Marymoor Park Connector Trail

King County Parks

Date/Time: Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Location: Redmond, WA. Sign up to see the exact location.

Ages: Families with children are welcome to participate. We do not have a minimum as long as parents/caregivers are engaged and responsible. We have shovels and other tools that are child-sized. We have work gloves as small as adult extra-small, but nothing small enough for very small hands, so if families have child-sized gardening gloves we recommend they bring them.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Join us in restoring the health of Marymoor Park - Connector Trail. This is an event supported by the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) and is also open to members of the public. Marymoor Park has been called the jewel of the King County Park System with more than 3 million people visiting annually to explore 640 acres of recreational activities, rare amenities, and culturally enriching events. Connect to and make a difference in the health of your local park while learning about the environment. Year-round projects often include the removal of aggressive plants that can harm plant diversity, spreading woodchip mulch, weeding previously planted sites, and other park improvement projects (e.g., litter removal). Learn more about this park and others at www.kingcounty.gov/parks. Click here to learn more about volunteering as a family.

Contact: parksvolunteer@kingcounty.gov, 206.477.7378. Registration is available online. 

www.kingcounty.gov/parks

International Day of Biological Diversity Restoration Event at Westcrest Park!

The Dirt Corps

Date/Time: Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Location: Please meet at the tool chest directly west of the Westcrest Park's P-patch: Click here for a map.

Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Join Dirt Corps for a special "International Day of Biological Diversity" celebratory restoration event at our very varied and especially special backyard- Westcrest Park! Westcrest Park is home to many flora and fauna, and our volunteer undertakings help the park continue to be a healthy home for all of us to enjoy. We will be caring for forested areas by removing blackberry and other target species that overwhelm local, native plants.

All skill levels are welcome! Please wear clothing that can get dirty, including long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. We’ll be working rain or shine, so everyone is encouraged to bring rain gear if the weather forecast says chance of rain. We’ll be providing the tools, snacks, and water. Bring work gloves if you have them, and we’ll have some to borrow as well. We hope you’ll join us!

Contact: info@thedirtcorps.com. Registration is available online. 

www.thedirtcorps.com

Village Spring Gardening Day 2024

Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA)

Date/Time: Saturday, May 11, 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 

Location: NW Seattle area homes. We will meet at the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N 85th St, 98103.

Ages: Families with children are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Four hours.

Join us as we help our senior members in NW Seattle get their gardens ready for the growing season! Great opportunity for families, teens, and anyone ready to get dirty with their neighbors. Be sure to indicate how many people you're signing up for, and list their names (if you are bringing children). You can bring your own gloves and tools if you prefer. No experience is necessary.

Contact: Dannette Lombert, dannettel@phinneycenter.org or 206.789.1217. Register online by Wednesday, May 8. 

https://www.phinneycenter.org

North Shorewood Park

King County Parks

Date/Time: Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m.–noon.

Location: Seattle, WA. Sign up to see the exact location.

Ages: Families with children are welcome to participate. We do not have a minimum as long as parents/caregivers are engaged and responsible. We have shovels and other tools that are child-sized. We have work gloves as small as adult extra-small, but nothing small enough for very small hands, so if families have child-sized gardening gloves we recommend they bring them.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Join us in restoring the health of North Shorewood Park. North Shorewood Park, a neighborhood park, has a lot to offer in a small area: playground, picnic areas, basketball court, off-leash dog area, and a trail that meanders through a second-growth forest. Connect to and make a difference in the health of your local park while learning about the environment. Year-round projects often include the removal of aggressive plants that can harm plant diversity, spreading woodchip mulch, weeding previously planted sites, and other park improvement projects (e.g., litter removal). Learn more about this park and others at www.kingcounty.gov/parks. Click here to learn more about volunteering as a family.

Contact: parksvolunteer@kingcounty.gov, 206.477.7378. Registration is available online. 

www.kingcounty.gov/parks

Miles for Smiles Virtual 5K

Birthday Dreams

Date/Time: The Miles for Smiles 5K will run from May 17–31.

Location: Your own location.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate!

