Current Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities

The City of Sacramento and its non-profit partners have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for youth and adults.   These include on-going as well as short-term activities.   Current on-going volunteer opportunities are listed below in alphabetical order by program or department name:

Access Leisure: Access Leisure Teen Program is an after-school social and recreational program for youth ages 13-22 who have special needs.   Volunteers interact with teens in small groups or work one-on- one with a teen participant.   Volunteers help to prepare and set up recreational activities, lead indoor/outdoor games, arts & crafts, help prepare and serve snack, assist with homework and play board and computer games.   Volunteers receive supervision and support from staff, and are invited to participate in training sessions.   Volunteers should be in high school or above and available between 3:00-6:00 p.m. during the weekday.   For more information, contact Jenny Yarrow at (916) 808-6017 or the Teen Program at (916) 808-6085.   Access Leisure also offers Social Programs, Special Events, Trips and Sports for Adults and Teens with special needs.   Weekday and weekend schedules are available for volunteers who are high school seniors and up.   Please contact Phil Sinclair for more information at (916) 808-6045.

Animal Care Services  -Volunteers assist with special events, handling and exercising dogs, pet grooming and bathing, office work, adoption clinics, education and other pet services.  Volunteer orientations are offered monthly. For information and to reserve your space at the next orientation contact Claudia Schlachter at (916) 808-8166 or email: cschlachter@cityofsacramento.org.

ARMS (Assistance, Referral and More for Seniors) provides assistance to adults over 50 who need help with problems such as housing, Social Security, completing forms and more.   The Assistance Specialist is looking for volunteers to work within the community centers providing information and a volunteer to update the employment binders.   For more information contact Maria Lueras at (916) 808-7324.

Caring Neighborhoods Program - A neighborhood-based volunteer program encouraging neighbors to work together on small tasks to help elderly neighbors live safely and independently in their own homes.  Oftentimes, a helping hand with tasks such as changing a light bulb or sharing a friendly visit can be the difference that helps an older neighbor remain living in their longtime homes.  Also, one-time community service projects link volunteer groups with neighborhood seniors in need of a helping hand.  Students, businesses, faith-based groups, service clubs, and other volunteers have painted homes for elderly neighbors, hosted special event luncheons, created and delivered Valentine's Day cards, delivered Christmas gifts, and much more.  For information about their next activity and to discuss how you can help, call Tracey Gray at (916) 808-1594 or email: tgray@cityofsacramento.org.

Cover the Kids, Sacramento’s Children’s Health Initiative – Volunteers are needed on an on-going basis to assist with client follow-up phone calls.  The purpose is to help collect data on children who are enrolled in a health program and those who are not.  This data will allow the project to assist families by providing them access to various health programs.  Volunteers are also needed to assist with various jobs at one-day events to reach families with uninsured children.  Parents will be enrolling their children in affordable health coverage programs and learning about health services by attending a short class.  Volunteers will assist at these events by facilitating children’s activities, childcare, staffing a registration table or an information table, and making copies for families.  Events will be scheduled periodically at different locations.  For more information and to volunteer, please contact Carmen Herrera at (916) 808-3826 or email:  cherrera@cityofsacramento.org.

Crocker Art Museum - The museum has opportunities for volunteers to assist with administrative tasks, train to present tours, help in the museum store, assist with special events, concerts and educational programs, maintain the Gerald Hansen Library and provide information about the museum through community outreach activities.   For further information, contact Stacy Beckley at (916) 808-1182 or email: sbeckley@cityofsacramento.org. 

Discovery Museum -  Discovery Museum has two sites, the History Center in Old Sacramento and the Science and Space Center on Auburn Boulevard. Animal Caretaker Assistant internships and Science Education Outreach internships are available. Volunteers are also needed for a wide variety of positions, from office help, museum security, gift shop host, to working with children in classes and museum visitors and animals.  Docents, with an interest in history, are needed during the weekday to lead history tours for school children in the History Center. Docent Training is provided. Tour hosts are needed to orient groups for a self-guided tour at the History Center.  Youth beginning at age 12 may volunteer to assist with children's activities, clerical duties and special events. A parent or guardian needs to volunteer with them up to age 14. Volunteers assist with the many special events throughout the year, such as Gold Bug Ball, Golden Tea, and Gold Rush Days. Volunteers are needed to help with children's craft activities at both sites, every weekend. Group volunteering projects are also available. Contact: Jordana Diehl at (916) 264-7059 or voicemail:  (916) 808-7021 ext. 7 or email:  jordanad@thediscovery.org.

The Elder Craftsman - Crafters who are willing to teach their skills to others are needed.   Volunteers willing to drive to crafters' homes to pick up completed crafts are sought.   Community service projects, including collecting donated craft materials welcomed.   For further information contact Nina Moran at (916) 264-7676 or email: nmoran@cityofsacramento.org.

