Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Community service, volunteer opportunities San Francisco: soup kitchen, environment, mental health, senior center, hospital, animals, performing arts, Earth Day, food pantry
Ways To Volunteer San Francisco Bay Area
Last Updated December 22, 2025 8:27AM
East Bay opportunities moved over to a separate page.
South Bay Peninsula / Santa Clara opportunities moved to a separate page.
If you would like to support my efforts with creating and upkeeping free guides like this for everyone, you can buy me a coffee below.
Be sure to check out my weekly email newsletter with activities, events & things to do each week in the San Francisco Bay Area & beyond; 24,000+ subscribers & counting.
Runner-Up: Best Bay Area Local Website -48 Hills & SF Bay Guardian, Best of the Bay 2024 & 2025!
Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Note To Organizations:
I have reached out to several of you recently to help you obtain volunteers needed, desired. There are several things I have seen that are making it harder for volunteers to find you, including:
broken links on website
missing volunteer info on landing pages (have to click through 2, 3, 4+ pages to get to info about what kind of volunteers are needed, if there are even any opportunities available
posting volunteer info only on newsletters (after signup)
missing info about work done (is it physical, age requirements, can people show up last minute without showing up)
I am more than happy to help out when/where I can but I need some help which is partly why I am surfacing this info here, for the masses.
Have recs or feedback for Eddie’s List? Contact me!
Note To Volunteers
Many organizations don’t list all their volunteer opportunities on their sites, social media etc. If you want to help:
List specific skills, ways you can help (website maintenance, social media, etc).
Let them know certain volunteer opportunities are not listed on their site or are buried very deep
Notify them of broken links, missing info on sign-ups etc.
If you are looking for specific objectives to volunteer (meet people, feel good about what you are doing, doing shifts last minute without registering etc. let me know).
Local Volunteering San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma
Popular reads by Eddie’s List:
Volunteer: Food, Hospitals, Homeless, Donations, Environment & More
This is a super rough guide for volunteering in San Francisco. I will expand on it, add details, quick requirements, locations as well as drop-in notes for last minute opportunities. This is a lot of work, so thank you for your patience.
My main focus is around:
food pantries/food service in kitchens
volunteering at specific locations (no need for driving)
pets, nature, youth/seniors & other one-time opportunities
especially looking for those accepting last minute drop-ins & shorter shifts
if places are filled up indefinitely or most days/weeks, I may remove them temporarily from this list
Community Volunteer Ideas San Francisco
I started this list because I wanted to make volunteering as frictionless as possible. Often one has to search through 3-6 pages to learn more, see that slots are filled up, realize that a timeframe commitment or training is needed or figure out that the location is too far or not easy to get to or timing won’t work.
My goal is to surface key data points early on so that people can spend less time researching and more time volunteering.
If you have suggestions or notes to add, please leave them below or suggest places here. I have volunteered at several of these places, so if you have any questions, I will do my best to respond.
Anyone, feel free to chime in and recommend places.
Why Volunteer? Donate? Why Do Community Service?
There are many benefits to volunteering, including:
a great way to meet people (friend, job networking, possible love interest?)
benefit your community, and help others,
it also can help with mental health
practice social skills, especially if you are super shy
can be good exercise!
The need for volunteers and donations is at an all-time high. I expect many cuts for federal programs to happen within the next year and there is no better way to support others, help folks get off their feet and provide critical social services than to donate and volunteer.
Please hit the like, heart & restack buttons here if you find this guide helpful!
San Francisco Bay Area Non-Profits Charities To Donate
In addition to the volunteer opportunities listed below, many of these organizations accept one-off or recurring donations.
Swords to Plowshare (veterans, homeless)
Guardian Gym, Oakland
Similarly, I listed some of my favorite organizations that I recommend supporting aside from volunteering opportunities.
Hands On Bay Area Volunteer Calendar (check here for daily aggregated opportunities)
Planned Parenthood Escorts San Francisco Bay Area
“Due to coordinated attacks on reproductive freedom throughout the country, we have seen an escalation in anti-abortion protestors outside our health centers, most notably in Concord, Walnut Creek, San Francisco, and Chico.”
https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org/a/patient-escort-signup
I believe these are 2 hour shifts but will update this once I get confirmation.
Youth Volunteer Opportunities, San Francisco
Working with youth and also opportunities for youth to volunteer.
