It’s officially thankful season, and while many folks are passionate about giving back to the city that has given them so much, it’s often hard to decide what exactly they want to participate in – given the hundreds of opportunities in Chattanooga. Well, why not start by using what you love to help others?
We’ve made it easy to turn your passions into a gift to others by putting together this volunteer guide catered to specific interests. From artists to those passionate about Chattanooga’s minority groups, we’ve rounded up opportunities for everyone.
🦃 If the holidays are your favorite time of the year
○ Donate food items to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank and feed families during the holidays (in need of low-risk volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic).
○ Donate turkeys, hams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin or pecan pies, rolls, green beans, or bottled water + tea to the Chattanooga Rescue Mission or pitch in about $2.05 and cover a Thanksgiving meal for someone experiencing homelessness in the community.
○ Participate in Angel Tree of Chattanooga
○ Build a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child and drop it off at a specified location. You can also build a shoebox online so you can help out without leaving your house.
🍎 Natural-born teachers + mentors
○ Empower students to reach their full potential by becoming a mentor with United Way of Greater Chattanooga.
○ Give some of your time to the Chambliss Center for Children and do morning temperature checks, clean up the grounds, or paint a room.
💙 If you want to be there for abuse victims
○ Help children feel safe + comfortable by donating to or volunteering with the Children’s Advocacy Center. You can shop their Amazon wish list or volunteer for a special event.
○ Volunteer as a court advocate, victim’s advocate, or hotline responder at the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults.
♿ If you have a passion for disabled community members
○ From reading to children to facilitating artwork through adult day care, the Signal Center has something you can do to enrich the lives of disabled community members.
○ Spend time with the Chattanooga Autism Center by volunteering to coordinate the newsletter or answer the phone + respond to emails. You can also donate items from their wish list.
🏠 If you want to stay in your home
○ Contact a local assisted living facility to ask about becoming a pen pal with a resident
○ Donate airline miles (+ other gifts) to children participating in East Tennessee’s Make-A-Wish program.
○ Purchase in-kind gifts needed in the community via the Salvation Army Chattanooga Amazon wish list.
○ Give to your favorite local charity or nonprofit virtually
💚 Advocates of mental illness + health awareness
○ Participate in various holiday give-back events through the McNabb Center. They are currently seeking sponsors for 2020 Dear Santa.
○ Pledge to be stigma-free through the National Alliance on Mental Illness Tennessee and set up an annual donation to support mental health advocacy + work.
🗓️ If you’re on a tight schedule
○ Choose a time to donate blood through Blood Assurance
○ Be matched with an event that works with your schedule during United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s 2020 Week of Caring
🎨 The artists
○ Create knitted blankets + scarves for children at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.
○ Become a Creative Champion + encourage both children and adults to explore various artistic concepts + mediums at the Creative Discovery Museum.
○ Instill the love + appreciation of art in others by becoming a docent at the Hunter Museum of American Art.
😷 If you’re interested in healthcare + senior care
○ Physicians and nurses can volunteer with Volunteers in Medicine to provide free medical services to adults who are uninsured and financially eligible.
○ Volunteer with CHI Memorial and join hundreds of other community members in making a difference. You can also make a donation to the CHI Memorial Foundation + choose where your money goes.
○ Volunteer with Avalon Hospice which has several volunteer opportunities with Direct Care, Administrative, Veteran services, and special projects. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact Kelsey Payne.
🐶 Animal lovers
○ Become a volunteer with the Tennessee Aquarium in the field that interests you most: aquarium guide, husbandry, horticulture, or SCUBA. Note: all volunteer applications are currently closed.
○ Help shelter animals feel loved through the Humane Educational Society or McKamey Animal Center.
🌳 The outdoorsy types
○ Participate in trail cleanups through Trail Raisers via Green Steps Chattanooga.
○ Maintain your green thumb by becoming a garden volunteer with Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center or Master Gardeners of Hamilton County Tennessee.
○ Help keep our roads clean by participating in Tennessee’s Adopt-a-Highway program.
🏳️🌈 If you’re passionate about supporting local minority groups
○ Participate in community outreach for Chattanooga’s LGBTQ+ youth through the I Am Foundation, Nooga Diversity Center, and CEMPA Community Care.
○ Help underserved communities enter the economic + social mainstream by volunteering with the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga.
○ Join La Paz Chattanooga in engaging the city’s Latinx population by volunteering or donating.
🌄 If you live + breathe Chattanooga
○ Donate to Cornerstones Inc. and help them preserve the Scenic City’s past.
○ Make sure everyone in our community has food, clothing, and shelter by getting involved with the Chattanooga Community Kitchen.
📚 Self-proclaimed bibliophiles
○ Assist with Chattanooga Friends of the Library’s annual book sales. Note: These have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
○ Donate money to the Chattanooga Public Library or memorialize a book by purchasing a commemorative bookplate.
○ Participate in a children’s education program by volunteering with Neighborhood North House.
🦋 The social butterflies
○ Join a volunteer organization like Junior League of Chattanooga.
○ Take your place in the Nightingale Network through the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga and advocate for women’s rights in Tennessee.
🔨 The handymen + women
○ Build homes for the community through Habitat for Humanity.
○ Help clean, refurbish and organize inventory at the Chattanooga Furniture Bank.
Don’t see anything that fits your interests? Check out VolunteerMatch – a resource that helps you find local volunteer opportunities suited to your preferences. Additionally, find more local volunteer opportunities + organizations here.