway is a nationally accredited day health program for adults with severe developmental disabilities.
NEEDS: Amazon Gift Cards (to purchase games, music, music instruments, sensory toys); early learning games, sensory toys, art supplies, AA and AAA batteries, paper products, and pump hand sanitizer. Donate by visiting the website above and clicking on the donate tab, or mail/bring donations to the location.
CONTACT INFO
336-379-7670
aftergateway@gmail.com
A Simple Gesture-Greensboro, High Point, and Guilford County
ABOUT: A Simple Gesture collects nonperishable food for 18 Guilford County food pantries, food pantries in schools and Head Start facilities, and mini-pantries in medical offices. We’ve collected 1.7 million meals since our start in 2015.
NEEDS: Families to commit to filling a reusable grocery bag with nonperishable food every other month. On the designated pickup day (always a Saturday), they leave the bag on their front porch, and volunteers pick it up, take it to a local food pantry, and leave an empty bag to repeat the process two months later.
VOLUNTEERING: You can volunteer to be a driver and pick up bags of food from food donors’ homes on the pickup day. We also have volunteers who help in our office to organize and tag our reusable grocery bags, and volunteers who help unload and shelve donated food at our partner pantries.
CONTACT INFO
Leslie Isakoff
leslie.isakoff@asimplegesturegso.org
336.547.7000
Alcohol & Drug Services (ADS Integrative Health Services)
ABOUT: ADS is a non-profit behavioral health prevention, intervention, and treatment agency committed to a better future. Our mission is simple. We strive to reduce the impact of addiction, mental illness, and medical disorders in Greensboro by creating meaningful change in individuals, groups, and communities.
NEEDS: Small gifts to be distributed (around 50 toys for kids ages 0-5, the children of the patients); Monetary donations.
CONTACT INFO
Les Quagliano
(336) 333-6860 ext 237
lquagliano@adsyes.org
BackPack Beginnings
ABOUT: BackPack Beginnings’ mission is to connect children and their families with resources needed to thrive. Our vision is a community of healthy and well-nourished children. We provide tangible basic necessities to local children, such as food, clothing, and hygiene products.
NEEDS: See a list of their greatest needs at the button to the right. They also accept gently used items such as children’s clothing and shoes, children’s books, stuffed animals, toys, and plastic grocery bags.
VOLUNTEERING: Children 5 and older are welcome to join us. Our needs range from delivery drivers to Family Market and warehouse volunteers.
CONTACT INFO
Parker White
parker@backpackbeginnings.org
336.954.7445
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont
ABOUT: As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer-supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
NEEDS: Volunteers, Donors, and Partners!
VOLUNTEERING: Mentors must be at least 18 years old to become a BIG BROTHER/BIG SISTER.
CONTACT INFO
Amy Lawson (336-378-9100 ext. 2)
Amy@bbbscp.org
High Point Office 336.887.4685
Family Room
ABOUT: For babies, kids, and teens coming into a new foster home, often with little to nothing, Family Room is an immediate resource that provides them and the families caring for them with everything they need at no cost to the foster parents.
NEEDS: Monetary donations and items are always needed. We accept clean, quality new items like new baby, children, and teen items. Some items must pass a recall inspection, and ALL items must be clean and ready for a child to use.
VOLUNTEERING: Weekly, monthly, and quarterly opportunities are available for individuals or groups.
CONTACT INFO
Amelia Brady
ameliabrady@familyroomtriad.com
Growing High Point
ABOUT: Growing High Point works to transform under-resourced neighborhoods in High Point through food access, community engagement, and urban entrepreneurship. Founded in 2016, the organization converts vacant lots into urban farms, operates the Growdega mobile market, and runs programs like the Farm Share and Farmer-In-Training initiatives.
NEEDS: Growing High Point is seeking volunteers to assist with farm work, including planting, weeding, and harvesting, as well as support operations at the Food Hub, such as produce sorting, packing, and distribution. These hands-on roles are essential to keeping local food flowing from our urban farms to the community!
CONTACT INFO
Lauren
lauren@growinglocalhp.com
Guardian ad Litem Program
ABOUT: Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers serve as court-appointed advocates and the voice for children in the juvenile court system. GALs perform an independent investigation into the circumstances of these children’s lives, facilitate their needs being met by helping locate community resources, and advocate for those services to be put into place. Furthermore, GALs attend court hearings on behalf of the child to report to the Court what is in the child’s best interest concerning their life. GALs serve until the child is out of the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services and into a safe, permanent home.
NEEDS: Community volunteers to serve 8-12 hours per month performing their duties as a court-appointed advocate. The time spent volunteering is flexible and built around the GAL’s schedule. Volunteers are needed from all backgrounds; no experience or education requirements are necessary.
CONTACT INFO
Kiara Coulman
336-412-7597
kiara.d.coulman@nccourts.org
The Salvation Army of Greensboro
ABOUT: The Salvation Army pledges to do the most good with contributions of money, time, and resources, evidenced in that 82 cents of every dollar donated are directly allocated to services that assist people in need.
