6 fun and surprising ways to volunteer this summer

Here at Hope for New York, we are passionate about pairing volunteers with nonprofits throughout the city. 

Although there are countless volunteer activities to participate in, we wanted to highlight six unusual opportunities that might surprise you! Take a look at the six opportunities listed below, we hope that one will stand out to you as you consider getting involved.

1. Plan a baby shower Bless the clients at Avail, a crisis pregnancy and support center for new mothers. Be part of a committee that celebrates new life with the families Avail supports.
2. Go to a ball game When you serve with the Bowery Mission Transitional Center, one of the ways you can get involved there is to take some of the residents out to a baseball game once a month! Get to know men in need of friendship while enjoyed a fun and relaxing activity.
3. Teach an art class At the Center for All Abilities, they take fun seriously for the families they serve. Build relationships with the children as you lead an arts and crafts, drawing, painting or other fun activity for them.
4. Cook breakfast What’s better than cooking bacon and eggs and meeting new people? At Living Waters Fellowship, volunteers help to serve breakfast to homeless people. Volunteer here for an eye-opening, and delicious, Saturday morning!
5. Plant a rooftop garden Working with the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter is easy and fun. Volunteers can meet and work with teens who have aged out of foster care to plant a community rooftop garden! If you’ve got a green thumb, this is the volunteer opportunity for you!
6. Play or coach Squash Are you a sporty guy or girl? Then sign up with StreetSquash to coach and play Squash with their teens. Make connections with at-risk youth and have fun playing Squash with them! 

Looking for more ways to volunteer? Visit all of our affiliates’ pages for a full list of our volunteer opportunities this summer.