Volunteering in Greensboro NC — Updated Guide (2026)
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. Below we’ve put together a complete list of volunteer opportunities in Greensboro and Guilford County. If your favorite nonprofit isn’t on here, send us a note and we’ll add it!
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 their website and clicking the donate tab, or mail/bring donations to the location.
Contact: 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. They’ve collected 1.7 million meals since starting 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), leave the bag on your front porch and volunteers pick it up, take it to a local food pantry, and leave an empty bag to repeat the process.
Volunteering: Volunteer as a driver to pick up bags from food donors’ homes, help in the office organizing reusable bags, or help unload and shelve donated food at partner pantries.
Contact: 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 reducing 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 patients); monetary donations.
Contact: 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. They provide tangible basic necessities to local children, such as food, clothing, and hygiene products.
Needs: See their greatest needs list on their website. 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. Needs range from delivery drivers to Family Market and warehouse volunteers.
Contact: Parker White
parker@backpackbeginnings.org
336.954.7445
Volunteer Opportunities | List of Greatest Needs
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. They develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
Needs: Volunteers, donors, and partners. Mentors must be at least 18 years old.
Contact: 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 new, clean items for babies, children, and teens. 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:
Amelia Brady ameliabrady@familyroomtriad.com
Get Involved
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: Volunteers to assist with farm work (planting, weeding, harvesting) and support at the Food Hub (produce sorting, packing, distribution).
Contact: 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 investigate the circumstances of children’s lives, help locate community resources, and attend court hearings to report what is in the child’s best interest. GALs serve until the child is in a safe, permanent home.
Needs: Community volunteers to serve 8-12 hours per month as a court-appointed advocate. The time is flexible and built around the volunteer’s schedule. No experience or education requirements are necessary.
Contact: Kiara Coulman, 336-412-7597
kiara.d.coulman@nccourts.org
Out of the Garden Project
About: Out of the Garden Project delivers fresh, healthy food with dignity — nourishing children, families, and seniors, and building communities where no one goes hungry. One in 5 children in Guilford County is unsure when they will have their next meal.
Needs: Non-perishable food donations are always needed. You can also organize a food drive with your school, faith community, civic group, or business. Suggested donation items include canned meat, vegetables, beans, fruits, pasta, soups, peanut butter, rice, and healthy snacks. (Note: no glass jar packaging please.)
Contact:
Food donations: Ellen@OutoftheGardenProject.org
Volunteering: Volunteer@outofthegardenproject.org
The Salvation Army of Greensboro
About: The Salvation Army pledges to do the most good with contributions of money, time, and resources — 82 cents of every dollar donated are directly allocated to services that assist people in need.
Needs: The biggest holiday need is volunteers to ring bells — a great family tradition for any age! Also needed: new, unwrapped toys (especially for ages 10-12 and infants), and volunteers at the Christmas Toy Shop, Center of Hope shelter, and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Contact:
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: Monetary gifts, donated items, or the gift of your time.
Contact:
Mary Kate Farley
336-420-4187
marykate@shgso.com | success@sanctuaryhousegso.com
Senior Resources of Guilford (A United Way Member Agency)
About: Senior Resources of Guilford provides a wide range of services to help older adults in Guilford County live independently and with dignity. Their Meals on Wheels program delivers meals to homebound elderly clients across Greensboro, High Point, Jamestown, Summerfield, and Pleasant Garden.
Volunteering: Volunteers use their own vehicles to pick up meals between 9:00–9:45 AM, Monday through Friday. Deliveries take about 2 hours to complete. Volunteer parking attendants are also needed during Greensboro Grasshoppers home games.
Additional Services for Seniors & Families:
- SeniorLine — referral service for housing, transportation, caregiver assistance, home-delivered meals, in-home aides, legal services, and more. Call (336) 333-6981
- Senior Wheels Transportation — free transportation to and from scheduled medical appointments
- Family Caregiver Support Program — free support groups for those dealing with dementia and cognitive issues; support group for grandparents raising grandchildren; respite care grants for family caregivers
- Evergreens Lifestyle Center — active senior center for adults 55+ with 8 exercise classes per week, a full gym, arts & crafts, social activities, book clubs, movies, educational presentations, and a health literacy library
- Rural Outreach — monthly luncheons and programs for seniors in Colfax, Oak Ridge, Stokesdale, Summerfield, and southeastern Guilford County
- Refugee Outreach — monthly luncheons, socialization, and educational programs (including citizenship training) for seniors aged 60+ with refugee status
- Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program — information and counseling on Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans
- Foster Grandparents Program — matches income-eligible seniors aged 55+ with at-risk children in Guilford County Schools and Child Development Centers as role models and tutors. A stipend is paid.
- Durable Medical Equipment — provides incontinence supplies and durable medical equipment to seniors in need
Contact:
Chandler Schmidt, Volunteer Coordinator
(336) 373-4816, ext. 284
volcoord@senior-resources-guilford.org
StepUp Greensboro
About: StepUp Ministry is a community of diverse faiths that partners with adults and children toward stable lives through Jobs and Life Skills Training. They help the unemployed, underemployed, homeless, and those who need a second chance. Job Readiness Training is offered monthly, and a hot meal (Hot Dish and Hope) is served Tuesday and Thursday evenings at First Presbyterian Church.
Needs: 4GB flash drives, HP Printer ink (#96 and #97), printer paper, manila and hanging folders, ballpoint pens, colored pocket folders, $10 gas cards, 11-ride city bus passes, gently used stuffed animals, Walmart gift cards, juice boxes, and simple children’s snacks. Also: adult men’s and women’s clothing (especially men’s pants & jeans) and professional business attire for the Jobs program.
Contact:
336-676-5871
Wheels 4 Hope
About: Wheels 4 Hope provides safe, reliable, affordable vehicles to people who need them. Transportation is key to economic stability — they put people on the road to a better life.
Needs: Donated vehicles (all tax-deductible). Call to schedule a pickup. Volunteers are also needed to pick up donated vehicles, run car errands (inspections, garage drop-offs), and volunteer mechanics to help fix donated cars.
Contact:
Adriane Singleton
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. The Y touches thousands of lives throughout Guilford County and Rockingham County.
Contact:
Youth of Unity — Unity in Greensboro
About: Youth of Unity is an inclusive group for high schoolers that promotes service, leadership, and social-emotional growth. Students learn how to plan and facilitate service projects they are passionate about, with guidance and support. High schoolers throughout the Triad area are welcome.
Contact:
Miranda Baker
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 train for 10 weeks toward a 5K race. GO FAR serves more than 4,000 runners in the Piedmont Triad.
Needs: Volunteers for local events including The Great Pumpkin 5K Trail Run and the semi-annual Triad GO FAR 5K & Fun Run. Financial contributions support program development, the scholarship fund, and the Lace Up shoe fund (which provides new running shoes to participating children).
Contact: Ruthan May, 336-402-0984
rmay@gofarclub.org
Are we missing your favorite nonprofit? Email us and we’ll get it added to the list!
