Community Service Opportunities
Ashland High School
Completing 100 hours of community service before graduation is a requirement for most high school students. However, the experience doesn’t have to be daunting or tedious! Community service can be a great way to get to know your hometown, obtain valuable experience that will look great on resumes and college applications, meet new friends, discover new interests or talents you might not even realize you have, and on top of all that, it feels good to do something nice for others.
If you’re not sure how to get started, this list provides excellent ideas for community service agencies around Ashland and Southern Oregon, which welcome volunteers of all ages and experience levels. Whether you like working outdoors or in the arts, with animals, children or seniors, there is almost always a way to volunteer that will utilize your own individual interests and skills.
Outdoor /Environmental Opportunities
- Lomakatsi Restoration Project
What it is: Lomakatsi isa non-profit organization that designs ecological restoration projects and trains skilled workers to implement them.
What you can do to help: Plant trees, fire risk reduction activities, watershed protection implementation, and habitat restoration.
How to sign up:
Contact Niki Del Pizzo
541-488-0208
PO Box 3084--Ashland, OR 97520
541-488-0208
- Rogue Valley Farm to School
What it is:RVF2S educates children about our food system through hands-on farm and garden programs, and by increasing local foods in school meals.
What you can do to help:
Help plant, weed, seed, harvest, and even take photos! All in the name of sustainability.
How to sign up:
Rogue Valley Farm to School
P.O. Box 898 --Ashland, OR 97520
- Ashland Parks and Recreation Department
What it is: Dedicated to providing & promoting recreational activities for the Southern Oregon community, as well as preserving and maintaining public lands, the Ashland Parks & Recreation Department provides a variety of volunteer opportunities for members of the community of all ages.
What you can do to help: Volunteers are currently needed at North Mountain Park, Ashland Senior Center, Parks & Trails and Recreation; responsibilities range from gardening & maintenance to event set up, pool aide and ice rink host!
How to sign up: Visit download the online application.
Lori Ainsworth, Volunteer Coordinator
340 S. Pioneer St. Ashland, OR 97520
541-552-2264
Theatre/Arts Opportunities
- Oregon Shakespeare Festival
What it is: The Tony Award-Winning Shakespeare Festival is among the oldest and largest non-profit theaters in the nation, attracting tourists and theater enthusiasts from all over North America.
What you can do to help: Depending on need, volunteers may help as ushers, ticket takers, house assistants, and various other projects.
How to sign up: Fill out and submit the volunteer application at
- North Mountain Theatre
What it is:Our very own theater here on campus!
What you can do to help:Event seating, lighting, backstage, cleanup, setup, sell tickets.
How to sign up: Contact Betsy Bishop
201 S. Mountain Ave--Ashland, OR 97501 -- 541-482-8771
- Ashland Independent Film Festival
What it is:The Ashland Independent Film Festival shows over 80 films in five days to 6000 people.Filmmakers of the documentaries, features and shorts come from around the world come to engage with the audience after each screening. It just celebrated its 12th year.
What you can do to help: During the festival, volunteers can work as ushers, set-up crew, crowd control, customer service & many more positions; other volunteer positions are offered year-round. Volunteers who work 12+ hours in one area are also offered benefits including free film vouchers & other discounts!
How to sign up: Visit download their volunteer form or call541-488-3823for more information.
Email:
- Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater
What it is: Run by a membership-based, non-profit agency, this Medford theater provides a forum for community events and productions, encouraging the development of the performing arts in Jackson County.
What you can do to help: The theater is currently seeking volunteers to assist as ushers, concession staff, box office staff, and other miscellaneous positions as-needed.
How to sign up: To request a volunteer application, contact Lindsay Darneille at541-779-8195ext306,
Youth Programs
- Ashland Family Y.M.C.A.
What it is: The Ashland YMCA is committed to “building strong kids, strong families & strong communities,” by promoting healthy living and social responsibility. Individuals of all ages enjoy the YMCA’s facilities, classes, workshops, summer camps, and childcare services. - What you can do to help: Periodical volunteer positions are available for enthusiastic, responsible individuals. Depending on position availability, volunteers can work in a wide array of departments, from reception/front desk to aquatics to counseling the day camp.
How to sign up: Visit download the volunteer application, and drop it off in person at - 540 YMCA Way--Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-9622
- Ashland School District Elementary Schools
Contact one of the elementary schools in our District. Help out one of your past teachers or see what can be done around the campus. We are always looking for help.
- Kids Unlimited
What it is: This unique “youth enrichment agency” caters to children and adolescents from ages 6 to 22, providing a wide range of resources such as after-school education programs, summer camps, sports leagues, entrepreneurial leadership programs, and arts, dance and video classes. Kids Unlimited is culturally inclusive, bringing together young people of all different racial, social and economic backgrounds. It is also the foundation behind Southern Oregon’s only under-21 dance club, Vibes/Main 1.
What you can do to help: Kids Unlimited consistently seeks caring, dedicated people to join their volunteer team. Volunteers can work as mentors, or help out with a wide range of the resources Kids Unlimited offers to the community.
