Places to Volunteer in Vermont
Volunteering is a win-win opportunity. It’s helpful for the person on the receiving end and it’s heartwarming for the person on the giving end. (Actually, it’s usually heartwarming for both.) You can volunteer for skilled jobs that allow you to put your expertise to good use, but there are a lot of unskilled volunteer positions that allow you to lend a helping hand and enjoy the volunteer experience without having to be an expert.
Volunteer options abound in Vermont, but it can take some research to find something near you. The list below will help you get started in your search. If you’ve never volunteered before, I hope you’ll take the leap this holiday season and find out how addictive it can be to make a positive impact on your community.
CENTRAL VERMONT
Every day, staff and volunteers at the Vermont Foodbank help feed our Vermont neighbors who cannot afford to put food on the table. Support the Vermont Foodbank’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program in Barre, Rutland, or Brattleboro, or assist Foodbank staff across Vermont during their direct distribution events.
Support the Capstone Community Action Food Shelf by preparing food bags, unloading trucks, and other tasks to keep the steady flow of food going. This volunteer opportunity is in Barre.
Central Vermont Council on Aging
There are many volunteer opportunities at the Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA), including driving for Meals on Wheels to deliver food to the elder members of our community.
SOUTHERN VERMONT
This amazing organization located in Bennington supports members of the community who live in or near poverty. Their work includes the Kitchen Cupboard, which provides free food to families in need and teaches healthy habits on a budget, and the Dr. G. Richard Dundas Free Clinic, which offers free medical care to uninsured adults.
Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless
Support your less fortunate neighbors in Bennington by volunteering with the Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless. This amazing organization has been helping to provide safe shelter, food, and support services for the homeless for over twenty years.
Contribute to the Brattleboro community by sitting on a restorative justice panel, acting as shelter parents to a youth in need, providing mentorship, or helping support the Brattleboro Youth Services program directly by volunteering at events or assisting in fundraising.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont
If you live in Brattleboro and want to make an impact by mentoring, get in touch with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont. Already making a difference as a police officer or firefighter? BBBSVT has specific mentoring options for you.
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NORTHERN VERMONT
Spectrum Youth and Family Services
Become a mentor, donate a meal, participate in the multicultural youth program, or contribute during events and special projects for Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington. Volunteering at Spectrum can make a real difference in Chittenden County.
Working with individuals in need can change the course of their lives. You could support women reentering the community after incarceration by volunteering as a reentry support shopper, helping individuals get back to work. That’s not all. Support the women and gender-non-confirming individuals in Vermont by volunteering as a career mentor or Trailblazer program mentor.
Empower and support all Vermont families of children with special needs by volunteering with the Vermont Family Network. Their offices are in Williston, but volunteer opportunities span Chittenden County.
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants – Vermont
USCRI has helped welcome over 8,000 refugees to Vermont since 1980. Each newcomer is supported through a comprehensive set of services to help them attain self-sufficiency in our communities. You can make an out-sized impact by working with our newest neighbors.
Volunteer with ReSOURCE in South Burlington and support their mission to strengthen Vermont through job training, poverty relief, and environmental stewardship.
There are animal shelters across the state that are always looking for volunteers, but if you’re looking for one, in particular, check out Vermont Dog Rescue! The majority of their dogs come from high-kill shelters in rural Southern states. This rescue organization, like others in our state, helps prevent this by rescuing dogs and helping find them loving families in Vermont.
STATEWIDE
United Way offers services around Vermont, offering a variety of volunteer options like mentoring and tutoring, helping elders, or lending a hand with a local food drive.
This incredible organization has been working for over forty-five years to prevent child abuse before it starts. They are the singular organization in Vermont that focuses solely on child sexual abuse prevention and have been so effective with their approach that now child sexual abuse—which used to be responsible for half of all sexual abuse in Vermont—is down to 12%.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
If you’re an avid hunter or just love the woods, waters, and wildlife of Vermont, volunteering with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department might be for you. For example, the Hunter Education Program is in need of volunteer instructors to teach hunting, bow hunting, or trapping.
Support real Vermont farms and farmers by volunteering with Rural Vermont, which works towards achieving economic justice for Vermont farmers. Local agriculture is an important part of our communities, and you can make a real difference by providing operational support and assisting in outreach and advocacy.
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