Five Volunteer Opportunities for Teens in San Francisco this Summer

Linksters are known as one of the most self-absorbed generations in history, but are they? It’s possible, but maybe teens are actually looking for volunteer opportunities while no one is watching.

In fact, according to the Millennial Impact Report, today’s teens and young adults are involved, engaged and committed.  84 percent made a charitable donation in 2014, the year of the study, and 70% spent at least an hour volunteering for a cause that they care about. They give their time and their talents in all kinds of surprising and creative ways, and go out of their way to support the causes they’re passionate about.

So, are you looking to find a way to volunteer and break the myth?  Now that school’s out, there are lots of great opportunities for teens like you to volunteer in the San Francisco area, from helping the sick and elderly, to protecting the environment, to supporting youth, and so much more!  Here are five ways that you can give back to your community this season, and earn valuable volunteer experience as well:

1. Project Open Hand

• What they do: Provide meals with love to the sick and the elderly.
• How you can help: Prepare, package and deliver “meals with love,” distribute groceries to sick and elderly neighbors, and staff special events throughout the year.

2. Golden Gates National Park Conservancy

• What they do: Protect 130 miles of trails, historic structures, and more than 1,000 types of plants.
• How you can help: Help protect this sensitive natural habitat, clean up historic gardens and reestablish trails.

3. SF-Marin Food Bank

• What they do: Help those in need through pantry networks, home-delivered groceries, nutrition-education classes, and food-stamp enrollment.
• How you can help: Sort and package food for neighborhood pantries, children’s snack programs and soup kitchens.

4. City Youth Now

• What they do: Provide programs and services that promote stability and personal growth for youth in the San Francisco foster care and juvenile justice systems.
• How you can help: Tutor, host fundraisers, coordinate toy drives, help the office with data entry, and move furniture as clients move from one living space to another.

5. San Francisco Public Library

• What they do: Provide the community with programming, services, activities, and special projects.
• How you can help: Apply for internships and special youth volunteer programs throughout the library system.

Still looking for a different volunteer opportunity that better matches your particular passion?  No worries! Go to KidsThatDoGood.com and use our search engine to find more volunteer opportunities in your area.