Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco volunteer opportunities by day, neighborhood. Food bank, soup kitchen, environment, dog rescue, youth, seniors, hospital, animals, high school/students San Francisco Bay Area
Last Updated November 21, 2024
San Francisco Volunteer Opportunities (Food, Hospitals, Homeless, Donations, Environment & More
This is a super rough guide for volunteering in San Francisco. I will expand on it, add details, quick requirements, locations as well as drop-in notes for last minute opportunities. This is a lot of work, so thank you for your patience.
My main focus is around:
food pantries/food service in kitchens
volunteering at specific locations (no need for driving)
pets, nature, youth/seniors & other one-time opportunities
especially looking for those accepting last minute drop-ins & shorter shifts
if places are filled up indefinitely or most days/weeks, I may remove them temporarily from this list
Community Volunteer Ideas San Francisco Bay Area
I started this list because I wanted to make volunteering as frictionless as possible. Often one has to search through 3-6 pages to learn more, see that slots are filled up, realize that a timeframe commitment or training is needed or figure out that the location is too far or not easy to get to or timing won’t work.
My goal is to surface key data points early on so that people can spend less time researching and more time volunteering.
If you have suggestions or notes to add, please leave them below or suggest places here. I have volunteered at several of these places, so if you have any questions, I will do my best to respond.
Anyone, feel free to chime in and recommend places.
Why Volunteer? Why Donate?
There are many benefits to volunteering, including:
a great way to meet people (friend, job networking, possible love interest?)
benefit your community, and help others,
it also can help with mental health
practice social skills, especially if you are super shy
can be good exercise!
The need for volunteers and donations is at an all-time high. I expect many cuts for federal programs to happen within the next year and there is no better way to support others, help folks get off their feet and provide critical social services than to donate and volunteer.
Check out my free weekly email newsletter with things to do each week (food, drinks, pop-ups, classes, live music, festivals, street fairs, talks & more)! Over 17,000 subscribers with things to do, see, eat, drink in/around the Bay Area and beyond.
San Francisco Bay Area Non-Profits Charities To Donate
In addition to the volunteer opportunities listed below, many of these organizations accept one-off or recurring donations.
Swords to Plowshare (veterans, homeless)
Guardian Gym, Oakland
Similarly, I listed some of my favorite organizations that I recommend supporting aside from volunteering opportunities.
Hands On Bay Area Volunteer Calendar (check here for daily aggregated opportunities)
Youth Volunteer Opportunities, San Francisco
Working with youth and also opportunities for youth to volunteer.
826 Valencia (Mission) Volunteer Opportunities (Tutoring)
Seeking Black, Indigenous & POC Volunteers
Also seeking design, photography & illustrative volunteers
First Graduate (videography, marketing, salesforce, digital media)
Inner Richmond, Tenderloin, Bayview, Chinatown, Excelsior
Gardens of Golden Gate Park, 14-17 y/o Volunteer Opportunities
Hospital Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Food Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco (Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens, Warehouses)
City Of Hope Volunteer Opportunities (Mon/Wed/Fri Shifts)
Burrito Project, Mission District
St Anthony’s Food Kitchen Volunteering (Tenderloin); 7 days/week
Glide Church Food Kitchen Volunteering (Tenderloin); 7 days/week
Everyone should volunteer at least once here.
Foodwise Volunteer Opportunities (Ferry Building)
Volunteer at Farmer’s markets, events and more, orientation required.
Project Open Hand Volunteer Opportunities (Tenderloin)
St Gregory’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry, Potrero Hill, Wednesdays 9AM-2:30PM
Stop by for all the time or part of the time
St John’s Presbyterian Church Food Pantry, Inner Richmond; Saturdays 7:30-10AM
Kids & Families welcome! (Organize tables, hand out food, clean up etc).
Excelsior Community Food Pantry. Saturdays, 9AM-12:30PM
Women’s Building, Mission District, Monday 8-10:30AM
Martin de Porres House of Hospitality, Potrero Hill
Tue-Fri 6-8AM; Mon-Sat 9-2:30PM
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Volunteer Opportunities (upcoming opportunities)
Food Volunteer Opportunities Bay Area (Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens, Warehouses), San Jose, Berkeley
Sacred Heart Community Service, San Jose
Berkeley Food Pantry (M/T/W/F; 2 hour shifts 10-4:30PM)
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley (peninsula, South Bay), various locations
Environment Volunteer Opportunities, San Francisco
San Francisco Parks & Recs Volunteer Opportunities
Parks: Planting & propagating native plants, controlling erosion, & monitoring wildlife habitat
Recreation: Assist staff with arts and crafts, game booths and sports activities at special events or rec centers.