How to sign up: Call(541)774-3900for more information on becoming a volunteer. - S.M.A.R.T. (Start Making a Reader Today)
What it is: The SMART reading program helps kids become confident readers by providing individual volunteer attention and new, take-home books. Since 1992, SMART has served over 130,000 children, given away 1.8 million books, and enlisted the help of 90,000 volunteers in various Oregon communities!
What you can do to help: Volunteers read aloud, one-on-one with children to help them discover the joy of reading. Volunteers who are passionate about helping children read and succeed are encouraged to apply!
How to sign up: Fill out and submit SMART’s volunteer application at
Health Care/Services
- Ashland Community Hospital
What it is: Ashland’s very own hospital, accredited by one of two major organizations approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
What you can do to help: The Guest Services program invites high school, college and adult age volunteers to provide important services to both inpatients and outpatients and their families. Volunteer entertainers and artists also contribute to this program.
Volunteers for ACH are extremely valuable in providing support and important services to both inpatients and their families.
How to sign up: Visit to learn more about becoming a volunteer, and to download a volunteer application.
Or contact :
Dawn Dille, Volunteer Coordinator-280 Maple Street -- Ashland, OR
541-201-4029
- Hospice Unique Boutique
What it is: The HUB sells a variety of items and is completely run by volunteers. It helps raise funds to support the work of all hospices and the end of life programs in Jackson and Josephine Counties.
What you can do to help:The HUB needs help with a wide variety of services.
How to sign up:1618 Ashland Street -- Ashland, OR 97520--541-488-7805
Feeding the Hungry
- ACCESS, Inc.
What it is: With a focus on education, ACCESS helps low-income families and seniors in Jackson County through economic crisis. Through partnership with a caring community, ACCESS provides immediate and long-term solutions that lead people in need towards self-sufficiency. What you can do to help: Volunteers can help out at food pantries, prepare emergency food boxes, and much more.
How to sign up: Download the ACCESS volunteer form from mail it in to the address provided on the webpage.
- Ashland Food Project
What it is: The Ashland Food Project has three overall goals: to provide food to all Ashlanders who are in need, to strengthen the community, and to serve as a model for other towns. The AFP depends entirely on community volunteers, and as the project grows, they are in continuous need of additional helping hands!
What you can do to help: The AFP has volunteer opportunities in six different areas: tabling (setting up a table in front of supermarkets and greeting/recruiting new members), helping out at the food bank, door-to-door canvassing, helping out at special events (such as the 4th of July parade!), emergency pickups of food, and/or sharing any special individual skills that can contribute to the project.
How to sign up: Visit
to fill out and submit a volunteer form.
- Food & Friends Senior Meals Program
What it is: This “Meals on Wheels” program delivers hot, nutritious meals to eligible homebound senior citizens all over Southern Oregon. Food & Friends aims to support independent living, based on the belief that balanced nutrition & social contact are the keys to maintaining good health.
What you can do to help: Food & Friends volunteers do much more than just deliver and serve meals. In many cases, they are the only people senior recipients will see on a given day, providing vital social contact. Therefore, compassionate, enthusiastic and caring volunteers are a must to keep the program running! Volunteers are needed to deliver meals to homebound seniors, or serve meals at congregate sites.
How to sign up: Call volunteer coordinator –
Jan Yost at(541)734-9505 x 4to schedule a preliminary interview; beforehand, download and fill out the volunteer application at
- Peace House/Uncle Food’s Diner
What it is: The Peace House aims to create a culture of nonviolence through education and action, focusing on community sustainability, and grounded in the principles of Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi. Uncle Food’s Diner, a branch of the Peach House, offers free weekly community meals for Ashland’s homeless and economically disadvantaged.
What you can do to help: Uncle Food’s Diner welcomes volunteers of all ages to cook and serve a nutritious meal for up to 135 community members every Tuesday.
How to sign up: To volunteer at Uncle Food’s Diner, contact VinnyMuolo . To learn more about Peace House and potentially volunteer in another area, email or call Ruth Coulthard r(541) 482-9625.
Animal Protection and Service
- Southern Oregon Humane Society
What it is: Southern Oregon’s private, nonprofit animal shelter, dedicated to caring for and rehoming more than 700 dogs and cats each year!
What you can do to help: The S.O.H.S. provides a wide array of volunteer opportunities, including dog walking, socializing with animals, on-site maintenance, kennel guides, and animal grooming.
How to sign up: Visit access the volunteer page & download a volunteer application, visit the shelter (2910 Table Rock Rd, Medford, 97501) to pick up an application in person, or call541-779-3215for more information.
- C.A.T.S.
What it is: C.A.T.S. (Committed Alliance To Strays) is a cats-only animal shelter in Medford, whose mission is to rescue forgotten, or abandoned cats and kittens. As a full-adoption shelter, they are committed to keeping all the cats they take in, until they have been placed in new, loving homes.
What you can do to help: Volunteers assist in cleaning cages and play areas, feeding and grooming cats, and, of course, playing with the cats!