Your family can run, walk, ride, hike, swim, or roll at your own pace and in your own way to benefit Birthday Dreams. As long as your miles can be tracked, your activity will be counted. Finish in record time, or take leisurely walks over a week; your speed, your choice! With your help, we can raise funds to make sure homeless children throughout the Puget Sound are celebrated on their birthdays! Learn more here. 

Contact: events@birthdaydreams.org, 425.524.4705. Registration is available online.

https://birthdaydreams.org/

One Seattle Day of Service

City of Seattle

Date/Time: Saturday, May 18.

Location: Community sites throughout Seattle.

Ages: Many events are open to all ages and all abilities, and more will be added up until the Day of Service. Please choose an opportunity that is appropriate for your children.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Join together with a diverse group of public, private, and non-profit partners, and community organizations to provide a wide array of service opportunities, including cleaning and beautification, gardening and restoration, helping neighbors in need, and more. Registration is now open for service events throughout Seattle. Volunteer opportunities include a variety of options for people across ages, abilities, and interests. More shifts and events will be added until the day of the event. Volunteer opportunities include cleaning and beautification, gardening and restoration, and helping neighbors in need. With volunteer events planned throughout Seattle, including events for all ages and abilities, everyone can join in to give back to the city we love!

Contact: dayofservice@seattle.gov. Registration is available online.

https://seattle.gov/mayor/one-seattle-initiatives/day-of-service

Monthly Meals at Plymouth Housing! 

Plymouth Housing Group

Date/Time: We can accommodate volunteers for any meal any day of the week.

Location: Our buildings are concentrated in the Downtown/Belltown/South Lake Union neighborhoods with one in Bellevue and one in Ballard. The specific location will be selected once you reach out to volunteer.

Ages: Families with children 13 years old or older are welcome to volunteer together.

Time Commitment: The average volunteer shift lasts two–three hours including preparation and cleaning time.

Plymouth Housing owns and operates 17 permanent supportive housing units throughout downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, serving 1,400 people a year. We are looking for groups of committed volunteers to provide meal service in our buildings. This is a great opportunity to directly serve our residents and address a large need for the community. We ask that volunteer groups provide food and necessary materials (plates, cutlery, napkins, cups, etc.) for 50 servings. Many of our buildings have large community kitchens for food preparations in-house, but we also encourage volunteers to consider ready-to-heat meals from home. Volunteer groups should be between 4 and 12 people. Each meal shift will be supervised by a staff coordinator or case manager.

Contact: Kaley Oschmann, koschmann@plymouthhousing.org, 206.210.0443. 

https://plymouthhousing.org

Provide Sack Lunches

Plymouth Housing Group

Date/Time: Any day of the week around lunchtime.

Location: Assemble the lunches at home and coordinate with Kaley Oschmann, koschmann@plymouthhousing.org, to make arrangements to deliver your lunches. Our buildings are concentrated in the Downtown/Belltown/South Lake Union neighborhoods with one in Bellevue and one in Ballard. 

Ages: Families are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies. This can be a one-time opportunity or a monthly recurring opportunity. We would love to work with you in whatever capacity is best for you.

Volunteers are needed to purchase supplies, assemble lunches at home or with a community group, and then deliver 50-100 sack lunches to one of our buildings across the Seattle region. This is a great opportunity to directly impact our residents and address a large need for the community! 

Here are examples of what to include in a paper bag sack lunch: 

• One main protein item such as a meat and cheese sandwich, or a meat and cheese wrap.
• One healthy item such as a fruit cup, apple, orange, celery, carrots, and hummus.
• One savory item such as chips, crackers, or pretzels.
• One sweet item such as fruit snacks or pudding.

Please do not include any common allergens such as nuts (peanut butter) or seafood. 

Contact: Kaley Oschmann, koschmann@plymouthhousing.org if you are interested or have any questions.

https://plymouthhousing.org

Share Your Surplus Garden Harvest

AmpleHarvest.org

Date/Time: Ongoing.

Location: Your own garden or find a community garden near you.

