Volunteering

826michigan

115 E. Liberty (inside Robot Supply & Repair) • (734) 761–3463
Offers free creative writing programs to school-age students. Volunteer opportunities include writing-based workshops, field trips, in-school writing projects, retail store staffing, design projects, and more. Day, evening, and weekend shifts available, at the center downtown and in local schools. Must be 18 or older. [email protected], 826michigan.org/volunteer

Ann Arbor Summer Festival

(734) 994–5999
Mainstage ushers, greeters at Top of the Park, Festival Footprint Initiative, and Street Team promotion beginning in May. On-site training for 3-hour shifts. Individuals or teams of 6+ welcome. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old. Team benefits: prizes, tickets, and food/drinks. [email protected], a2sf.org/volunteer-opportunities

Avalon Housing

1327 Jones, ste. 102 • (734) 663–5858
Food pantries: help staff and tenants with pantry setup, food pickup, and cleanup. Seasonal group projects: grounds/garden bed cleanup, installing native plants at Avalon properties. Main office reception: routing phone calls, accepting rent payments, and data entry tasks. avalonhousing.org/volunteer

Breakfast at St. Andrew’s

306 N. Division (St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church) • (734) 663–0518, ext. 206
Since 1982. Free breakfast provided daily. Volunteers age 14+ set up and serve breakfast, prepare food, and clean. Daily 7:30–8:30 a.m. breakfastatstandrews.org

A Brighter Way

124 Pearl, ste. 201 (Centennial Plaza), Ypsilanti • (734) 896–3770
Dedicated to improving the quality of life for returning formerly incarcerated citizens in Washtenaw County. Volunteers assist with events and administrative tasks. [email protected], abrighterway.org

Children’s Literacy Network

1100 N. Main, ste. 207 • (734) 255–3997
Volunteers help children from infancy–12 years and families through various programs, with the goal of literacy by the end of grade 3. Read with Kids pairs a reading mentor with a preschool student, kindergarten student, and first grader. BookPALS pairs two 2nd graders who “meet” on a tablet, reading books to each other and talking about them. CLN provides books and supplies. [email protected], childrensliteracynetwork.org

Community Action Network

(734) 994–2985
Volunteer opportunities in 6 under-resourced Ann Arbor neighborhoods: assisting with food distributions, academic tutoring for students K–12 (during summer and after school), serving meals to students, and more. [email protected], canwashtenaw.org

Eversight

3985 Research Park Dr. • (800) 247–7250
Global nonprofit restores sight and prevents blindness through eye donation, corneal transplantation, and vision research. Enables donors and their families to give the gift of sight to patients in need of life-changing cornea transplants. Volunteer opportunities include administrative tasks, outreach activities, public speaking, and more. [email protected], eversightvision.org

FedUp (Feed, Educate, Drive) Ministries

16 S. Washington, Ypsilanti
Food truck service offers free regular community meals in Ann Arbor & Ypsilanti. Kitchen volunteers assist with meal prep, organizing donations, washing dishes, and packaging food in Ypsilanti. Food truck volunteers take and deliver orders at Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti sites. [email protected], fedupministries.org

Feonix–Mobility Rising

13 N. Washington, ste. 181, Ypsilanti • (734) 259–4125
Trained volunteer drivers provide free or low-cost rides to community members. Volunteers undergo a background check, vehicle insurance and registration check, and training. Also provides online disability training to transportation professionals to help make all transportation accessible to people with mobility challenges. [email protected], feonix.org/volunteer

Foster Grandparent Program

(734) 544–3040
Senior volunteers age 55+ work with children and youth in day care centers, Head Start programs, schools, and youth facilities throughout Washtenaw County. Volunteers receive a nontaxable stipend ($4/hour), transportation assistance for program-related activities, meals while on duty, orientation and ongoing training, and recognition. Volunteers must meet low-income guidelines and serve 20 hours/week. [email protected], washtenaw.org/782/foster-grandparent-program