826 Valencia (Mission) Volunteer Opportunities (Tutoring)
Seeking Black, Indigenous & POC Volunteers
Also seeking design, photography & illustrative volunteers
First Graduate (videography, marketing, salesforce, digital media)
Inner Richmond, Tenderloin, Bayview, Chinatown, Excelsior
Gardens of Golden Gate Park, 14-17 y/o Volunteer Opportunities
Hospital Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
San Francisco Food Pantries, Soup Kitchen Volunteering
Monday Food Pantry Volunteering Opportunities San Francisco
Burrito Project, Mission District (last Mondays of the month)
Women’s Building, Mission District, Monday 8-10:30AM
City Team, SOMA, Monday 9-11AM
Richmond District; 12:45-2:45; 2:45-4:45
Heritage Homes Food Pantry; 12-2:30PM; Visitacion Valley
Tuesday Food Pantry Volunteering Opportunities San Francisco
One Treasure Island: 1-5:30PM (unload, package & distribute food)
Church Street Pantry, Castro, 10-1PM
Richmond District; 12:45-2:45; 2:45-4:45
Thursday Food Pantry Volunteering Opportunities San Francisco
Calvary Street Village Pantry, Sunnydale 1-4pm
Youth With A Mission, 1-4pm, Tenderloin
Friday Food Pantry Volunteering Opportunities San Francisco
Food Pick Up Fridays, 1pm
Bethel A.M.E Church, Hayes Valley
8:30-10:30AM (bag produce/pantry items); 10:45-12:45pm (distribute)
Western Addition Community Market
Fridays 8:15-12:15PM
Richmond District; 11-1PM
Saturday Food Pantry Volunteering Opportunities San Francisco
St John’s Presbyterian Church Food Pantry, Inner Richmond; Saturdays
6:30-7:30AM: Carry food bank delivery from street to tables inside
7:30-10AM; Kids & Families: Organize tables, hand out food, clean up
St Gregory’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry, Potrero Hill, Sat 9/9:30-1:00PM
Volunteers must stay until close.
Excelsior Community Food Pantry. Saturdays, 9AM-12:30PM
8:30-10:45AM (setup & food sorting)
10:55AM-2PM (food distribution)
2-2:45PM (clean-up)
First United Presbyterian Church, Parkside; Saturday 9:30-12pm
Grace Fellowship Community Church, Mission; 11:45-2:45pm
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church; Park Merced; 10-12:45pm
Interfaith Food Pantry, Polk Gulch; 8:15-11:15AM (Monthly?)
More Food Pantry Volunteer Opportunities (Multiple Days / Inquire Within)
Donate food safely without concerns of liability
Includes options for Marin, Sonoma & San Mateo
City Of Hope Volunteer Opportunities (Mon/Wed/Fri Shifts)
St Anthony’s Food Kitchen Volunteering (Tenderloin); 7 days/week
Glide Church Food Kitchen Volunteering (Tenderloin); 7 days/week
Everyone should volunteer at least once here.
Foodwise Volunteer Opportunities (Ferry Building)
Volunteer at Farmer’s markets, events and more, orientation required.
Project Open Hand Volunteer Opportunities (Tenderloin)
Martin de Porres House of Hospitality, Potrero Hill
Tue-Fri 6-8AM; Mon-Sat 9-2:30PM
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Volunteer Opportunities (upcoming opportunities)
Farming Hope, Food Service, Various (Civic Center);
Help with food prep, serving dinners, distributing groceries (food pantry), and delivering boxed meals (vehicle required). See opportunities here.
Spanish-speaking hosts for family dinners events.
Tuesday/Wednesdays: Meal Prep, 10-12pm; Meal Service 4:30-7:30pm
Fridays 1-5pm: Meal Distribution
Community Fridges San Francisco
Nature, Environment Volunteer Opportunities, San Francisco
San Francisco Parks & Recs Volunteer Opportunities
Parks: Planting & propagating native plants, controlling erosion, & monitoring wildlife habitat
Recreation: Assist staff with arts and crafts, game booths and sports activities at special events or rec centers.
Friends Of The Urban Forest Volunteer Opportunities
Planting & Caring For Plants Across Various SF Neighborhood Streets
Garden For The Environment, Inner Sunset (Wednesday/Saturday)
No walk-ups, bring own gloves
San Francisco Parks Conservatory Volunteering
(select volunteer from event type)
Refuse Refuse (Volunteer Trash Pickup, Occasional HH)
Various neighborhoods, usually once a month in each one
Richmond Republic Fridays offers a free beer and tacos after cleanup via Civic Joy Fund.