How to sign up: Visit the shelter (104 N. Ross Lane, Medford, 97501) Tuesday through Saturday between 11:00am and 4:00pm to pick up a volunteer application and learn more.Or contact
- Equamore Foundation
What it is: Foundation dedicated to providing care and shelter for unwanted, abused, abandoned,neglected and/or aged horses who are without alternative care; focuses on education and outreach to the public.
What you can do to help:Equamore seeks volunteers to occasionally groom, care for and socialize with horses. Volunteers report feeling extremely soothed and stress-free after working with the animals!
How to sign up: Call(541)482-5550or visit more information.
- HOPE Equestrian Center
What it is: Located in Eagle Point, HOPE Equestrian Center is a nonprofit organization providing therapeutic horseback riding to special needs individuals throughout Southern Oregon. For many individuals with disabilities, horseback riding can be an invaluable experience, providing an opportunity for discovery, adventure, freedom, responsibility, excitement and accomplishment in a safe, therapeutic setting.
What you can do to help: Next to the horses themselves, volunteers are the single most important part of HOPE Equestrian’s therapeutic riding program! Volunteers are needed for jobs such as preparing horses for lessons, cleaning, clerical work, assisting with fundraisers and activities, and even working towards becoming an instructor.
How to sign up: Call541-776-0878 or contact
to learn more about volunteering.
- Dogs for the Deaf
What it is: Located in Central Point, DFD is a nonprofit organization that rescues and trains dogs to assist people with a variety of disabilities and challenges.
What you can do to help: DFD has a number of volunteer opportunities where you can make a difference. For example, you and your family could become a “Foster Friend.” Some dogs find the kennel life stressful and challenging. Foster Friends provide a home and lots of love to a dog in training. Many more opportunities existdepending upon your interests, the amount of time you'd like to spend, and where you live.
How to sign up: Dogs for the Deaf
10175 Wheeler Rd., Central Point, OR 97502
call: 541-856-9220 or email: or contact
- SanctuaryOne
What it is: Located at Double Oak Farm in Jacksonville,SanctuaryOne is the first care farm in Southern Oregon where people, animals and the earth work together for mutual healing. The farm ultimately provides a safe and caring home for needy animals of all kinds, including cows, horses, llamas, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, geese, cats and dogs. Additionally, SanctuaryOne strives to teach others how to convert a traditional farm into a sustainable, organic food forest.
What you can do to help: Volunteers experience an unforgettable opportunity of working on a real, functioning farm. Gardening, caring for animals and general farm work has additionally been shown to ease depression and stress, provide a therapeutic experience, establish lifelong relationships and even improve physical health!
How to sign up: Make an appointment to tour the farm and fill out a volunteer application by calling541-899-8627. Or contact
Misc. Opportunities
- Jackson County Library Services
What it is: Offering branches in Ashland, Talent, Medford, Phoenix, Jacksonville and more, the Jackson Country libraries strengthen our local community by providing open and affordable access to ideas, information and resources.
What you can do to help: Most of the branches consistently seek volunteers to serve as circulation/shelving assistants, storytime readers, special activities assistants, information desk clerks, children/teen department helpers, and much more.
How to sign up: Download the volunteer application at submit the form online or print and mail to the Community Outreach Specialist at the Medford branch (205 South Central Ave, Medford, 97501). Be sure to indicate which branch you are interested in volunteering for!
ScienceWorks Museum
What it is:ScienceWorks “Hands On” Museum in Ashland strives to “inspire wonder and stimulate creative exploration through fun interactive science and the arts.” ScienceWorks has served over 150,000 visitors and school children throughout Southern Oregon and Northern California.
What you can do to help: Youth and adult volunteers provide essential services for ScienceWorks, including interacting with visiting school groups, working behind the scenes on exhibits or in the office, and helping at special events.
How to sign up: Visit the volunteer application webpage at
- Volunteers in Police Services
What it is: VIPS was established to bridge the gap between the Police Department and the people they serve. The program intends to not only shed light on the “how’s” and “why’s” behind police activity and remedy some of the misunderstandings behind the Police Department’s choices and actions, but allow citizens to experience some of the training and acquire hands-on experience with situations that are normally not experienced outside law enforcement circles. What you can do to help: Trained volunteers may participate in “ride-alongs” with police officers, as well as a variety of other tasks and duties.
How to sign up: Contact the Ashland Police Department at 552-5211 x 2121.
- Ashland Chamber of Commerce
Volunteer to work the information booth on the plaza or answer phones.
541-482-3486
- Southern Oregon Historical Society
Various volunteer opportunities Volunteers are needed to help with planning, set-up and current day's events.
Still Looking?
If nothing on this list inspires you, don’t be discouraged! There are many, many more volunteer opportunities in Southern Oregon! Consider volunteering your time as a tutor, or start your own fundraiser for a cause or charity you feel is important. You can check out for more opportunities as well.
If you’re still stumped, talk to the staff in the counseling office at your school--they can help you brainstorm great ideas on how you can get involved in the community.