Volunteer Needs From: Pittsburgh Cares

in-store:
FreeStore Wilkinsburg
619 Penn Avenue
Wilkinsburg, PA 15221
(412) 436-9836

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ON TUESDAYS, FRIDAYS, and SATURDAYS

Incoming Donations

Sort donations following the donation guidelines

Hang, fold and arrange clothing and accessories on racks and shelves in the shopping area

Stock housewares, pet food, diapers, etc.

Vacuum floors, organize back room, wipe off shelves

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ON WEDNESDAYS, FRIDAYS, and SATURDAYS

Join us on the Eliza Furnace section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail for a Trail Care Thursday opportunity!

Volunteers will:

Please wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and layered sleeves to be removed. Monitor the forecast and dress for the weather, we will work through light to moderate rain. Bring a reusable water bottle, water will not be available. All other project supplies and equipment will be provided.

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email. An additional email will be sent the day prior to the workday with project details; registration after 12:00 pm will not receive the details email.

Please reach out to Ashley Martin, Trail Stewardship Program Manager, with questions at ashley@friendsoftheriverfront.org.

Join us on the River Avenue section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail for a Trail Care Thursday opportunity!

Volunteers will:

Please wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and layered sleeves to be removed. Monitor the forecast and dress for the weather, we will work through light to moderate rain. Bring a reusable water bottle, water will not be available. All other project supplies and equipment will be provided.

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email. An additional email will be sent the day prior to the workday with project details; registration after 12:00 pm will not receive the details email.

Please reach out to Ashley Martin, Trail Stewardship Program Manager, with questions at ashley@friendsoftheriverfront.org.

Join us on the Lawrenceville section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail for a Trail Care Thursday opportunity!

Volunteers will:

Please wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and layered sleeves to be removed. Monitor the forecast and dress for the weather, we will work through light to moderate rain. Bring a reusable water bottle, water will not be available. All other project supplies and equipment will be provided.

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email. An additional email will be sent the day prior to the workday with project details; registration after 12:00 pm will not receive the details email.

Please reach out to Ashley Martin, Trail Stewardship Program Manager, with questions at ashley@friendsoftheriverfront.org.

Join us on the South Side section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail for a Trail Care Thursday opportunity!

Volunteers will:

Please wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and layered sleeves to be removed. Monitor the forecast and dress for the weather, we will work through light to moderate rain. Bring a reusable water bottle, water will not be available. All other project supplies and equipment will be provided.

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email. An additional email will be sent the day prior to the workday with project details; registration after 12:00 pm will not receive the details email.

Please reach out to Ashley Martin, Trail Stewardship Program Manager, with questions at ashley@friendsoftheriverfront.org.

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership's Clean Team is inviting you to be a contributing team member. Volunteer with us during one (or more) of our weekend volunteer projects and be a bigger part of Downtown. Want to connect with those who live, work, and play Downtown? Join us from 10am to 2pm for our Saturday & Sunday Beautification Projects. These volunteer events takes place every Saturday & Sunday. We work to complete a project that will impact everyone who enjoys the Golden Triangle.

This is a great opportunity to meet others from your neighborhood, socialize, do good, and get outdoors. We will also log your volunteer hours for opportunities to earn special perks, too. Bring a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker and have a great time.

Come ready to dig in and reshape downtown. Little experience is necessary. We will train you and provide everything you need for the day. Projects will vary from week to week and can include weeding & seeding, removing rubble, painting, and much more. We can even tailor a weekend event for your group based on your skills, interests, and the number of participants in your party.

Invite your friends and encourage your family to spend the day with us during our Saturday/Sunday Beautification Projects. Meet at 10 AM, at 120 Boulevard of the Allies to get started!

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership's Clean Team is inviting you to be a contributing team member. Volunteer with us during one (or more) of our weekend volunteer projects and be a bigger part of Downtown. Want to connect with those who live, work, and play Downtown? Join us from 10am to 2pm for our Saturday & Sunday Beautification Projects. These volunteer events takes place every Saturday & Sunday. We work to complete a project that will impact everyone who enjoys the Golden Triangle.

This is a great opportunity to meet others from your neighborhood, socialize, do good, and get outdoors. We will also log your volunteer hours for opportunities to earn special perks, too. Bring a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker and have a great time.

