Ranked as the fifth-most populous state capital behind the likes of Phoenix, Austin, Columbus, and Indianapolis, and certainly, the most populous city located in the Mountain states makes it quite fascinating to consider volunteering opportunities in Denver. You may volunteer at the Denver Zoo or work as a docent at one of the city’s many excellent museums. At the Denver Rescue Mission, Planned Parenthood, and Junior Achievement, there’s always a need for extra hands. You may even donate a helping hand and a strong back to Denver Parks & Recreation to help preserve the city’s natural beauty. There are lots of other organizations that deserve some appreciation as well – locals who are fighting the good fight, living the walk, and putting their hearts and souls on the line to make the city, the state, and the globe a better place incrementally. If you’d want to be one of those folks, here are 15 volunteering opportunities in Denver and organizations that are searching for volunteers.
Why Volunteer in Denver?
Denver has always been a home to many, considering its population and also a destination to visitors and tourists, who crave outdoor activities, places of leisure, and vacation. It’s a playground for lovers of nature seeking some time out for leisure and recreation, because of the presence of the Rocky mountains. This immense human, natural and economic activities make engaging in volunteering opportunities in Denver, an unforgettable experience you would want to have. Denver is a transportation hub for a major part of the western United States, where industrial goods and consumer goods, as well as about 30 million people or more, are moved via rail, truck, and air yearly. It is also a zone for foreign trade, serving as a huge advantage for firms and organizations engaging in international trade, due to its geographical position of being located within the mountain time zone. It is the biggest city in the United States, to enhance good satellite connection in time, with almost the entire seven (7) continents in one day. So, having these massive economic activities and connections to the entire world at your fingertips, you sure know that considering volunteering opportunities in Denver would be a unique experience of a lifetime.
Are there Paid Volunteering Opportunities in Denver?
If this is a question you have in mind, in considering volunteering opportunities in Denver, then this article will give you your desired answers. No, there are no direct paid volunteering opportunities in Denver. However, some firms and organizations allow their employees to engage in volunteering activities, as a means of giving back to society. And such employees are still paid due benefits, despite being absent from their job, and engaging in volunteering activities. Below are some of these firms that encourage their employees to embark on volunteering opportunities, for a stipulated time and still pay such employees.
1. Matillion:
This is an information technology company that deals with cloud data integration for easy use and interpretation to ensure its clients experience efficiency and productivity in data management. It was founded in 2011, and it has about 85 local employees and 286 global employees. Matillion as an organization offers its employees a total of five (5) days of paid volunteer time.
2. Xero
Xero is a fast-growing Accounting software company that helps small businesses and accounting professionals access accounting information, anytime and from any location. Its goal is to ensure that businesses are more productive. Xero was established in 2006, and Xero US headquarters is located in the heart of Denver. It has a total of 200 local employees and 3000 employees globally. Xero encourages volunteering, as a way to give back to try society, by providing 8 hours of paid volunteer time annually to its employees.
3. Granicus:
This is also a software company that provides technologies and services that enable an organization to provide a hitch-free digital experience for clients they render their services to. It was founded in 1999, and they have a total of 110 local staff and 600 staff globally. Granicus has a team called Givicus that organizes various volunteer opportunities for its employees, the employees get paid during their volunteer time.
4. Mersive Technologies:
With its headquarters in Denver, Mersive Technologies is a profitable, high-growth software company. It has products that create productive meeting experiences and also enable vital group interaction. Founded in 2006, it has a total of 160 global employees and 120 local employees respectively, it offers its employees, a total of 48 hours paid volunteer time; equaling 2 days.
5. Guild Education
Guild is a mission and venture-funded organization, which is geared towards expanding opportunities through education, for the American workforce population. They partner with employers to create educationally beneficial events for their workers, with a diverse academic network of the best learning institutions. Guild Education was founded in 2015, it has a total of 650 local employees and 760 employees around the world. They have a yearly event called “Guild Gives Back” day, where they provide organized volunteer opportunities to all their employees. They also have a “12 Days of Giving” around the holidays, this time is mainly for its employees to explore volunteering opportunities. Therefore, there are NO solely volunteering opportunities in Denver, where volunteers are paid. However, the organizations listed above amongst many others, have volunteering programs for their employees; and they still pay them, while volunteering as permitted by their various organizations.
How can you become a volunteer in Denver? A Step-by-step Guide on How to Become a Volunteer in Denver.
