Volunteering Opportunities in Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh, PA is a great city in which to live and raise a family. In addition to all of the cultural and learning opportunities, there are many organizations devoted to helping those in need of food, clothing, shelter, education, and other resources. All of these organizations accept monetary donations to stay in business, but what if you don't have the money, yet still want to help? The answer is simple: volunteer.

Whether you want to give of your time to make a difference in the lives of your neighbors or you want to teach your family how to give back to their community, there are literally hundreds of ways you can get involved. From lending a few hours when you can to signing on for a weekly or monthly opportunity, the links below will connect you with all sorts of volunteering opportunities in and around Pittsburgh, PA.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
GPCFB is located in Duquesne, PA and distributes food to the greater Pittsburgh area and surrounding counties. Not only does this organization provide healthy food to the needy, it also provides nutrition education, supplemental groceries for Seniors, school lunch programs and urban farm stands which sell fresh produce at reduced prices in urban neighborhoods. The food bank has won numerous awards during their 25 years of service to the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, PA. They rely on donations from the community, but they also need volunteers to help their programs run effectively.

There are many volunteer opportunities at the food bank. You can: volunteer for a special event hosted by the food bank, sort food at the warehouse, harvest vegetables at a farm, serve on a committee, organize a food drive in your neighborhood, church or school or even donate food. A simple way to get your whole family involved would be to grow a garden and donate some of the produce or work with your kids to organize a food drive at their school. Even if you can only donate a few hours every once in awhile, the food bank can always use your help.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh
Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful organization which provides the dream of a home for needy families. The Pittsburgh chapter serves the surrounding areas of Pittsburgh down to southwestern Pennsylvania. While monetary donations help this organization thrive, there are many ways to get involved. Certainly the most common way to help with Habitat is through construction. Whether you can commit to a regular volunteer schedule or just a few hours, there is a constant need for those who can use their hands to help build houses. Construction volunteers need to be at least 16 years of age (with parental consent), and power tools can only be operated by individuals 18 years of age and older. A special project, called Women Build, exists to specifically teach women construction skills so they can build more effectively.

But there are other opportunities to help besides wielding a hammer. You can help with Habitat's biggest fundraiser, The Kids Triathlon, a race for kids ages 7 through 15 years of age. Not only does the race need kids to participate, it needs volunteers to make it a success and help it run smoothly. You can also serve as a volunteer on one of eleven committees including Family Nurture or Liaison, Site Selection, Faith Relations, Strategic Planning, Fundraising and more. Whether you're great with your hands, can balance a budget or can work with people, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh has a volunteer opportunity for you and your family.

Pittsburgh Cares
If you have a special set of skills you can volunteer but aren't sure which organizations can use you, then visit Pittsburgh Cares' website. This site allows you to search for all of the volunteer opportunities in the Pittsburgh area that match the skills you possess. From helping at a Senior Center to tutoring students to cleaning up a city park, there are opportunities for every age and skill level. When you visit the site, you'll be amazed at just how many volunteer opportunities are on your doorstep. From individuals to families, hundreds of volunteer jobs exist in the greater Pittsburgh area; it's simply a matter of finding which jobs are best for you.