Come ready to dig in and reshape downtown. Little experience is necessary. We will train you and provide everything you need for the day. Projects will vary from week to week and can include weeding & seeding, removing rubble, painting, and much more. We can even tailor a weekend event for your group based on your skills, interests, and the number of participants in your party.

Invite your friends and encourage your family to spend the day with us during our Saturday/Sunday Beautification Projects. Meet at 10 AM, at 120 Boulevard of the Allies!

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership's Clean Team is inviting you to be a contributing team member. Volunteer with us during one (or more) of our weekend volunteer projects and be a bigger part of Downtown. Want to connect with those who live, work, and play Downtown? Join us from 10am to 2pm for our Saturday & Sunday Beautification Projects. These volunteer events takes place every Saturday & Sunday. We work to complete a project that will impact everyone who enjoys the Golden Triangle.

This is a great opportunity to meet others from your neighborhood, socialize, do good, and get outdoors. We will also log your volunteer hours for opportunities to earn special perks, too. Bring a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker and have a great time.

Come ready to dig in and reshape downtown. Little experience is necessary. We will train you and provide everything you need for the day. Projects will vary from week to week and can include weeding & seeding, removing rubble, painting, and much more. We can even tailor a weekend event for your group based on your skills, interests, and the number of participants in your party.

Invite your friends and encourage your family to spend the day with us during our Saturday/Sunday Beautification Projects. Meet at 10 AM, at 120 Boulevard of the Allies!

At the PA Trolley Museum, volunteers bring history to life by restoring and operating antique streetcars, giving tours, helping with special events, and more. There's something for everyone to do!

You’re invited to join us on Saturday, February 21 for our Volunteer Open House, where you’ll get to:

Registration is required for free admission to the museum. In addition to confirming your attendance here by clicking "Sign Up," please complete our Volunteer Open House Registration. Choose between our morning (9:15 AM- 11:30 AM) and afternoon (1:15 PM– 3:30 PM) sessions, but feel free to explore the museum throughout the day.

Families are welcome to attend and may register with the same form. If you are interested in planning a group outing to this event, please email Morgan, Volunteer Recruiter, at mmeer@patrolley.org to register all at once. 

Can’t make it but interested in volunteering at PTM? Learn more on our website

Located in Pittsburgh, PA, the Bloomfield Saturday Market emphasizes locally grown, produced, and created items.

The market takes place outside at 5050 Liberty Ave (the parking lot between S. Winebiddle St. and Gross St.). When you arrive, there will be about 30-45 minutes of set-up involved. We'll explain what you will need to know about the market, and what you can expect the day to look like.

Volunteer tasks include:

We strive to make the Bloomfield Saturday Market a safe and welcoming space for everybody. We really want our volunteers to feel safe and comfortable and have a good experience volunteering with us! Our volunteers also play a huge role in helping ensure that this environment is maintained, by interacting with everyone from attendees to vendor employees with kindness, honesty, and respect.

Volunteers are encouraged to take breaks during the day to experience the market, do some shopping, and/or eat some food.

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Respond" button on the upper right corner of this screen. Additionally, if you have any questions or accessibility needs you would like us to know about, feel free to email us at assistant@bloomfieldpgh.org

Ready to change a life from the comfort of home? 

Join ENGin as a conversation partner! This is a flexible and unique opportunity to make a direct  impact on someone’s life while discovering a new culture and meeting a new friend.

We’ll pair you up with a learner in Ukraine for weekly one hour videochats at times that are convenient for you. During your conversations, you’ll practice English with your partner, learn about each other’s cultures, and offer an empathetic, authentic space for connection.

No prior tutoring experience or knowledge of Ukrainian language is needed to volunteer with ENGin. We offer ample training resources, session materials, and total flexibility to customize your sessions to fit your/your partner’s goals and preferences. Our friendly team is available to support you throughout your time with us. 

Our only requirements for volunteers are English fluency, a strong internet connection, and the ability to commit to one hour a week for a minimum of 10-12 weeks.

Since our launch in 2020, ENGin has matched over 26,000 volunteers with Ukrainians for authentic English-language connection across borders, and we continue to grow every day. 99% of our learners report feeling they were able to break the language barrier as a participant in our program, and 79% of our participants form lasting friendships. 

Here's what three ENGin volunteers say about their experience.