Fairytale Town - Workshop Facilitators are needed weekdays to present 20-30 minute programs for student groups.   An interest in teaching, gardening and animals is helpful.   Short training provided.   Storytellers are also needed to read aloud to visitors.   Weekday and weekend schedules available.   Storytellers are encouraged to dress in costume, some provided by park.   Volunteers for these positions need to be 18 or older, however special event volunteer opportunities begin as young as 12.   For information contact Sharlene Lal at (916) 264-7979 or email: volunteers@fairytaletown.org.

Golf - Capital City Golf is looking for volunteers to serve as Golf Historians .   The volunteers collect, preserve and share Sacramento's rich golf history and conduct high quality golf tournaments and events.   Volunteers need to reside in the city or county of Sacramento and have an interest in golf and golf history.   Orientation and training are provided.   Capital City Golf is seeking volunteers to serve on the Sacramento Golf Council to conduct competitive amateur golf tournaments at City and County golf courses.   Volunteers must have the ability to attend monthly meetings (held on the 1st Monday of each month from 7-9 pm), volunteer on Labor Day weekend, and volunteer at various Sacramento Golf Council events between the months of March and September.  Training and orientation will be provided.  Golf Marshalls are also needed.  For information, contact Mike Kerton at (916) 808-6316 or email: mkerton@cityofsacramento.org.

Hart Senior Center - Volunteers are needed to serve as Computer Instructors for older adults in basic computer functions and programs.  Various schedules available and most classes are 1 ½ hours in length and meet weekly during an 8-week session.   The volunteer Instructor and Coach may teach up to seven students in our computer lab.  Our classes are held Monday through Saturday between 9:30 am and 5 pm.  Volunteers use a curriculum designed specifically for the older learner by SeniorNet, a worldwide organization dedicated to computer literacy for older adults. Marketing Volunteer - Ethel Hart Senior Center is looking for an individual with a marketing background to assist with developing a marketing plan for seminars, classes, and activities. 

Graphic Designer – The Ethel Hart Senior Center is looking for an individual with good graphic design experience who could design and complete a flyer for a writer's conference. Please contact Linda Hoschler at (916) 808-5462 or email: lhoschler@cityofsacramento.org.

Old City Cemetery -History buffs are needed to serve as tour guides on Saturdays.   Volunteers are also needed to help with research in the archives, organizing photos, grant writing and gardening.   Volunteers should be at least 18 for these positions.   Other opportunities include short-term projects appropriate for teen volunteers.   For information contact Sharon Patrician at (916) 455-8166.

Old Sacramento Living History Program -   Volunteers are needed to serve as costumed historical characters from the Gold Rush Era to the Civil War and to participate in programs and activities in Old Sacramento.  In-costume support is also needed for audience, help with children's activities and to help relieve other re-enactors for breaks.   Training is provided as well as assistance with costuming.   Other volunteers are welcomed to provide behind-the-scenes support doing research, videotaping events, grant-writing, teaching and other activities.  Groups can assist with set-up and take-down at special events.   Most events and training take place evenings and weekends.   For further information, contact Janessa West at: (916) 808-4980 or e-mail jwest@cityofsacramento.org.

Pannell/Meadowview Community Center – Volunteer as a Computer Lab Monitor at the Pannell/Meadowview Computer Lab 1-2 days per week for approximately 3-4 hours. The volunteer needs to have moderate computer skills and be people oriented.  The volunteer will help individuals who get "stuck" in an application or need help navigating the internet.  For more information and to sign up, please contact Teri Hunt at (916) 808-6683.

Parks - Volunteers are invited to help with various stewardship activities in city parks, trails, and natural areas. Activities vary by season, and training and tools will be provided, so no prior experience is needed, only the desire to help. Opportunities are available in all neighborhoods, and many activities are great for large groups, families, or youth groups with adult supervisors. Volunteers should wear closed toed shoes and are encouraged to bring a pair of work gloves. One day or short-term service activities are also available. To help or for more information, please contact Julie Mier at (916) 808-2285 or email: jmier@cityofsacramento.org

Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center - Volunteers are needed with computer skills to provide data entry, web site maintenance and to scan photos.   Volunteers need to be at least 18 and able to work a 4-hour shift during the weekday once a week.   A commitment of 6 months is requested.   For further information, contact Pat Johnson at (916) 808-7072.

Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau - Lots of Community and Special Events are scheduled through the year. Some are very family oriented; many can use groups or clubs to assist. Typical duties include meeting and greeting, registration, stage monitor, information booth, set up and tear down, and runner/floater. There are four large events: Bridge-to-Bridge Waterfront Festival in July, Gold Rush Days over Labor Day weekend, Grape Escape Wine Tasting in October, and the New Year’s Eve Sky Concert. For family-oriented events youth 12-15 may volunteer if accompanied by a parent/guardian. For some events volunteers will need to be 18 or older. Volunteers are also needed throughout the duration of the California State Fair to volunteer at the Sacramento County Exhibit Booth. Duties include interacting with fair-goers, answering questions about the greater Sacramento area, as well as informing them about the exhibit. Training is provided. Volunteers work 3-4 hour shifts and in return get free admission in to the fair! The Old Sacramento Visitors’ Center is also looking for volunteers who enjoy sharing their knowledge of the city with visitors. Volunteers who enjoy people are needed during the weekdays for shifts from 9 am to 4pm and Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. A commitment of 4 hours per week is requested. For further information, contact Sheri Graciano at (916) 808-7715.

Sacramento Fire Department - The Public Education Office needs volunteers to assist with safety fairs. Volunteers would work with a staff member of the Fire Department to hand out literature, staff interactive games for the children and greet guests.   Volunteers are also needed to work in the office rendering a variety of clerical tasks.   Some volunteers may assist the presenters at large school assemblies.   Volunteers should enjoy working with the public and need to be at least 16 years old.   The ability to lift 10 pounds is desired.   The Juvenile Firesetters Program holds academies for families in collaboration with many agencies in the region.  These academies are held 4 times a year and include 3 evening sessions.   Translators are needed to assist families participating in the academies.  Languages needed include Spanish, Russian, Hmong and others.  Please contact Officer Juanita Mason at 808-1673 for details.

Sacramento Fire Department - CERT - The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the people that they serve.   The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic response skills.   CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area.   CERT members can assist others in times of emergency or disaster by applying the basic response and organizational skills that they have learned during training.   These skills can help save and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives. For more information and to sign up, call Pat Burritt at (916) 747-7202 or William White at (916) 216-0327.

Sacramento City Fire Reserves - The Reserves consist of more than 50 volunteers who train and work with the Sacramento City Fire department. They provide valuable resources to our community and are dispatched to multiple alarm fires, Level 3 Haz-Mat incidents and other emergencies whenever additional resources are required.   The Reserves provide supplemental staffing, food, drinks and EMS standby at the scene of emergencies.   They also have a role in decontamination at hazardous materials incidents.   To learn more about training to be a volunteer with the Sacramento City Fire Reserves, contact Jonathan Williams at (916) 808-1617.

Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission - Art volunteers are needed to provide tours of Sacramento's Downtown Public Art Collection to schools and community groups.   Volunteers need to be at least 18 years old and have transportation to public art sites.   Availability during the weekday is preferred, but not required.  Contact the Arts Commission at (916) 808-3992.

Sacramento Police Department -VIPS-Volunteers in Police (Patrol) Service -

The Sacramento Police Department is proud to present the Volunteers In Patrol Program. VIPS work hard volunteering their time towards the betterment of their police department and the community they live in. Examples of services they provide include, assisting at various community/police sponsored events, neighborhood patrol in a SPD PT Cruiser, and involvement in the Bicycle Rodeo and Helmet Safety Program. A commitment of service pays in dividends of pride and experience from working in the field with Sacramento"s finest. Applicants must complete a standard department pre-employment application before they can be considered for the assignment. Weekday and weekend shifts available.  Call (916) 808-8663 today to talk with a VIPS Coordinator to find out how to get started in this rewarding position.

Sacramento Public Library - Sacramento Public Library welcomes volunteers at 26 library sites in the City and County! The Library actively seeks energetic, interested volunteers and offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. Volunteer today! Email to volunteer@saclibrary.org or call the Library at (916) 264-2920 or toll free at 1-800-209-4627.

Some of the volunteer opportunities are:

CENTRAL LIBRARY DOCENT PROGRAM. Be a docent for the Central Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814! Docents will greet people as they enter the library, help them to find their way around, guide them from floor to floor and make sure that the customers who come in are welcomed and informed. Available hours are: Tuesday through Friday noon to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

HELPING CUSTOMERS! The volunteers for this task need to be outgoing and enthusiastic about the library. Volunteers are asked to help customers learn how to use some of the great new tools – like self-check machines! -- that have changed the face of libraries. Some training is required and volunteers are asked to donate two hours a week.

WHERE'S IT GONNA GO? This is the task that is often considered "most needed" by libraries. Getting books and other materials back on shelves is one of the most important tasks in the library. It is physical (get in those cardio workouts!) but also gives an opportunity to have an "up front and personal" look at books -- and the inner workings of libraries. Some training is required in the Dewey Decimal system and in shelving techniques. Volunteers are asked to donate about two hours a week.

