Volunteer Opportunities Across the KC Metro

1. City of Kansas City Volunteer Programs

• What: Work with KC Parks, KC Water, Adopt-A-Street, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), mural programs, pet adoption support (via KC Pet Project), school partnerships, and more.

• Why: Broad variety of municipal roles that involve public spaces, education, infrastructure, and community outreach.

2. Uncover KC

• What: A nonprofit ‘connector’ with a volunteer directory and a variety of events. Opportunities cover areas like education, environment, housing, health, and more.

• Why: Ideal if you're still figuring out where you'd like to contribute—Uncover KC can match your skills and availability to local nonprofit needs.

3. Harvesters – The Community Food Network

• What: Volunteer at their KC warehouse, or via other partner agencies and events. Roles include sorting, packaging, driving, donation events, etc.

• Why: Make a direct impact on fighting hunger in the region through tangible, recurring service.

4. United Way of Greater Kansas City

• What: Offers both onsite and offsite volunteer experiences—from assembling care kits and blankets to organizing supply drives or customized volunteer events for groups and workplaces.

• Why: Great for team-building, corporate volunteering, or structured projects with impact.

5. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC-KC)

• What: Volunteer for meal prep, hosting/check-in support, care kits, or event assistance at any of their five locations. Group and individual opportunities available.

• Why: Support families of seriously ill children—one of the most meaningful and emotionally rewarding engagements.

6. Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City

• What: Join community builds, home repairs, or help at ReStore locations (the home improvement donation/resale stores). Also participate in themed builds like Women Build, Veterans Build, Pride Build, or Rock the Block neighborhood upgrades.

• Why: Great for hands-on, collaborative work providing tangible change—no prior experience needed

7. Kansas City Public Library – RISE Program

• What: Volunteer 2–4 hours weekly to tutor immigrants and refugees in English, citizenship preparation, driver’s license exam prep, or conversational English.

• Why: Personal, transformative work cultivating literacy, confidence, and civic engagement.

8. KC Wildlands & Environmental Groups

• What: Offer help through citizen science, habitat restoration, trail work, and conservation activities with organizations like KC Wildlands, Missouri Department of Conservation, Lakeside Nature Center, Burr Oak Woods, Deep Roots KC, Missouri River Relief, and Platte County Land Trust.

• Why: Perfect for nature lovers who want hands-on environmental impact.

9. Social Services & Community Outreach 

• What: Diverse roles across homelessness support (reStart, Save Inc., Uplift, Veterans Community Project, HappyBottoms), food distribution (Nourish KC, Shelter KC), domestic abuse support (Hope House, Amethyst Place), disabilities education (Ability KC, Big Brothers Big Sisters), and animal shelters (KC Pet Project, Humane Society, etc.).

• Why: Wide range of causes lets you choose based on passion, skills, or time availability.