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Maybe you have some extra time on your hands, or maybe you’re just in the giving spirit. All we know is there are more than enough great causes in San Jose to give your time to. Whether you’re an animal lover, an artsy type, a natural mentor, or a healthcare enthusiast — there’s a nearby volunteer opportunity for you. Here are 30+ ways to get involved in San Jose.
For the handy individuals
- Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley | Participate in minor home repairs, team builds, preparing earthquake + fire preparedness kits, or help unload + sort project materials at the warehouse.
- Habitat for Humanity | Learn how to build and repair homes, or volunteer at the nonprofit’s ReStore home improvement stores + donation centers.
- Good Karma Bikes | Join this team in repairing bikes for the community.
If you’re a mental health advocate
- National Alliance on Mental Illness Santa Clara County | Assist with office work, seasonal events, fundraising drives, and NAMI’s biggest community event, NAMIWalks.
- Bill Wilson Center | Tutor and mentor children in foster care.
- County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services | Provide tabling support at community events.
Even a simple donation goes a long way.
Photo via @foreverferal408
If you want to be there for abuse victims
- Next Door Solutions | Learn about domestic violence prevention + intervention, and assist with outreach, education, or virtual office tasks.
- Asian Americans for Community Involvement | Help with fundraising + special events, or offer ESL help for seniors.
- YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley | Work in legal services + community education, or volunteer as a crisis counselor or sexual assault response team specialist.
If you’re interested in healthcare
- Regional Medical Center | Greet visitors at the front desk, assist with discharge tasks, or offer patients beverages + snacks from the hospitality cart.
- Santa Clara Valley Medical Center | Work at the center’s screening stations, gift shop, or volunteer services office.
- Good Samaritan Hospital | Offer non-clinical assistance to patients, visitors, and staff.
Natural-born teachers + mentors
- The Tech Interactive | Assist with hands-on learning exhibits.
- Alum Rock Counseling Center | Provide one-on-one mentoring to local at-risk students.
- San Jose Unified School District | Help out at local elementary, middle, and high schools in various positions.
Connect foster parents to their future furry friends.
Photo via @svpetproject
If you want to stay in your home
- Silicon Valley Pet Project | Become a foster parent coordinator or recruiter, and meet + greet with potential adopters.
- San Jose Public Library | Connect with local nonprofits for SJ Engage, create booklists for the Teen Book Committee, or write short stories for SJPL’s online Biblioboard.
- SJSU Alumni | Virtually network with current students, review resumes + offer feedback, and share job and internship openings.
The artsy types
- San Jose Museum of Art | Guide visitors through galleries or volunteer in the museum store.
- MACLA | Support upcoming events by setting up galleries, or assisting stage hands for productions.
- San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles | Support the museum’s collections and community engagement programs, serve as a docent, or help at the museum shop.
- Works San José | Supervise the gallery, or assist with receptions.
If you’re an animal lover
- 13th Street Cat Rescue | Be a cat caregiver at the nonprofit’s downtown sanctuary or Coleman adoption center.
- San Jose Animal Care & Services | Feed and care for adoptable dogs + cats, or assist the veterinary clinic.
- Happy Hollow Park & Zoo | Prepare food for animals, assist with seasonal weeding, guide beekeeping workshops, and more.
Volunteering with a group can be a fun bonding activity.
Photo via @sj_cactus_succulent
For the outdoorsy types
- Guadalupe River Park Conservancy | Help at the Historic Orchards or Rose Garden, or join in a trail cleanup.
- California Native Garden Foundation | Help with weeding, seeding, and planting at gardens, or support produce stands at local farmers markets.
- Trash Punx | Clean up trash around local parks, gardens, and neighborhoods.
- Veggielution | Lend a hand with farm boxing, gardening at the SoFA Pocket Park, and community-led cooking classes.
If you have a passion for community members in need
- City Team | Help with community outreach, homelessness resources, and housing programs.
- Front Door Communities | Pack meals for the Lunch Bag program, tidy up the Oh-La-La Boutique, or prepare hot lunches.
- Family Supportive Housing | Help school-aged kids with their homework or serve dinner to families, or at this shelter for single and two-parent families.