Becoming a volunteer in Denver takes you through some easy steps, to take. And while this process may differ from one volunteering opportunity to the other, their similarity greatly overlaps, as the process for becoming a volunteer is almost the same for every opportunity. To start with, you need to first decide the kind of volunteering opportunity you are interested in offering your skills to. This would help you streamline, and know the kind of opportunity to apply for. Afterward, you should then read more about the chosen volunteering opportunity, what they do, the duration of time required of volunteers, the tasks, etc. If satisfied, then you should proceed to fill an online application form on the volunteering site. This would require you to submit your personal information, such as name, location, etc. Afterward, the organization then moves forward to assess and approve your application, after which an acceptance letter would be sent to you when you successfully scale the process of approval. Some volunteering organizations also require that you complete and pass a criminal background check, and it is one of the criteria used in assessing whether you would be accepted or not. After a successful application and acceptance, you then proceed to attend orientation sessions, as organized by the organization, to intimate you with their vision, aim, and modus operandi.
How can one find Volunteering Opportunities in Denver?
Finding volunteering opportunities in Denver is as easy as cheese. It only requires some amount of careful research and findings, to find the volunteering opportunity fit for you. To start with, you need to first evaluate your area of interest, to know which volunteering opportunity fits your abilities, or the one that requires your services. After this, you can then proceed to check the following websites to find volunteering opportunities in Denver. They are as follows:
1. Volunteers of America, Colorado Branch:
This is a website to check for volunteering opportunities available in Colorado, Denver. It is rich and full of volunteering opportunities, in this area of this country, and would give you detailed information about the available volunteering opportunities. Here is the link to their website: https://www.voacolorado.org/volunteer-opportunities
2. Spark The Change:
Spark the Change is another volunteer opportunity website, with detailed information about various volunteering opportunities in Denver. Link to their website: https://www.sparkthechangecolorado.org/
3. VolunteersMatch.org:
This is another means to search for a volunteering opportunity. Here, all you need to do is type in your zip code and a keyword about the kind of volunteering opportunity you are searching for. After that, a filtered list pops up, streamlined, from the zip code and keyword inputted. After which you can then go through the list of activities listed, to apply for any opportunity of your choice. Link to their website: http://volunteermatch.org/
4. Idealist.org:
Idealist.org is also used, in a way similar to Volunteer Match. Here, you type in the city that you are in, and use the sidebar, to look for and filter through events or volunteering projects available. And afterward, you pick anyone of your choice and move forward in applying. Link to the website: http://www.idealist.org/
5. All for Good. Org:
Here, you are required to search for volunteering opportunities by location, and then pick and apply for the one that suits your interest. Link to their website https://www.allforgood.org/
List of the 15 Volunteering Opportunities in Denver in 2021
Below are some volunteering opportunities in Denver in 2021, which can be applied for. Information about the aim of the organization, duties of volunteers, date, and links to their website, etc are included.
1. Denver Human Services:
The aim of the Denver Human Services is to help people be connected, safe, and supported. Volunteers are needed for their annual donation drives, where you would be required to do the following drives, such as:
- Spring Showers Hygiene Drive in May.Adopt-a-Student School Supply Drive from July to August.Adopt a Family, Teen, or Senior Holiday Gift Drive, from November to December.
2. Nutrition Center Volunteer:
This organization is focused on proving the health of animals, through appropriate diet preparation. Volunteers are required to help out with the day-to-day routine of the nutrition center, such as cleaning, dish-washing, diet preparation. Volunteers are required to get a negative TB test, work on regular shifts from 7 am -11am and 11 am to 02:30 am, doing two shifts per month.
