Volunteering in the time of a pandemic.

How to find volunteering opportunities during the novel coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic
(or any other pandemic),
& how to stay safe while volunteering.

credits and disclaimer and Why should you trust the information on this web page?

Even if the risk of getting so sick from the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 as to need medical treatment is low for the vast majority of people, every person can carry the virus and transmit it to another person, and this easy transmission places many unvaccinated people at risk for illness, long-term disability and death. That's why most places instituted physical distancing and masking requirements: maybe you yourself don't need all the protections, but other people do.

Even with the vaccines, because of low vaccination rates and so many immunocompromised people, many traditional volunteering activities have had to continue to be suspended.

So, if you want to volunteer - or if you need to volunteer for a graduation requirement, a court-order, or to learn a skill you need for your career plans - it's more difficult now, no question. But you do have options for volunteering.

Online options

There are so, so many options for virtual volunteering. I won't repeat what's already on my page of guidance on how to find virtual volunteering roles and tasks. 

In addition to this huge list of virtual volunteering opportunities, there is also this very long list of ideas for high-impact virtual volunteering. But note that, with that list of ideas for high-impact virtual volunteering, those are IDEAS, not lists of places to apply to be a part of existing initiatives. The idea behind the list of ideas for high-impact virtual volunteering is that it's something for a nonprofit, NGO, school, government program or other existing program to set up, host, sponsor, etc. Could an individual volunteer launch a high-impact virtual volunteering project? Sure! But I suggest you look at the recommended planning steps in this list of leadership volunteering ideas and use those recommendations for creating a high-impact virtual volunteering endeavor.      

Onsite options

Even during the height of the pandemic, there were still organizations involving onsite volunteers, like food banks, those organizing blood donation events and Meals on Wheels. As hospitalization rates go down, more and more onsite volunteering options get restored - but please respect virus safety requirements, and respect those who choose to continue to wear masks and want to physically distance.

In the USA, the easiest place to find these onsite volunteering opportunities is on VolunteerMatch, various HandsOn web sites (like HandsOn PDX for Portland, Oregon, HandsOn Atlanta, etc.), and, probably, your state's office of volunteerism, like Volunteer Iowa and Serve Kentucky. All of these web sites have curated volunteering opportunities related to the pandemic front and center on their home pages.

Volunteering outdoors is the safest in the tine of an easily transmittable pandemic. That's why many food banks moved their food distribution outdoors, entirely or in part, with people driving up for food boxes and many Meals on Wheels chapters are allowing volunteers to drop off meals on door steps our outside front doors, texting the client or knocking on the door to let them know the food is there. Farmer's markets and gleaning programs have resumed, as have efforts to clean up outdoor spaces or clean up habitat for wildlife.

Onsite volunteer guides in many places have resumed their service for newly re-opened outdoor spaces (heritage garden, zoos, etc.), and many have the additional tasks of helping people social distance and to follow new one-way routes, to limit humans interacting.

Other organizations that bring volunteers onsite indoors are also starting to resume onsite volunteer engagement, including blood donation organizations (for screeners, event assistants, not just donors) and Court-ordered Special Advocates (CASA).

You can look through these tips for finding volunteering roles, these tips for volunteering with seniors, these tips for medical volunteering, and all my tip volunteerism sheets to find far, far more places to volunteer onsite, and be prepared to follow their rules for volunteers, which may change as the pandemic ebbs and flows.

Staying safe & protecting others must be your PRIORITY

Consider the level of risk you are willing to take in order to get to a volunteering site. Think about how you will get to and from an onsite volunteering assignment. Driving alone in your car is probably the safest way in terms of avoiding COVID-19. Riding with another person increases your risk of exposure to the virus. Walking is low risk unless you will be walking behind or by other people, especially if they are not wearing masks. Riding a bicycle is also low risk but the risk increases if you will be riding behind other bicyclists or joggers, especially if they are not wearing a mask. Mass transit puts you very close to other people and it's virtually impossible to socially distance and completely avoid places other people touch.

Also, you may be asked by the volunteer host organization how you will get to and from the work site and they may feel that regularly taking mass transit puts you at risk of transmitting the virus to their clientele - be honest in your answers and be respectful of the decision they may make regarding your participation.

Do not volunteer with an organization that does not emphasize safety and have clearly-stated safety measures. Their safety measures should be in writing and at least mentioned on their web site, and you should see a commitment to these measures immediately when you start volunteering.

