San Diego, CA

Overview

There are multiple ways to find volunteer opportunities in San Diego, CA. Some well-established organizations may expect prospective volunteers to visit their websites directly, while others—especially smaller organizations—may rely on community or national volunteer recruitment platforms.

Volunteering Websites

For the San Diego, CA area, here are websites that list volunteer opportunities and connect volunteers with local organizations.

Prominent Organizations

Often prominent organzations rely on their widespread recognition rather than posting on volunteer recruiting websites.

  • Alpha Project
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  • Birch Aquarium
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  • Braille Institute - San Diego
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  • Casa de Amparo
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  • Comic-Con Museum
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  • County of San Diego Parks & Recreation
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  • Del Mar Community Connections
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  • Elder Help of San Diego
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  • Father Joe’s Villages
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  • Feeding San Diego
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  • Forever Balboa Park
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  • Habitat for Humanity San Diego
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  • Helen Woodward Animal Center
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  • Home Start
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  • I Love a Clean San Diego
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  • Institute of Contemporary Art San Diego
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  • Jewish Family Service
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  • Just in Time for Foster Youth
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  • Kitchens for Good
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  • Lions Tigers & Bears
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  • Make a Wish - San Diego
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  • Mama's Kitchen
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  • Meals on Wheels San Diego County
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  • Mission Fed ArtWalk
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  • Mission Trails Regional Park
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  • Monarch School Project
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  • PATH San Diego
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  • ProduceGood
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  • Reality Changers
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  • Ronald McDonald House Charities - San Diego
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  • San Diego CoastKeeper
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  • San Diego Comic Con
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  • San Diego Council on Literacy
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  • San Diego Food Bank
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  • San Diego Humane Society
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  • San Diego Museum of Art
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  • San Diego Rescue Mission
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  • San Diego River Park Foundation
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  • San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA)
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  • Second Chance Dog Rescue
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  • Surfrider Foundation - San Diego
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  • The Living Coast Discovery Center
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  • The Rescue House
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  • Traveling Stories
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  • Tree San Diego
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  • UPLIFT San Diego
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  • USS Midway Museum
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  • Urban Street Angels
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  • Women's Resource Center - San Diego
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  • Words Alive
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  • YMCA of San Diego County
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Service Clubs

Many communities have local service clubs that offer community engagement opportunities, such as Rotary Clubs.

  • San Diego Rotary Club

    Of the 46,000 clubs worldwide, San Diego Rotary is the 12th largest! Boasting over 400 local members, it is the longest standing Rotary in San Diego County.

  • Downtown San Diego Rotary Club

    The Downtown San Diego Rotary Club, chartered in 1990, is a diverse group of professionals dedicated to supporting local and global community, health, and social causes through active service and weekly fellowship. They meet every Wednesday morning at 7 am in the University Club Atop Symphony Towers.

  • Old Mission Rotary Club

    They meet on Tuesdays at 12 pm at the Copley-Price Family YMCA. Old Mission Rotary members actively participate in a wide range of hands-on projects in the San Diego region and beyond, helping to make our community and our world a better place.

  • San Diego Premier Lions Club

    They meet on 1st Thursday of Month at 6:30 pm on Zoom or 12307 Oak Knoll Rd.

  • Exchange Club of San Diego

    The Exchange Club of San Diego is part of America’s oldest service club, dedicated to improving community life through volunteer-driven programs that support and uplift individuals and families.

Major Events
  • Days of Service by HandsOn San Diego

    HandsOn San Diego posts opportunities for MLK Day of Service in January, Volunteer Month in April and Family Volunteer Day in November. See their website for more details.
  • MLK Day of Service - UCSD

    Join UC San Diego’s students, staff, and faculty, and alumni as we march in San Diego's Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and honor Dr. King by coming together for a Day of Service.
  • César E. Chávez Day of Service

    An event that brings UCSD and Casa Familiar together to honor César Chávez through hands-on service, connecting participants to food justice, farmworker history, and the movement for equitable, sustainable food systems.
Mutual Aid & Grassroots Networks

Many communities rely on grassroots and informal networks to meet urgent needs. There may be opportunities to get involved through mutual aid networks, food distribution efforts, neighborhood action teams, or other groups that aren’t often listed on volunteer platforms.

  • We All We Got SD

    A mutual aid group that serves the San Diego community by providing resources and support directly to people in need. WAWG provides food distribution, food delivery, bill and housing support, and care packages, among other things.

  • San Diego mutual aid board

    This board is for sharing and finding resources and providing aid to each other as a community.

  • Buy Nothing San Diego

    Buy Nothing San Diego is a community-driven Facebook group where neighbors give, receive, and share items freely to reduce waste and build local connection.

  • Buy Nothing - No Rules San Diego

    Buy Nothing – No Rules San Diego is a casual, community-based Facebook group where neighbors freely give, receive, and share items without strict guidelines, fostering generosity and connection.

  • Being Neighborly: Central San Diego

    This group was created to bring the community closer and has no affiliation with Buy Nothing! Boundaries for this group are as follows – North of the 94, west of the 125 to the coast, south of the 52.

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Last updated: 11/28/2025

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