Friends Of The Urban Forest Volunteer Opportunities
Planting & Caring For Plants Across Various SF Neighborhood Streets
Garden For The Environment, Inner Sunset (Wednesday/Saturday)
No walk-ups, bring own gloves
San Francisco Parks Conservatory Volunteering
(select volunteer from event type)
Refuse Refuse (Volunteer Trash Pickup, Occasional HH)
Various neighborhoods, usually once a month in each one
Adopt A Drain (clear gutters during rainy season)
Farm: Mon & Fri 1-5pm; Native Plants: 1st Mon/3rd Sat 1-4:30PM
Environment Volunteer Opportunities, Bay Area (Oakland, Contra Costa, Alameda, Peninsula)
John Muir Land Trust, Contra Costa & Alameda
San Francisco Bay Keeper Volunteer Opportunities
Based in Oakland, but opportunities beyond?
Save The Bay, Oakland Volunteer Opportunities
Planting, Removing Invasive Species; Themed Activities LGBTQ+, BIPOC
Pacific Beach Coalition Beach Clean-Ups; Cleanups Are 9-11AM unless noted; Equipment provided but buckets/gloves welcomed. Sign-ups preferred, walk-ups welcomed. Events will happen unless severe rain conditions occur.
Pacifica Beach Cleanups
Rockaway Beach, San Pedro Beach, 1st Saturdays
Sharp Park Beach, 2nd Saturday
Esplanade Beach, Linda Mar State Beach, 3rd Saturday
Daly City Beach Cleanups
Mussel Rock Beach, 4th Saturday
Thorton Vista, 2nd Saturday
Foster City Beach Cleanups (3rd Saturdays; Rotating Location)
Half Moon Bay Beach Cleanups
Harbor Beach & Surfers Beach & Bluff, 3rd Saturdays
Montara Beach Cleanups, 2nd Saturday
Animal Shelter Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
SF Animal Care & Control Volunteering (Design District)
SPCA San Francisco Volunteer Opportunities (Mission);
Attend training; volunteer 2hrs/week for 6 months (socialize w/ cats/dogs)
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue (Mission District)
3hrs/week, 6 month commitment
Fri 1-3pm; Sat 10:30-12:30pm (English/Spanish Bilingual Needed); 20lb lifting
Animal Shelter Volunteer Opportunities Bay Area (Oakland, San Jose, Marin)
Cat Town, Oakland
Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito
Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue, San Jose
Technical help, transportation, admin, vets, teachers, outreach & more
Fine /Industrial Arts Volunteer Opportunities SF Bay Area
The Crucible, Oakland
Coding/Tech/Computer Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
St. Anthony’s Support Specialist (Navigating a Computer, Resume)
Dev/Mission, SOMA - Free Tech Programs
The Last Mile - started at San Quentin, now operates across 13 facilities in 7 states
Donate Clothes, Toiletries San Francisco
St Anthony’s (clothing/shoes for men, women, & children: clean & in good condition. Also accept luggage, towels, linens, and unopened hygiene products.)
Project Open Hand, Tenderloin
Homeless Prenatal, Mission District
Donate Clothes, Toiletries Oakland
East Bay Collective: Feed The Hood, Oakland
winter items: warm scarves, gloves, knit hats (new or clean & gently used), tents, sleeping bags (new or clean & gently used), heavy duty tarps (new)
Homeless/Family Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Homeless Prenatal, Mission District; limited volunteer opportunities
Friday mornings 9-12pm food bag distribution
Family Connection Services (Excelsior, Portola, Visitation Valley)
Zen Caregiving Project (formerly Zen Hospice Project)
Re-opens December 2024, 1 year, 1-5 hour shift per week
Safe & Sound (youth, families and community; meals, calls)
training +commitment of 6 weeks to 1 year
Women’s Volunteer Services San Francisco Bay Area
Las Casas de las Madres, Mission District: Domestic Abuse Services
Social media, text support, crisis hotline, graphic design & more
Civic Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Sunday Streets Volunteer Opportunities
Excelsior 7/21, Bayview 8/4, Mission 8/25, Western Addition 9/22, SoMa 10/13
San Francisco NERT Training (Emergency Preparedness)
Senior Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
San Francisco Village, Inner Richmond (food shopping, mobile phone help)
Little Brothers Friendly of the Elderly, Nob Hill
Disability Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Yoga/Wellness Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
The Center, Lower Haight/Alamo Square
Corporate/Group Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco Bay Area
Check here for opportunities
LGBTQ+ Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco Bay Area
Other San Francisco Bay Area Organizations I Support
La Cocina - food incubator for women, BIPOC etc
ICA Fund - business accelerator program
City Arts & Lectures - talks
Commonwealth Club - talks
Centro Legal de la Raza - legal assistance for low-income & immigrants
SPUR - non-profit public policy, urban planning & civic issues
Women’s Building - services & advocacy, affordable space for non-profits & community members (need for bilingual speakers, front desk help)
Canal Alliance - social services for immigrants in San Rafael
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Thanksgiving Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco Bay Area
Please consider volunteering on other days as well given slots for Thanksgiving fill up on the most popular volunteering day of the year well in advance. That said, here are some options for volunteering on Thanksgiving day and days leading up (more will be added shortly).
If you want to do something great this day and can’t find anything to do, consider picking up trash at your local beach, park, playground etc. That is always in need and always welcomed any day but especially this day.
You can also donate money as well to any of the above organizations above.