ICK! MAKING THE BOOKS LOOK GOOD! As you can imagine, books and other materials that are so heavily used are in much need of mending -- or even just getting new covers on them. Most libraries consider this a very high priority task for volunteers. Volunteers are taught to do mending by library staff. Training generally takes a short time but is on going as mending can be different for differing types of materials. Volunteers are commonly asked to make a time commitment of two or more hours each week.

CUT AND PASTE -- THE PERFECT CRAFT. This is a job that may be weekly or less often. As libraries provide programs for the public, they often have volunteers assist. The volunteers may help to sign people up for programs, they may help on the program day to seat people or maintain order with children, they may help performers. Additionally, program helpers may help to prepare for children's programs by helping to prepare craft activities and helping on the day of the event. Time commitment varies widely. This position is not always available.

YOU SAID THERE WERE HOW MANY NUMBERS AFTER THE DOT? Typing those pesky labels to go on book spines, helping to maintain records... Volunteers are needed to perform light clerical duties and sometimes a bit of statistical tracking. Training for these duties varies widely dependent on the task and the time commitment from volunteers can vary as widely as the duties.

COME BE OUR FRIEND! Some of the Library's best friends are Friends! Additional volunteer opportunities are available through Sacramento Public Library Friends of the Library. The Friends of the Library are one of the main supports for activities and supplemental materials for the Library. They have a huge annual book sale as well as small sales throughout the year and are always in search of volunteers. Additionally, you might want to join your local Friends of the Library group -- each library has an Affiliate Friends of the Library group, which raises funds for a particular library. Training is dependent on the job as is the time commitment.

Sacramento Zoo -Volunteers are needed to work with keeper staff cleaning, feeding and maintaining the animal exhibits.  Volunteers must be 18 or older.  Many opportunities are also available to assist with special events and gardening projects.  Call Valorie Schneider at (916) 808-7444 for information. Volunteer Educators (Docents) are trained on an annual basis.  The classes begin again each January and end in March.  Classes are on Saturdays and include a mini-course in biology, practice with effective teaching methods and behind-the-scenes tours.    Volunteers for this program need to be 18.  Please contact Ann Geiger at (916) 808-8816 to learn more. Roots and Shoots Summer Teen Program – Volunteers should be 15-19 years old.  Assist instructors with weeklong camp classes for children.  Duties include crafts, games, enrichment activities, scavenger hunts, face painting, an overnight camp-out and more.  To become part of this volunteer team, call Amanda Castenada at (916) 808-7714.

START - an elementary after school program for children from low-income neighborhoods, invites volunteers to share their skills and talents with at-risk school age children. START has volunteer opportunities existing for individuals on a short or long-term basis as well as a one-time occurrence. Volunteers will be able to work with small groups of children through homework assistance, tutoring, recreational and enrichment activities.   Volunteer assignments include START Pal, Enrichment Specialist, Special Events Assistant, Inspirational Speaker, Homework Helper, Cluster Assistant, Yard Duty Assistant, Site Director Assistant, Reading Buddy, Community Outreach Assistant, and START Office Assistant.     For additional information call: Cecilia Jacquez at: (916) 808-6156 or email: volunteersacstart@hotmail.com.

Triple R -This program provides respite for caregivers, recreation for seniors with memory loss and resources for families.   Volunteers are needed to visit with the clients and provide companionship.   Entertainers such as pianists and crafters are asked   to share their talents.   Volunteers are also needed to assist with a walking program and should be able to walk with a client or push a wheelchair.   The Riverside program needs a volunteer to cook lunch once a month on Wednesdays. Food and supplies are provided.   For information contact Stephanie Wilson at (916) 808-1591.

Water Conservation - Volunteers are needed to affix labels on brochures related to water conservation.   This project can be done at the Water Conservation office as a group and works well for youth groups and families.   Volunteers are also needed to assist with home water conservation audits, accompanying staff on appointments.   Volunteers for this duty should be at least 18. Contact Carol Tao at 808-5618 or email: ctao@cityofsacramento.org.

 4 th R - This after-school program for K-6 welcomes volunteers to teach arts and crafts, music, dramatic skits, cheerleading or sports activities.   Volunteers also share their knowledge of science, especially biology, through experiments and projects.   Volunteers need to be in middle school or older.   College students studying recreation or teaching are especially welcomed.   To volunteer, call Joyce Wenger-Johnson at (916) 808-3849.

50 Plus Wellness - Love to walk, but prefer to walk with others and not alone?   This program is looking for volunteers to commit to leading walks in their neighborhood for about an hour at least one day per week, generally at 9 am. Leaders are expected to motivate the group, and check up on group members who are missing.   Training is provided.   Call Kim Metcalf at (916) 808-1593 or email: kmetcalf@cityofsacramento.org

For further information contact Mary Lynn Perry, Volunteer Coordinator at (916) 808-8317 or mperry@cityofsacramento.org.