"I made a friend in Ukraine and we are teaching each other about our culture, our language, and our humor. We're even trading dad jokes! Both of us look forward to our chats and have a hard time wrapping it up."

“Fantastic organization doing great work. So happy to be a small part of it.  My partner and I have worked together for two years and have become good friends! Her English has become better, and I have become more knowledgeable about Ukraine!”

"This program has been, I think, life-changing for both of us. I really consider her more like my daughter right now. That's how close we have become!"

To learn more about ENGin and become a volunteer, please visit www.enginprogram.org/volunteer. 

If you’d like to learn more about ENGin before joining, you can watch a recording of our info-session .

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our team at info@enginprogram.org.

Are you passionate about spreading joy and brightening someone's day? Do you enjoy writing friendly letters and want to join a virtual project? Are you looking for a team project or a meaningful event activity? Become a volunteer and make a meaningful difference for seniors in care homes and programs in the Pittsburgh area and across the state.

WHAT WE DO 

We’re a volunteer-run organization sending cheerful, personal, one-of-a-kind handwritten letters to seniors in Canada, the US, the UK and Australia. Since April 2020, we’ve delivered joy in over 30 languages worldwide!

WHAT WE OFFER

➙ A chance to brighten a senior’s day.

➙ Flexible volunteering from anywhere, anytime, year-round.

➙ Community service hour verification for students (separate registration required).

➙ Tips for writing meaningful letters.

➙ An inclusive environment welcoming all ages and abilities.

➙ If you would like us to approve your Pittsburgh Cares timesheet, please reach out to Lindsay at Lindsay@LettersAgainstIsolation.com with a photo of your letters.

➙ Students seeking service credit: Review our guidelines, complete the student registration form and submit photos of your letters for verification. Earn one hour of credit for every four approved letters.

Here are some sample letters from fellow Pennsylvanians. You'll find more ideas and examples on our website:

We need fosters!  We get a lot of our fosters from Texas, due to the numerous German Shepherds and mixes there.  If you foster a puppy, we are looking for a 2 week commitment where you get to play and have fun with an adorable puppy, see them blossom, and then see them go to their new home - unless you foster fail and keep them!  We cover the cost of vetting and food, you need to have the time and love to help us help dogs in need!

Join our team as a volunteer coach for our youth flag football league! We’re looking for dedicated individuals who are passionate about mentoring young athletes, teaching the fundamentals of football, and fostering a fun, competitive, and positive environment. As a coach, you’ll lead practices, guide teams during games, and help develop players’ skills and teamwork. No prior coaching experience is necessary—just a love for the game and a commitment to making a difference!

Join our team as a volunteer coach for our youth flag football league! We’re looking for dedicated individuals who are passionate about mentoring young athletes, teaching the fundamentals of football, and fostering a fun, competitive, and positive environment. As a coach, you’ll lead practices, guide teams during games, and help develop players’ skills and teamwork. No prior coaching experience is necessary—just a love for the game and a commitment to making a difference!

Looking to make a difference? One of the quickest ways to add happiness and feel a sense of purpose is to be of service.  Hope Hospice (a non-profit organization in the North Hills) is looking for kind and compassionate volunteers to visit with patients at home or in facilities. Please consider helping those in your community by reading, socializing, doing arts/crafts or merely offering your presence! Looking for volunteers in the North and South Hills of Pittsburgh.

 If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Sign Up" radio button on the upper right corner of this screen and you will be notified by a member of the organization’s volunteer team or coordinator.

Thank you!

Raising a skilled service dog requires the dedication and efforts of many people, working together to positively impact the life of a wounded Veteran. Puppy Sitters play an important role by providing a safe, nurturing environment for service dogs in training on a temporary basis. Sometimes, WCC service dogs in training (SDiT) need a place to stay for a few days or even a few weeks. They may be transitioning between caretakers or their Puppy Parents may need time off for a holiday or a family emergency. Puppy Sitters receive the same training as Puppy Parents so they can step in with confidence and help when needed. The training covers the proper care of a SDiT, as well as socialization and basic commands.

A Puppy Sitter takes over the care of the dog when a Puppy Parents cannot. Responsibilities include:

Please note that dogs in the household must be well-mannered, fully vaccinated, and well cared for.