Adopt A Drain (clear gutters during rainy season)
Farm: Mon & Fri 1-5pm; Native Plants: 1st Mon/3rd Sat 1-4:30PM
Florence Fang Community Farm; Saturdays 10-1PM
If you would like to support my efforts with creating and upkeeping free guides like this for everyone, you can buy me a coffee below.
Animal Shelter Volunteer Opportunities Bay Area
Marin County Animal Volunteer Opportunities
Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito
Animal Shelter Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
SF Animal Care & Control Volunteering (Design District)
SPCA San Francisco Volunteer Opportunities (Mission);
Attend training; volunteer 2hrs/week for 6 months (socialize w/ cats/dogs)
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue (Mission District)
3hrs/week, 6 month commitment
Fri 1-3pm; Sat 10:30-12:30pm (English/Spanish Bilingual Needed); 20lb lifting
Coding/Tech/Computer Volunteer Opportunities SF
St. Anthony’s Support Specialist (Navigating a Computer, Resume)
Dev/Mission, SOMA - Free Tech Programs
The Last Mile - started at San Quentin, now operates across 13 facilities in 7 states
Donate Clothes, Toiletries San Francisco
Donate Clothes, Toiletries San Francisco
St Anthony’s (clothing/shoes for men, women, & children: clean & in good condition. Also accept luggage, towels, linens, and unopened hygiene products.)
Project Open Hand, Tenderloin
Homeless Prenatal, Mission District
Homeless/Family Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Homeless Prenatal, Mission District; limited volunteer opportunities
Friday mornings 9-12pm food bag distribution
Family Connection Services (Excelsior, Portola, Visitation Valley)
Zen Caregiving Project (formerly Zen Hospice Project)
Re-opens December 2024, 1 year, 1-5 hour shift per week
Safe & Sound (youth, families and community; meals, calls)
training +commitment of 6 weeks to 1 year
Women’s Volunteer Services San Francisco
Las Casas de las Madres, Mission District: Domestic Abuse Services
Social media, text support, crisis hotline, graphic design & more
Senior Center Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
San Francisco Village, Inner Richmond (food shopping, mobile phone help)
Little Brothers Friendly of the Elderly, Nob Hill
Disability Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Health/Yoga/Wellness Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
The Center, Lower Haight/Alamo Square
LGBTQ+ Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco
Openhouse, Lower Haight
“Support SF Bay Area LGBTQ+ seniors overcome unique challenges they face as they age.”
San Francisco LGBT Center, Duboce Triangle
SF Pride Volunteer Opportunities (Parade, Weekend)
Gay For Good Organizes Opportunities at Places On This List
Brava Theatre, Mission
GLBT Historical Society Volunteer Opportunities
Transgender District Volunteer Opportunities
NERT Training SF: Neighborhood Emergency Response Team
In the event of a major disaster, resources in San Francisco can be stretched thin, especially if many personnel are located outside the city and may be unable to arrive promptly or at all. By obtaining training for NERT, you can greatly reduce the liability you may cause by being more prepared and helping others seek training and help in an emergency.
6 trainings to get certified
Sessions rotate each 6 weeks across various neighborhoods
To register, click: ‘NERT Calendar: Meetings, Trainings & Events’
Then click on ‘SFPD NERT Member App’
Select ‘register email/set password'
May take 1-2 minutes to receive email confirmation to start application.
Create a profile.
See other trainings in other cities/counties here.
More volunteer opportunities in the East Bay & South Bay Area below.
Cultural/Language Volunteer Opportunities San Francisco Bay Area
Korean Volunteer Opportunities Bay Area
Korean Center Inc (SF)
Korean Community Center of the East Bay (San Leandro)
San Francisco Bay Area Organizations I Support
La Cocina - food incubator for women, BIPOC etc
ICA Fund - business accelerator program
City Arts & Lectures - talks
Commonwealth Club - talks
Centro Legal de la Raza - legal assistance for low-income & immigrants
SPUR - non-profit public policy, urban planning & civic issues
Women’s Building - services & advocacy, affordable space for non-profits & community members (need for bilingual speakers, front desk help)
Canal Alliance - social services for immigrants in San Rafael
If you found this guide helpful, please share it with others!
If you would like to support my efforts to create/update free public guides for all, feel free to buy my a coffee.
More free guides here: https://www.eddies-list.com/t/free
Read more about my newsletter here: https://www.eddies-list.com/about
Earth Day Volunteer Opportunities Bay Area
Coming soon