6 Inspiring Ways to Volunteer Outside This Summer
June 9, 2017
Summer is here—and if you find yourself wanting to trade your office building’s arctic A/C for a bit of sun, greenery, and fresh air, make the most of the impulse and sign up for an outdoor volunteering project.
Some of these opportunities you can tackle from the comfort of your own city, from tree-planting initiatives to house-building projects. Others are a little bit farther afield…but what better excuse do you need to plan a summer road trip of epic proportions? Read on for six awesome ways to get some sun and give back.
1. WWOOF: Despite what its name might suggest, WWOOF doesn't involve working with dogs. (Next time, pupper fans!) Instead, it stands for "Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms"—and is an especially good choice for would-be volunteers looking for a longer-term stint in nature. WWOOFers do everything from growing veggies to collecting maple sap, all while crashing with their hosts and living the farm life. You can even make a vacay of it, thanks to WWOOF's many international opportunities. Picking grapes in the South of France, anyone?
2. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: You don't have to go deep into the woods to get the most out of your outdoor volunteering experience. Consider Habitat for Humanity, the best of both worlds. With its "Find Your Local Habitat" database, scout out home-building opportunities in your own city. During the day, enjoy the sun, fresh air, and the knowledge that you're helping out housing-vulnerable local communities. And after a long day of gratifying work, you can look forward to face-planting in your very own bed.
Image courtesy of Habitat for Humanity.
Image courtesy of Habitat for Humanity.
3. AUDUBON: Despite what you might see around town, there are more birds out there than pigeons and sparrows—and they could use your help. That's where Audubon comes in. The bird conservation organization has chapters all over the country, each of which seeks volunteers for a variety of ornithological opportunities, from monitoring nest boxes to "adopting" important bird areas and assisting in research-gathering projects about local bird populations. Oh, and once you get involved, don't forget to tweet about it. Ahem.
Image courtesy of Camilla Cerea/National Audubon Society.
Image courtesy of Camilla Cerea/National Audubon Society.
4. OUTDOORS FOR ALL: It's important to remember that taking trips into nature isn't an experience that's readily available for everyone. That's where Outdoors for All comes in. Based in the Pacific Northwest, the organization strives to enrich the lives of children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation and exploration. From rock-climbing and snowboarding adventures to downhill skiing, yoga, and day camp experiences, it offers up a range of thrilling programs each year, which are assisted by upwards of 700 volunteers—that means there are plenty of ways to get involved.
Image courtesy of Inti St. Clair.
Image courtesy of Inti St. Clair.
5. VOLUNTEERS-IN-PARKS: What's even better than going on an epic road trip to some of the country's most beautiful national parks? Sticking around for a while on a volunteering mission, that's what. With the Volunteers-in-Parks program, you can lend a hand with some of the country's most impressive scenery as your backdrop. Browse Volunteer.gov to see some of the latest opportunities—and, considering that the programs welcome "youths, families, groups, and individuals," don't be afraid to take spare friends, family members, or roommates along for the ride.
6. TREEPEOPLE: Planting a tree is one of the simplest ways to improve the quality of life in your city, from aesthetics to air pollution levels. For Los Angeles denizens, volunteer outdoors with TreePeople, which hosts tree adoption and forest restoration events, plant walks, moonlight hikes, and other fun ways to get your hands dirty. Not based in the City of Angels? Many other cities, including Houston, Philadelphia, and Denver, have their own tree-planting initiatives that are worth seeking out.
Image courtesy of Adam Thomas.
Image courtesy of Adam Thomas.
1. WWOOF: Despite what its name might suggest, WWOOF doesn't involve working with dogs. (Next time, pupper fans!) Instead, it stands for "Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms"—and is an especially good choice for would-be volunteers looking for a longer-term stint in nature. WWOOFers do everything from growing veggies to collecting maple sap, all while crashing with their hosts and living the farm life. You can even make a vacay of it, thanks to WWOOF's many international opportunities. Picking grapes in the South of France, anyone?
2. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: You don't have to go deep into the woods to get the most out of your outdoor volunteering experience. Consider Habitat for Humanity, the best of both worlds. With its "Find Your Local Habitat" database, scout out home-building opportunities in your own city. During the day, enjoy the sun, fresh air, and the knowledge that you're helping out housing-vulnerable local communities. And after a long day of gratifying work, you can look forward to face-planting in your very own bed.
Image courtesy of Habitat for Humanity.
Image courtesy of Habitat for Humanity.
3. AUDUBON: Despite what you might see around town, there are more birds out there than pigeons and sparrows—and they could use your help. That's where Audubon comes in. The bird conservation organization has chapters all over the country, each of which seeks volunteers for a variety of ornithological opportunities, from monitoring nest boxes to "adopting" important bird areas and assisting in research-gathering projects about local bird populations. Oh, and once you get involved, don't forget to tweet about it. Ahem.
Image courtesy of Camilla Cerea/National Audubon Society.
Image courtesy of Camilla Cerea/National Audubon Society.
4. OUTDOORS FOR ALL: It's important to remember that taking trips into nature isn't an experience that's readily available for everyone. That's where Outdoors for All comes in. Based in the Pacific Northwest, the organization strives to enrich the lives of children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation and exploration. From rock-climbing and snowboarding adventures to downhill skiing, yoga, and day camp experiences, it offers up a range of thrilling programs each year, which are assisted by upwards of 700 volunteers—that means there are plenty of ways to get involved.
Image courtesy of Inti St. Clair.
Image courtesy of Inti St. Clair.
5. VOLUNTEERS-IN-PARKS: What's even better than going on an epic road trip to some of the country's most beautiful national parks? Sticking around for a while on a volunteering mission, that's what. With the Volunteers-in-Parks program, you can lend a hand with some of the country's most impressive scenery as your backdrop. Browse Volunteer.gov to see some of the latest opportunities—and, considering that the programs welcome "youths, families, groups, and individuals," don't be afraid to take spare friends, family members, or roommates along for the ride.
6. TREEPEOPLE: Planting a tree is one of the simplest ways to improve the quality of life in your city, from aesthetics to air pollution levels. For Los Angeles denizens, volunteer outdoors with TreePeople, which hosts tree adoption and forest restoration events, plant walks, moonlight hikes, and other fun ways to get your hands dirty. Not based in the City of Angels? Many other cities, including Houston, Philadelphia, and Denver, have their own tree-planting initiatives that are worth seeking out.
Image courtesy of Adam Thomas.
Image courtesy of Adam Thomas.