Ages: All ages can participate, depending on the garden or farm.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Do you like to garden? One out of six children in America lives in a food insecure home meaning their parents don't know where their next meal will come from. No matter where you live, there are people in your community that are experiencing hunger. Food pantries can help fill in the gaps but are continuously lacking in healthy, fresh produce to offer. Luckily, you can help alleviate this issue in your own neighborhood! By planting just a little extra to donate, you can improve the health of your community as well. When you donate your surplus garden bounty, you are helping to relieve hunger and making an impact on obesity and other food-related diseases. Consider planting an extra row or even a few additional plants to donate to a local food pantry. And if you find yourself with a runaway zucchini plant or another bountiful crop that gives you more than you can eat, don't let it go to waste! Even a small donation will help increase food security in your area. 

Ampleharvest.org is pleased to partner with Bonnie Plants “Grow More Feed More” initiative and Home Depot's “Donate Your Harvest” initiative. Bonnie Plants will donate 5% of online sales to Ampleharvest.org. Click here for more information on Grow More Feed More and to order your plants online. Home Depot supports Ampleharvest.org with its Donate Your Harvest initiative. Click here for links to gardening helpful hints, plants and supplies, and locations on harvest drop-off locations in your area.

Contact: You can find one of more than 8,000 food pantries in all 50 states (and on Native American reservations too!) eager for your help by clicking here.

www.ampleharvest.org

Foster a Service Dog in Training

Canine Companions

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity.

Location: Seattle.

Ages: Please note: If you are under the age of 18, you must have a parent or legal guardian fill out the application and you can sign on as a co-applicant. 

Time Commitment: Flexible, long-term, and short-term fosters are needed. There is a minimum three-month commitment.

Are you a dog lover with room in your home to look after a dog during evenings and weekends? This could be the perfect role for you! As a Foster for Canine Companions, you’ll be giving a dog in training a loving home while they embark on their journey to become a service dog. You’ll get to see the progress your furry companion is making in their training and be a vital part of their journey, without the commitment of looking after a dog full time. All dogs in professional training are either Labradors, Golden Retrievers, or a mix of these breeds, and they are all over 1.5 years old.

Dogs will either need to be dropped off/picked up on weekdays at the training location in SODO Seattle or talk to us about ridesharing or picking up/dropping off at a central location closer to you. All food, medical care, and resources are supplied to you as the foster.

Q: I have existing pets in my home. Can I still foster?

A: Yes, as long as your pets are friendly and get along with other animals

Q: I have small children in the home. Can I still foster?

A: Yes, the service dogs in professional training are well-behaved and have been socialized to children of all ages

Q: Do I need to know how to train a dog to foster?

A: No, all the training will be done by professional trainers while the dog is at the Puget Sound Field Office.

If you don’t feel you tick every box but are sure this role is the one for you, we’d love to hear from you! We’re always open to suggestions and are very happy to chat with you to find out what’s possible, so please just get in touch at seattleprogram@canine.org. Picking up from work locations throughout King County may be available.

Contact: seattleprogram@canine.org.

Canine.org

Sack Lunches for Shelter

Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness

Date/Time: Friday through Sunday, anytime between 10 a.m. and noon.

Location: 16357 Aurora Ave N., Shoreline.

Ages: Families are welcome to donate lunches.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness is a nonprofit operating an enhanced shelter (The Oaks) in Shoreline, WA. We serve 60 formerly unhoused individuals with a housing program as well as a 24/7 shelter. To supplement the nutrition offered to the participants, we are asking for help from the community to provide sack lunches on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Volunteers are invited to either use our large kitchen to make sandwiches or bring 40 pre-packaged lunch items to The Oaks anytime between 10 a.m. and noon on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Groups and families are welcome!

Some examples of items for lunches include:

• Sandwich (please avoid pork or provide alternatives).
• Fruit.
• Chips/veggies.
• Individual juice or milk.
• Something sweet.

Contact: volunteer@lakecitypartners.org, 206.913.2267 ext. 9. Click here to register for an open shift.

https://lakecitypartners.org/