Volunteer — WeGavewhat

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES with our partners

WGW Volunteer Directory

Jasa

WeGaveWhat volunteers connect with seniors on JASAChat, a program launched during the pandemic to connect volunteers with seniors for a weekly phone or video chat. Pairs are matched based on mutual preferences. Once you fill out an application and send through two references and your photo ID, you will have to complete a 45-minute training. You will then be matched with a buddy who you will connect with for 30 minutes each week for 6 weeks.

To volunteer: Sign up with WeGaveWhat's personal link.

River Fund

“The WeGaveWhat volunteers are all encompassing and integral to all things RIVER FUND. This compassionate, energetic and kind team has worked on everything from prepping and bagging our ‘grab and go’ grocery bags which feed hundreds of families a week; securing and delivering donated supplies; distributing food (and cheer) to our Mobile Operations Program clients; creating and driving our social media, tutoring children in our Cradle to College program, and, of course, joining (each week without fail!) our food distribution programs. They lift us up. The WeGaveWhat volunteers have helped extend our resources and our reach - family by family. Now they are our family.” - RIVER FUND

To volunteer: contact @ariella_rusoff

more volunteer opportunities

Virtual

Rescuing Leftover Cuisine

Working together, we can rescue all excess food. Volunteer Food Rescuers help us transport food from our food donor partners to local homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other human service agencies in our communities. Each food rescue event typically takes less than an hour. Volunteer opportunities in NYC.

Learn more: rescuingleftovercuisine.org

Team Rubicon

Team Rubicon is a disaster relief non-profit that utilizes the skills of military veterans, first responders, and civilians to provide disaster relief rapidly. Volunteers can volunteer virtually.

Learn more: teamrubiconusa.org

International Rescue Committee: Virtual English Tutors

Virtual Volunteer opportunity with the International Rescue Committee: Virtual English Tutors - Virtual English tutors will work adults to acquire conversational English skills and to use those skills to meet self-identified goals, such as job advancement.

Learn more: rescue.org/volunteer/virtual-english-tutors

International Rescue Committee: Virtual Family Mentor

Virtual Volunteer Opportunities with the International Rescue Committee: Virtual Family Mentor - Family mentors are paired with a newly arriving or recently arrived refugee individual or family. Mentors are empowered to involve clients in their lives as much as desired, with the knowledge that participation in any variety of activities will assist refugee families in their adaptation to life in the United States.

Learn more: rescue.org/volunteer/virtual-family-mentor

International Rescue Committee: Story Time

Virtual volunteer opportunities with International Rescue Committee: Story Time - This initiative will allow families to enjoy story time together in their own languages with books they might not have at home while we are all staying safely quarantined. As schools adapt to remote learning, the IRC wanted to galvanize our energetic and passionate supporters through this innovative effort for young learners.

Learn more: rescue.org/announcement/story-time-irc

No Kid Hungry

No Kid Hungry is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. No Kid Hungry and Get Food USA are looking for volunteers to call local food banks and verify hours of operation so that their meals app is continuously up to date.

Learn more: nokidhungry.org

The Lotus House Women's Shelter In Miami

Virtual and in person volunteer opportunities! We are committed to ending child and family homelessness in our country. We advocate for the right of every child and every family to a home; as essential to their wellbeing and prosperity as food, education and health care.

Learn more: lotushouse.org

NYC

The Bowery Mission

The Bowery Mission serves homeless and hungry New Yorkers and provides services that meet their immediate needs and transforms their lives from poverty and hopelessness to hope. Volunteers can sign up for 1.5 hour shifts to prepare and serve food in their kitchen.

Learn more: BOWERY.ORG

Rescuing Leftover Cuisine

Learn more: rescuingleftovercuisine.org

Team Rubicon

Team Rubicon is a disaster relief non-profit that utilizes the skills of military veterans, first responders, and civilians to provide disaster relief rapidly. Volunteers can volunteer virtually.

Learn more: teamrubiconusa.org

Nationwide

International Rescue Committee

International Rescue Committee: Assemble at-home learning kits for newcomer students - Students all across the region have shifted to remote learning over the past few months, and will continue to do so in some capacity through the school year this fall. Rally your community groups, family, and friends to help from home by assembling backpacks with school supplies for newcomer students as they take on their education from home!