Learn more at : https://warriorcanineconnection.org/ 

Youtube: 

Become a Puppy Raiser today! Want to see our puppies? Visit www.bit.ly/wccpuppycam

Puppy Raisers care for and help train our service dogs for 4-18 months before the dogs graduate and are placed with a forever Veteran. WCC covers the cost of food, approved vet appointments, medications, and service dog gear! Each puppy goes home with their Puppy Parent between the age of 8-12 weeks. To be considered for this important task, you must be willing and able to provide the following support and training for the WCC service dog in training:

Follow us @warriorcanineconnection! Find out more at www.warriorcanineconnection.org!

Beginning June 29th, environmentalists and social justice advocates alike will be able to sign ReImagine Job's and Climate Reality's Solar Punk Pledge!!! Once you've signed, it's your time to take action with involveMINT!

Register to document your volunteer time to help the environment here and transform volunteer hours into valuable ecological resources for a sustainable future on the involveMINT platform. Take a before and after photo of your volunteer work, and give a brief testimonial of your efforts!

Further instructions to come in a brief volunteer orientation!

Come join the volunteers at the Bernard Dog Run (located on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail) on the second Saturday of the month from 9-11 AM to help keep the dog park looking great! The Bernard Dog Run has been maintained through volunteer efforts for 12 years, and we are always looking for new people to get involved.

Volunteering involves general maintenance of the dog park space, which includes spreading mulch, weeding, moving objects no more than 30 lbs, etc. 

Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS (Mentoring, Opportunity, Motivation, Spirituality) provide compassionate, faith-based residential recovery services to mothers and children in the Pittsburgh area.  We help mothers with substance use disorder learn to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and substance use while rebuilding damaged relationships with their children.  Sojourner House believes women can build a brighter future when surrounded by what means most to them: their children.

We have individuals and groups volunteer to provide educational, parenting, cooking, health and wellness classes for our women and children among many other programs. We do require background checks for some program activities. 

Vincentian Home is looking for compassionate volunteers to join our spiritual enrichment team!

 We need help with:

Ideally, Vincentian Home is looking for volunteers who can commit to coming on a regular basis to form lasting partnerships with the residents. There are opportunities available 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need, please fill out our simple application: https://www.volgistics.com/appform/566282399

Join the fight against food waste and food insecurity right here in Pittsburgh. 

The 412 Food Rescue app gives you the opportunity to volunteer with ease and convenience to your schedule. In as little as thirty minutes you can pick up donated excess fresh food and deliver it down the road to a local nonprofit who will use it to serve that local community meals. 

Additionally, for our homebound or isolated neighbors who struggle to make it to their local pantry or kitchen, our Home Delivery program gives volunteers an opportunity to deliver to the doorstep of someones home directly. Both of these programs are available on the 412 Food Rescue app. 

We would love your help! Opportunities are available every day. Download the app here!

Questions? volunteer@412foodrescue.org

LU and our fantastic weekly volunteers run a weekly Friday food distribution that delivers free boxes of food to over 30 households all around Pittsburgh! We are always looking for additional driver volunteer support. You would be helping deliver about 4-5 boxes to food-insecure neighbors who don't have a vehicle. All you need is a car, about an hour of your time anytime between 1 to 2:30 PM, and a big heart! Email marketintern@lunited.org or call 412-802-7220 if you would like to get involved on a Friday afternoon!

We are operating the distribution out of the Goodwill building at 118 52nd St.

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Sign Up" radio button on the upper right corner of this screen and you will be notified by a member of the organization’s volunteer team or coordinator.

Our volunteers are called "Garden Keepers" and express an interest and enthusiasm for gardening, enjoy being outdoors and getting their hands dirty, and have the ability to differentiate, or willingness to learn, a plant from a weed. Support is needed to help with the beautification and upkeep of the healing gardens at the Hope Grows Iris Respite House. Some tasks include watering the grounds, weeding, digging in the garden beds, harvesting and removal of plant material, and mulching. Volunteers are guided by our horticulturist and opportunities include ongoing and/or one time garden tasks. Background check.