Friends In Deed

1196 Ecorse, Ypsilanti • Helpline: (734) 484–4357 • Furniture line: (734) 484–7607
Assists low-income Washtenaw County residents with emergency needs. Accepts donations of furniture and used cars to be passed on to families in need. Helps families with car repairs, utility bills to prevent shutoff, and other needs critical to health and well-being. Circles program helps families lift themselves out of poverty. No walk-ins. [email protected], friendsindeedmi.org V

Gift of Life Michigan

3861 Research Park Dr. • (866) 500–5801
Volunteers help educate the public about organ, eye, and tissue donation by staffing information tables at community events and giving presentations to groups of all sizes. Many volunteers have a personal connection to organ, eye, and tissue donation, but it is not required. Free online training available. [email protected], golm.org

Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan

3075 Clark, ste. 101, Ypsilanti • (734) 712–5640
After-school running program for girls and gender-expansive youth in grades 3–6. Volunteer coaches facilitate lessons that blend physical activity with life skill development. Ongoing volunteer opportunities include coaching (Mar.–May and Sept.–Nov.) and 5K support committee (Jan.–May). Other opportunities available throughout the year. [email protected], girlsontherunsemi.org

House by the Side of the Road

2051 S. State • (734) 769–4085
Provides clothing, small household items, bedding, and toys at no cost to Washtenaw County residents in need. Opportunities include tagging and putting out clothes, sorting and putting out household items, folding sheets, sorting toys, etc. Main volunteer hours are Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. [email protected], housebythesideoftheroad.org

House N2 Home

5361 McAuley, ste. 1125 (Trinity Health Ann Arbor campus), Ypsilanti
Furnishes apartments and homes for Washtenaw County individuals and families exiting homelessness. Volunteer activities include: picking up, cleaning, and repairing donated items; framing artwork; selecting items for a move; setting up client homes with furnishings,; and baking cookies/making a meal for a client. [email protected], housen2home.org

Jewish Family Services Volunteer Services

2245 S. State • (734) 769–0209
JFS provides food pantry access, meal and grocery delivery, refugee resettlement, economic empowerment, aging-in-place services, counseling, transportation, and more. Volunteers may pack groceries in the food pantry, set up a home for a newly arrived refugee family, make weekly phone calls to older adults, assist in an ESL course, and more. Opportunities available on a weekly, monthly, or one-time basis. [email protected], jfsannarbor.org/volunteer

Meals on Wheels Ann Arbor

3621 S. State, ste. 650 • (734) 998–6686
Volunteers deliver meals in their own vehicles to homebound neighbors, Mon.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Volunteers pick the day and frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly, substitute) that works best with them. [email protected], michiganmed.org/aamow

SafeHouse Center

4100 Clark • (734) 995–5444 (translation available)
24-hour sexual assault and domestic violence response teams, confidential crisis counseling, legal advocacy, shelter, and drop-in support groups. Core volunteer training Wed., Sept. 4; next training Feb. 2025. Opportunities include response team, shelter facility care, helpline, children’s program, and more. [email protected], safehousecenter.org

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County

312 W. Huron St. (Robert J. Delonis Center) • (734) 304–0469
Individual and group volunteers visit with clients, serve meals, assist with Chess Club, conduct workshops, teach cooking, work in raised bed gardens, support operations staff, drive the shelter van to take clients to appointments, provide online support, host events, provide entertainment, and help teach clients new skills. [email protected], annarborshelter.org

Therapaws of Michigan

Canine-assisted therapy.All-volunteer program dedicated to promoting and fostering the human-animal bond in therapeutic and educational settings. Individual owner-dog teams visit schools and libraries, patients in hospitals, and residents in extended care facilities, providing social, emotional, and physical benefits. [email protected], therapaws.org V

Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

3425 E. Morgan • (734) 677–0303
Adaptive horsemanship, equestrian sport riding, and para-dressage for children and adults with physical, cognitive, and developmental disabilities. Volunteer opportunities for age 14+ as side walkers, horse leaders, barn help, and farm visit support. [email protected], therapeuticridinginc.org V

UMS Ambassadors

Volunteer organization that supports the mission of the University Musical Society. Members work to increase awareness of UMS by assisting with performing arts–related community events, including ushering at school day performances, hosting community dance workshops, assisting staff with projects, and other activities. [email protected], ums.org/about/volunteer