NEEDS: Our biggest need during Christmas is for volunteers to ring bells. This is a great family tradition to establish and can accommodate any age! Our next largest need during the holiday is new, unwrapped toys. Specifically, we need toys for older kids, 10-12 years old, as well as infant toys and items. Also, there are opportunities to volunteer at the Christmas Toy Shop, or Center of Hope shelter, and the Boys & Girls Clubs.
CONTACT INFO
Nathan Lawson
nathan.lawson@uss.salvationarmy.org
Kelli Coley
kelli.coley@uss.salvationarmy.org
Sanctuary House & A Sweet Success Bakery
ABOUT: The mission of Sanctuary House is to facilitate the recovery and rehabilitation of adults with serious mental illness in Guilford County so that they may achieve and sustain satisfying, meaningful roles and lives in the community.
NEEDS: We welcome your support, whether it be a monetary gift, a donated item, or the gift of your time.
CONTACT INFO
Mary Kate Farley
336-420-4187
marykate@shgso.com success@sanctuaryhousegso.com
Senior Resources of Guilford (A United Way member agency)
ABOUT: Meals on Wheels at Senior Resources of Guilford is a program that helps deliver meals to homebound elderly clients.
NEEDS: We need volunteers to deliver meals to homebound clients in the Greensboro, Jamestown, and Pleasant Garden area. Volunteers use their own vehicles to pick up meals between 9:00 am and 9:45 am, Monday through Friday, and deliveries take about 2 hours to complete.
CONTACT INFO
Sara Cufr
336-373-4816 ext. 229 mobilemeals@senior-resources-guilford.org
StepUp Greensboro
ABOUT: StepUp Ministry is a community of diverse faiths that partners with adults and children in the shared goal of stable lives through Jobs and Life Skills Training. We seek to help the unemployed, underemployed, homeless and those who may be at risk and need a second chance. Job Readiness Training is offered monthly. More than 300 adults were served in 2015, and 150 secured jobs. We serve a hot, nutritious meal, Hot Dish and Hope, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the Mullin Life Center of First Presbyterian Church to the homeless and needy in our community.
NEEDS: 4 GB flash drives for client resumes, HP Printer ink (# 96 and # 97), Reams or box of multipurpose printer paper, white Reams of colored printer paper (yellow, green, beige, orange, blue), Manila folders (3 cut, letter size), Hanging folders (letter size), Paper cutter, Ball point pens, Colored pocket folders (blue, navy, black), $10 gas cards for transportation to job interviews, 11-ride city bus passes for transportation to job interviews, gently used and clean stuffed animals, WalMart gift cards for family needs, Juice boxes, and simple children snacks. Adult men’s and women’s clothing for the clothing closet…particularly men’s pants & jeans. Professional men’s and women’s business attire is accepted for the Jobs program.
CONTACT INFO
336-676-5871
info@stepupgreensboro.org
Wheels 4 Hope
ABOUT: Our mission is to provide safe, reliable, affordable vehicles to people who need them. Transportation is key to economic stability. We put people on the road to a better life.
NEEDS: Donated vehicles. All car donations are tax-deductible. Call the office to make an appointment for us to pick up your car. Volunteers are needed at this time to pick up donated vehicles and to run car errands, like getting cars inspected or dropping off cars at garages to get them fixed. We could use volunteer mechanics to fix the donated vehicles.
CONTACT INFO
Adriane Singleton
adriane@wheels4hope.org
YMCA of Greensboro
ABOUT: The mission of the YMCA of Greensboro is to put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.
NEEDS: When you give to the Y, you give more than your time, treasures, and talents. You are creating an environment and space where everyone belongs and touching thousands of lives throughout Guilford County and Rockingham County!
CONTACT INFO
Youth of Unity and unity in greensboro
ABOUT: Youth of Unity is an inclusive group for high schoolers that promotes service, leadership, and social-emotional growth. Students involved learn how to plan and facilitate service projects they are passionate about with guidance and support. High schoolers throughout the Triad area are welcome to get involved.
CONTACT INFO
Miranda Baker
youth@unityingreensboro.org
GO FAR (Go Out For A Run)
ABOUT: GO FAR is an after-school running program for elementary and middle-school children that promotes physical fitness, healthy nutrition, and good character development. Children learn about the goal-setting process during 10 weeks of training for a 5K race. GO FAR offers virtual programming and hosts local 5K events that serve more than 4,000 runners in the Piedmont Triad.
NEEDS: GO FAR has several needs for individuals and groups. These are great opportunities for corporate teams or youth who need service hours. We seek volunteers for our local events, including The Great Pumpkin 5K Trail Run and the semi-annual Triad GO FAR 5K & Fun Run. Financial contributions to GO FAR support program development, special events like the 5K and special projects like the scholarship fund and Lace Up shoe fund, which provides new running shoes to a portion of children participating in GO FAR annually.
CONTACT INFO
Ruthan May
336-402-0984
rmay@gofarclub.org
Are we missing your favorite non-profit? If so, please email us so we can get it included!
