At Mirror Indy, we invite neighbors to share their story ideas with us twice a month at events called Chat N Chews in different parts of the city. More than once, we’ve heard from parents who are looking for opportunities to get their kids involved in helping the community.
It can be hard to find a place to volunteer alongside young kids. Here’s a list of 11 nonprofits that welcome kids and teens, including a few opportunities with no minimum age limit.
For kids who like animals
Indy Humane
Indy Humane has a Parent and Me volunteer program, so you can share your love of animals with your kids and learn to care for them together. Kids 8 years old and up qualify to volunteer at Indy Humane. You’ll have to pay $20 per person to cover the cost of a T-shirt, go through training and commit to volunteering 4-8 hours per month.
Paws & Think
Paws & Think brings dogs to schools, detention centers, humane societies and youth agencies. If you’d like to become a therapy team with your dog, 12 to 15 year olds can join as junior handlers with adult supervision. If you’re 16 or older, you can become a registered Paws & Think handler on your own.
For kids who like to be outside
Helpings of Hope
Helpings of Hope is an urban farm in Nora, near Castleton, that teaches gardening skills and gives away fresh food. There’s no minimum age for volunteers who are with their parents, although the farm’s executive director said the work would be best for kids over 5 years old. To sign up, fill out the volunteer form online.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
Plant trees and pick up litter, while you learn about the environment and spend time with a group. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is open to volunteers of any age, as long as an adult accompanies them, and they have smaller vests and gloves for kids. Each event is listed with an intensity level. Higher-intensity levels would be easier for older children and teens.
Growing Places
Growing Places is a farm with a u-pick garden at White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St. There’s no minimum age for kid volunteers who are accompanied by a parent, and more information about volunteer opportunities will be online soon.
For kids and teens who want to help feed their neighbors
Gleaners
Gleaners Food Bank had almost 15,000 volunteers last year. There’s a variety of options for volunteering, and the minimum age is 13. For parents driving their kids, here’s the volunteer parking map.
Soul Food Project
Soul Food Project is an urban farm in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood that teaches children and adults about sustainable food systems. Each spring, teens can apply to be part of the seven-week SEEDs to leaders summer program for 14 to 17 year olds. Outside of that, teens 16 or older can volunteer on the farm any time.
Community Food Box Project
You know those old newspaper boxes? Sierra Nuckols turned them into little food pantries, where anyone can grab food for free. There’s no age limit to volunteer with the Community Food Box Project, and you can always purchase non-perishable food and restock one of the boxes with your kids.
For kids who want variety in their volunteering
Seeds of Caring
Seeds of Caring is an organization specifically made for kids from 2 to 12 to volunteer. They have options to serve as a family, with your school or group or join an event, like their day of service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. You can do “Anywhere Projects,” which are options for you to help out with their partner nonprofits, like packing snack bags or writing cards for people in nursing homes. Seeds of Caring will send you a packet so you can guide your group through the activity.
The Indianapolis Public Library
At the library, teens who are 14 years old or older can help out with shelving books and keeping the libraries clean, alongside their parents. If you’re 16 or older, you can do it on your own. Seasonal events offer opportunities for volunteers like packing seed packets for the free seed library each year.
Saint Vincent DePaul
Anyone over the age of 12 can volunteer at Saint Vincent DePaul, where you can serve at food pantries, pass out food to unhoused people, answer phone calls and help out at their resale store.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Sophie Young covers services and resources. Contact her at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
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