Proposed Schedule: Flexible 

Volunteer Program Requirements 

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Sign Up" or ”Sign Up As Team” radio button on the upper right corner of this screen and email:  volunteer@hopegrows.org

We have spiritual enrichment volunteer needs in various communities within Vincentian Home. Service opportunities include, but are not limited to:

Ideally, Vincentian Home is looking for volunteers who can commit to coming on a regular basis to form lasting partnerships with the residents. There are opportunities available 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Sign Up" radio button on the upper right corner of this screen and you will be notified by a member of the organization’s volunteer team or coordinator.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities • Answering phones • Data entry • Filing • Maintenance of office space • Other duties specifically around coordination of special events, or as assigned Requirements • Must present a professional appearance and a friendly manner • Must be dependable and punctual • Be courteous and personable when dealing with the public • Be self-directed, willing to take initiative, and detail-oriented • Respect and maintain confidentiality of Amachi volunteers, partners, and donors • Computer skills are desired, but not necessary

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Sign Up" radio button on the upper right corner of this screen and you will be notified by a member of the organization’s volunteer team or coordinator.

Volunteers can fulfil a wide variety of tasks at the Lab, mainly focused on two different areas: Laboratory and Education. You may volunteer in both areas, or you may volunteer in one area. You may also be cross-trained into one area or another depending on personal interest. Descriptions are provided merely to give more details. Education: The Citizen Science Lab offers a wide range of educational opportunities for youth in Pittsburgh. These include programs occurring within the Laboratory in South Hills, offsite at local schools and community organizations, and even some occurring virtually to reach youth in the comfort of their own homes. Programs include our series of month-long weekly homeschool classes, multi-year initiatives, birthday parties, grant-funded opportunities for underserved youth, and individual programs for groups of any type. Topics cover a wide range of STEM disciplines from physics and microbiology to engineering and technology. All lessons are intended to be experiential and hands-on for our students. Laboratory: We house a wide variety of professional grade lab equipment to be used for our programs, and by independent researchers who otherwise might not have access to a laboratory space. In order to support our educational programming, this often requires inventorying, cleaning, and maintaining this equipment for use. This also requires the creation of bacterial cultures, agar plates, chemical solutions, and other laboratory materials for use in programming. Commonly used laboratory equipment include: Autoclave, Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer, Centrifuge, Water Baths, Thermocycler, DNA Sequencer, Incubator, Hot Plate, Fume Hood, Aerial Drone, 3D Printer, and more.

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Sign Up" radio button on the upper right corner of this screen and you will be notified by a member of the organization’s volunteer team or coordinator.

Hello! Vincentian Home is looking for community members who are interested in sponsoring fun, new activities for our nursing home residents. Help us bring joy to our residents by providing ideas, supplies, or other support! It takes a village to bring fun to our residents, and we want you to join that village with us!

This is a GREAT opportunity for an individual, family, organization, or company to support a local nonprofit!

If you are interested and wish to become a volunteer for this need click on the "Sign Up" radio button on the upper right corner of this screen and you will be notified by a member of the organization’s volunteer team or coordinator.

Glade Run Adventures is an innovative therapeutic equine, animal and horticulture program.

Volunteers are needed to assist with therapeutic riding and equine activities, feeding and turnout for the horses and large animals, weeding, mulching and watering in the gardens and greenhouse, assisting with summer camp, and more.

Volunteers ages 8 and up may volunteer with an adult; youth ages 12-18 may volunteer in our junior volunteer program, and all adult ages are welcome.

Munhall Volunteer Fire Company #1 is looking for motivated volunteers who are interested in becoming firefighters. Applicants must be at least 14 years of age with a valid Pennsylvania work permit and parental consent.

All necessary skills and schooling are obtained through weekly training's at the fire station, classes at the Allegheny County Fire Academy and the Community College of Allegheny County. All schooling / training is provided free of charge.

If you would like to learn more about what we do, I would like to invite you to visit our station Wednesday nights from 7pm to 9:30pm for one of our weekly training nights. When you are here, you can review the equipment, ask questions and meet members and officers. If Wednesdays do not work, just send us a message and we can schedule an appointment.

Munhall Volunteer Fire Company #1 is looking for volunteer Emergency Rehab Responders. This volunteer opportunity is to assist EMS crews with monitoring first responders vitals during an emergency incident while providing heating or cooling and hydration.

All necessary skills and schooling are obtained through weekly training's at the fire station, classes at the Allegheny County Fire Academy and the Community College of Allegheny County. All schooling / training is provided free of charge.

If you would like to learn more about what we do, I would like to invite you to visit our station Wednesday nights from 7pm to 9:30pm for one of our weekly training nights. When you are here, you can review the equipment, ask questions and meet members and officers. If Wednesdays do not work, just send us a message and we can schedule an appointment.