3. Wildlife Education:
This volunteering opportunity is dedicated to interacting with lake and park visitors, to give them information about the local wildlife species. They are also interested in improving visitors’ understanding of wildlife and their environment. Wildlife Education also seeks to educate people about the appropriate behaviors to exhibit, when around wildlife, and to trigger enthusiasm in them about these creatures. Volunteers here are required to assist with providing wildlife education to the public, at the Evergreenlake, Dedisse Park, and their environments, etc. Here is the email address to forward your application to:
4. Adopt-A-Dog Park:
This volunteering opportunity aims to enable individuals, businesses, etc keep their dog park clean and safe. Volunteers here would be required to remove litter, sweep and pick up glasses, remove doggie landmines, range low spots, weed, etc. Here is the volunteer form to fill:
5. Adopt-A-Trail:
This volunteering opportunity aims at enabling people to keep their community clean and beautiful. Volunteers are required to weed, sweep, pick up glasses, trim branches as needed, do willow thinning, debris removal, etc. Here is the volunteer form to fill:
6. Animal Care Volunteer:
This is a volunteering opportunity that concerns itself with the care of animals and requires volunteers to help accomplish this vision. Volunteers would be required to clean, dish-wash, and do diet preparation, for the care of these animals. Volunteers are required to give a Negative TB test and get additional training with them. They are also required to work on a recurring schedule of twice a month, on a specific day of the week, for a minimum of one year. Here is the link to their website:
7. Free Healthy Meal for Youths:
The purpose of this volunteering opportunity is to serve Summer and Afterschool food to youths, from age 18 to other younger ones. Here, volunteers are required to assist recreation staff with serving free meals to youths and organize other recreational activities. Volunteers are required to complete an online application, and pass a background check. They also must be 15+. Here is the email address to send an application to:
8. Adopt-A-Park:
This volunteer opportunity is concerned with enabling individuals and businesses to keep their park and community clean and beautiful. Here, volunteers are required to remove litter, mulch trees, shrubs bed, plant flowers, shrubs, and trees. They are to also remove graffiti and spread crusher fines. Here is the link to the form to fill:
9. Adopt-A-Flowerbed:
This volunteer opportunity aims at making people keep the flowerbeds at local parks beautiful. Volunteers here are required to pick litters, weed every week, plant flowers, and remove flowers, as necessary. Every volunteer must be at least 18 years old. Here is the link to the form to fill:
10. Natural Areas Volunteer:
This volunteering opportunity is concerned about establishing and maintaining sustainable and healthy ecosystems, like waterways, and groom well-informed and satisfied residents. Volunteers are required to engage in weeding, seeding, equipment preparation, and maintenance, About 8-24 hours of work in a week is required, spanning through a year all round. Here is the link to the form to fill:
11. Horticulture Volunteers:
Volunteers here are required to take care of flowerbeds in Denver Parks. They are required to go through a background check, verification of identification, be willing to work with other people; be a team player, etc. About 8-24 hours of work is required in a week from May to October. Here is the link to the form to fill:
12. Junior Achievement:
This volunteering group aims to build young people’s hope and optimism for the future. Here, volunteers are to teach important life lessons; sharing from their individual life experiences and perspective to encourage these students to pursue and achieve their dreams. They are also to equip and teach these students about finance, job and employability, the government and their responsibilities, electoral process in the nation, business ethics, etc. They also help to guide students, through field trip experience. Here is the link to their website:
13. Light Out Denver:
The Light Out Denver Volunteering is geared towards bringing about an improvement in the conservation of birds. Volunteers would be required to gather data on bird collisions in Denver downtown areas, patrol a route, to inspect the ground for dead and injured birds, collect specimens, record findings, and give reports to their coordinator. Anyone can volunteer, in as much as you can walk, wheel, handle light equipment, and also identify birds. The volunteering opportunity opens from March to May and August to October. Here is the email to send an application to:
14. Forestry Field Volunteer:
Volunteers are required to perform an ongoing count of the current number of trees in Denver’s park and parkway system. About 10-12 hours of work is required per week, from June-August, and volunteers are to pass a background check and a verification of identification. Link to the form to fill for application:
15. Horticulture Volunteer:
This volunteering opportunity is concerned with the maintenance of the beauty of the ground. Volunteers are saddled with the tasks of assisting with the installation of large-scale exhibits. They are to plant rotating annual beds, perennial beds, etc. They would also be involved in browse collection, such as plant trimming, bundling, weighing, digging, weeding, pruning, etc. The requirement for volunteers includes having a Negative TB test and working for at least 2 shifts in a month, from April to October. Here is the link to their website:
Conclusion
Volunteering in Denver allows you to give back to society, and impact people. It also affords you the chance to see interesting places in the country and get away from your normal life routine.
References
denvergov.org/Government/Departments/Denver-Human-Services/Be-Involved/Volunteerdenvergov.org/Government/Departments/Parks-Recreation/Get-Involved-Volunteercoloradononprofits.org/knowledge/faq/where-can-i-find-volunteer-opportunitieswiredimpact.com/blog/websites-to-help-you-find-volunteer-opportunities/westword.com/arts/things-to-do-in-denver-volunteer-11460873city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/Denver-Economy.htmlbuiltincolorado.com/companies/perks/volunteering-opportunities-coloradodenvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denver-human-resources/volunteer-opportunities.html