Here is an example of clearly-stated safety measures for volunteers regarding COVID-19:

• Food For Free (Massachusetts) guidelines for volunteers regarding COVID-19
• United Way of Lebanon County (Pennsylvannia) Volunteer Guidelines During COVID-19
• Serve Washington COVID-19: Guidelines for Volunteers and Volunteer Organizations (Updated 4/28/2020)

During the height of the pandemic, these were some of the general guidelines for volunteers engaging in onsite service from various organizations (but please note this disclaimer):

• Do NOT show up to volunteer for any activity if in the last 14 days you have:
  • Not regularly, properly worn a mask when inside of any structure other than your own home.
  • Not regularly, properly washed your hands.
  • Been around people who aren't living in your household and were not wearing masks.
  • Been to small gathering (10 or less people), like a dinner or party, even outside, where people did not STRICTLY physically-distance.
  • Been to gathering, like a dinner or party or church service, even outside, where there were more than 10 people, even if you felt people were physically distancing and wearing masks.
  • Traveled more than 50 miles from your home.
  • Been on a cruise.
  • Been around anyone who has or may have COVID-19.
  • Had fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue (not because of exercise), muscle or body aches (not because of exercise), headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
  • Tested positive for the virus.

All but those last three bullets have pretty much been done away with in areas where COVID-19 hospitalizations are falling. But those last three bullets are still very important and will continue to be important if you want to volunteer.

Some other guidelines you should follow: 

• Do NOT show up to volunteer for any activity without confirming that there is a need for the activity (don't just start delivering food to people you THINK might need it), without confirming that the activity will be conducted (check to make sure it hasn't been cancelled), and that volunteer support is needed and expected (don't just show up to help - there is probably a requirement to sign up first).
   
• EXPECT health screenings when you arrive to volunteer (temperature checks, screening questions, etc.) and if this doesn't happen, ask why.
   
• TAKE your temperature each day that you volunteer, before and after your service.
   
• EXPECT that shifts or activities may be cancelled. Please be gracious and understanding.
   
• ENGAGE in universal infection control precautions: clean and wash your hands before, during, and after volunteering.
   
• WEAR a face mask at all times during your volunteering activity if you are asked to by your host organization of if your local public health department or the CDC is suggesting you do so.   
   
• ASK about any risk that may be associated with the task and DO NOT take part if you are uncomfortable with the level of risk.
   
• DISPOSE properly of used hygiene products, like sanitizing wipes and gloves.
   
• REPORT violations of safety protocols to your supervisor. Ask how they will be addressed. If they are not properly addressed to your satisfaction, it may be best for you to quite volunteering. Consider writing the board to explain why you are quitting.
   
• CHECK the CDC or your state department of health websites regularly for further safety recommendations, and do not get upset if information changes - this is a brand new virus and we're all still learning.
   

Also see

Detailed information on for teens that want or need to find community service or volunteering tasks.

You are NOT too young to volunteer! Ways you can volunteer, no matter how young you are.

Advice for family volunteering - volunteering by families with children and, related, advice for teaching children compassion & understanding instead of pity with regard to poverty.

How to find volunteering opportunities, a resource for adults who want to volunteer.

Advice for volunteering as a group / volunteering in a group.

Group volunteering for atheist and secular volunteers - how to find welcoming opportunities for groups of volunteers that are not religious-based.

How to find or create volunteering opportunities to help seniors / elders / the elderly.

Advice for finding volunteer activities during the holidays (spoiler alert: start looking in as early as August - not even kidding).

Online Volunteering / Virtual Volunteering: finding volunteering tasks you can do from wherever you are in the world. Also called remote volunteering, crowdsourcing for good, microvolunteering, digital volunteering, etc. This is the most comprehensive advice and list you will find regarding this type of volunteering.

Home-Based (in your own home) Volunteering Where Your Service is NOT via a Computer or the Internet (at least not to actually DO the volunteering service, but you may need to report your work online).

How to quickly fulfill a community service obligation from a court or for a school graduation requirement.

Volunteering to help after major disasters - if you have ever wanted to help people affected by a sudden event like an earthquake, flood, tornado, hurricane, fire or human-caused event, this resource details what you need to do NOW. 

Volunteering to address your own mental health - This resource is designed to help you have realistic expectations for volunteering to address your loneliness, depression, anxiety, etc., and to avoid an experience that will make you feel worse instead of better.

Volunteering with organizations that help animals and wildlife. There are opportunities much closer to you than you might think.

Volunteering on public lands in the USA (national parks, national forests, national monuments, federally-managed historic sites, Bureau of Land Management land, state parks, wetlands, etc.)

Using your business skills for good - volunteering your business management skills, to help people start, expand or improve small businesses / micro enterprises, to help people building businesses in high-poverty areas, and to help people entering or re-entering the work force.

Volunteering in pursuit of a medical, veterinary or social work degree / career - volunteering that will help build your skills and give you experience applying skills to work in these fields.

Ideas for Leadership Volunteering Activities
These are more than just do-it-yourself volunteering - these are ideas to create or lead a sustainable, lasting benefit to a community, recruiting others to help and to have a leadership role as a volunteer. These can also be activities for a Capstone project, the Girl Scouts Gold Award, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (U.K.), a mitzvah project, or even scholarship consideration.


How to complain about your volunteering experience.

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© 2010-2023 by Jayne Cravens, all rights reserved. No part of this material can be reproduced in print or in electronic form without express written permission by Jayne Cravens.

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