Kalamazoo for Kids ~ Volunteer Opportunities for Kids

Kids love to help! What better time in their lives to teach them about community volunteering than when they're young and can learn how good it feels to help others, and learn new things at the same time. Please click on the name of each organization to visit their website for more information.

Volunteer Kalamazoo is a local organization whose mission is to improve our community by fostering effective volunteerism in order to strengthen nonprofit organizations. The Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo will ensure that local nonprofit organizations have and effectively utilize all the well-matched volunteers necessary to fulfill their respective missions. VolunTEENS is a program of theirs for teens/students ages 12 -19 who want to make a difference in their community. Visit their website (click link on their name) or contact them at (269) 382-8350 for more information.

Please contact us to add a listing.

Diversity Awareness and Leadership Training (DALT)
Sarah Drumm: Program Founder & Co-Director, (269) 598-8870
Leslie Poucher: Program Co-Director, (269) 599-1066
The DALT program is a unique year-round program designed to create authentic change within schools and communities. Throughout the year, young people come together to participate in large-group experiential activities and small group discussions. Through sharing personal experiences and analyzing their assumptions, the students become the teachers. The DALT program provides support for participating students all year-round.

Growing Matters Garden
Sponsored by Fair Food Matters, the Growing Matters Garden program is an urban educational gardening program that provides hands-on learning opportunities for local youth. During their educational programs, students put their hands in the soil and gain first hand knowledge about where their food comes from, how great it tastes right from the garden, and why growing organic is so important!

Red Cross Youth Leaders
If you are in high school or college, the Red Cross of Greater Kalamazoo is in need of youth leaders willing to champion the Red Cross Mission and lead a Red Cross Club! Red Cross Clubs offer a multitude of important opportunities for your school and community.

KPL Volunteer Readers
Kalamazoo Public Library provides training and orientation for volunteer readers, and a great supply of children's books. Each volunteer spends approximately two hours per week, on a regular schedule, reading to children at a community site serving at-risk families.

Please use the information we've gathered here as a "spring board" for your research and interview each business or organization to make sure that it's safe and that it is a good fit for your family. The information presented here is for informational purposes only and although every effort has been made to present accurate information, we do not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information or for the businesses and organizations presented herein. We urge all parents to confirm any information given herein and consult with your doctor or an appropriate professional concerning any information of question. The views and opinions expressed by the writers, event organizers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of Kalamazoo for Kids, its officers, staff or contributors.