Learn more: rescue.org/volunteer/assemble-back-school-kits-newcomer-students

LA Regional Food Bank

LA Regional Food Bank is short on volunteers! $25 = 100 MEALS. Join the fight against hunger when the children of LA County need us most. One in five people in Los Angeles County experiences food insecurity. Our vision is that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles County.

Learn more: lafoodbank.org

Adopt a Family Miami

Adopt a Family Miami is a recently formed group of four women and thousands of concerned neighbors and friends that began by feeding 200+ families in Miami Beach during the pandemic. They are known as the “Invisible Workforce” and are looking for volunteers to grocery shop and help make sure that no kid goes hungry.

Learn more: instagram.com/adopt.afamilymiami/

No Kid Hungry

Learn more: nokidhungry.org

Water Drop LA

Water Drop LA brings running water to the unhoused population of LA. Water Drop LA is a community organization whose mission is to provide clean drinking water to people experiencing homelessness. Founded by two USC students, Water Drop LA needs volunteers to help pass out the water. By distributing 1,000+ gallons of water during weekly water drops, Water Drop aims to meet the immediate needs of the community.

Learn more: waterdropla.org

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy

The BOPC is looking for volunteers to volunteer in their green spaces. The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is the first nonprofit organization in the nation to manage and operate an entire historic urban park system that consists of 850 acres of beautifully designed parks, parkways and circles.

Learn more: bfloparks.org

Food Rescue Miami

Food Rescue Miami is looking for volunteers to help in their community kitchens. COVID-19 Relief projects: hosting community kitchens, feeding frontline & free meal distributions. App based. VOLUNTEERS needed: ellen@foodrescue.us

Learn more: foodrescue.us

HUNGRY POST

Hungry Post is looking for volunteers to deliver food to frontline workers.

Learn more: instagram.com/thehungrypost/

The Lotus House Women's Shelter In Miami

Learn more: lotushouse.org

volunteer testimonials

Testimonials

“My experience volunteering with The River Fund during the pandemic has been nothing short of amazing! The River Fund truly stands by their mission statement of “taking poverty personally”. They provide critical resources to the greater community - which is evident in the hundreds of individuals and families that line up at their front door for services. As a volunteer, you directly witness the impact you are making on these wonderful individuals’ lives, when you hand them their groceries which keep their families healthy and fed. My biggest takeaway from this experience is the overwhelming sense of admiration I have for the work Swami and his team are doing. This organization has touched my heart in a tremendous way, I plan to continue volunteering here indefinitely.”

- Verónica Limoges

“Working with The River Fund these past few months has been such a rewarding experience! I love being able to help but also interact with my community.”

- Renee Kaplowitz

“I’m so happy to be part of the We Gave What community. I started coming to The River Fund about two months ago when we were in quarantine. It’s been an amazing experience since day one, everyone is so warm and welcoming. It feels like a family. I’ve met amazing people with different backgrounds but the same purpose: to help our community in the toughest times. This organization has become a part of me now.”

- Katia Garcia

“When all my summer plans got upended, I turned to the River Fund to feel a sense of purpose and drive. I feel so lucky to have been able to help out there and experience first hand how incredible the people are there. They touch so many people on a daily basis, including myself. I’ve learned so much from being there as I, too, feel as though even in the couple hours that I was there that I really helped make someone’s day just a little bit better. I‘m so lucky to feel that way and feel even more inspired to keep doing more. Shout out to Ariella for being the best and most passionate organizer ever!“

- Julia Kelly

“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to volunteer at RiverFund this summer. Seeing the impact that the River Fund has in its efforts to fight poverty was a powerful reminder that we need to work together to support the most vulnerable in our community. The pandemic has put even more families at risk and in need of food and essentials. The amazing people at River Fund are a light to so many in the New York community and working with them has been the highlight of my Summer. I always leave with a massive smile on my face. The amount of joy and gratitude on the faces of those who are receiving so much quality food for their families confirms that our efforts, no matter how big or small, are so necessary to uplift our community. I cannot wait to continue volunteering with the River Fund and learning about all of their amazing initiatives. I am truly grateful for the WeGaveWhat community for connecting me with the opportunity to volunteer at the RiverFund”