Featured Volunteer Opportunities
Agency for Community EnPOWERment of NEPA (Headstart)- a comprehensive preschool program for low income families (birth to 5 years) needs volunteers in the classroom. Clearances required. Centers are within walking distance of U of S and near bus routes. Contact Cindy Johnson at cjohnson@acenepa.org or call 570-963-6633 x2262
American Red Cross- looking for volunteers to screen blood donors for temperatures, making sure donors are registered, distributing beverages and snacks. Training provided and background checks are necessary and will be run by the agency. Multiple locations in Lackawanna County. Contact Danielle.Dietze@redcross.org or call 570-202-7961.
Child Hunger Outreach Partners - located in South Scranton, they are a Non-Profit providing In School Pantries and week-end bags of shelf stable food in an attempt to bridge the gap of food insecurity for students from pre-school through college. Our food is sourced through food banks and our program is funded through grants, donations and fundraisers. We cannot complete our mission without the help of volunteers. Our volunteers complete tasks such as preparing bins and bags for the packing line, packing bins and week-end food bags, breaking down cardboard boxes, light cleaning and delivery assistance. Monday - Thursday 9:00am to 2:00pm, Friday 9:00am to 12:00pm, Saturday and evening hours available. Groups are encouraged to request special volunteer events. Email Lynne@chopouthunger.org or call 570.209.7675
City of Scranton Mayor's Volunteer Corp - Many Scranton residents have already offered their time to improve our neighborhoods, clean up litter, take care of parks and connect with neighbors. Great for groups like clubs and floors. Interest form . Contact the Scranton Mayor's office for more info (570) 348-4101. Email scranton311@scrantonpa.gov
Dress for Success Lackawanna- located on the 2nd floor of the Mall at Steamtown, volunteers will assist clients with picking out work/dress clothing, assisting in the career center and assisting with inventory. Monday- Friday between 10-4. Easy walk from campus or take the free with your royal card COLTS bus. Contact Jen Adams at lackawannacountygpn@dressforsuccess.org or call 570-941-0339 x1.
Dunmore Health Care Center- seeking an activities volunteer who can play music for our residents, play games like chess, checkers, card, bingo. Week days at lunchtime or weekends. Contact Stephanie.Hensle@saberhealth.com or call 570-342-7624
Friends of Shady Lane Cemetary- Volunteers needs for outdoor projects...mowing, trimming, collecting branches and debris. Bring your own equipment or make arrangements to use theirs. April to October. Community workdays too! May 20. About 15 minutes from Scranton. Contact friendsofshadylane@gmail.com or 570-585-6225
Friends of the Poor- needs help at our food pantries and warehouse. Pantry duties include, but are not limited to, stocking pantry shelves, assisting consumers with food selection, answering phones and online registration through our Link2Feed system. Warehouse volunteer duties include, but are not limited to, warehouse organization, accepting deliveries, furniture pick up and helping with the Senior Food Box program.
Please visit friendsofthepoorscranton.com/volunteer-how-to-get-involved to complete a volunteer application. In addition to your days of availability, please list your available hours for those days. Contact, Ann Montoro Williams, Stewardship Manager at 570-340-6057 or development@fotp-ihm.org with any questions
Geisinger- Hospital volunteers: Make a positive impact by volunteering your time and talents to enhance the care we give to our patients, visitors and community every day. Contact them directly through the link or call 570-271-6230
Greater Scranton YMCA: Some volunteers projects are assisting with general administrative duties, greeter for members, assisting with nursery school, coaching youth sports, helping with fundraising. Also open to other ideas! Contact Meghan at mcarnevale@greaterscrantonymca.org or call 570-828-3113. The Y is located in Dunmore, about 15 minutes from campus.
Griffin Pond Animal Shelter- Dog walking, helping cleaning kennels, cat room, sorting donations, outdoor maintanence, fundraisers. Contact Volunteer@griffinpondas.com for more information or call (570) 586-3700. The shelter is open everyday from 12-4pm except Tuesdays. They take bedding and towel donations too! This site is about 20 minutes from campus and would require your own vehicle.
Junior Achievement- Volunteers serve as role models helping to positively impact young people’s perceptions about the importance of education, as well as critical life skills. Preparation involves our proven lessons that promote financial capability, work and career readiness, and business ownership. Volunteer opportunities are both in person and virtual! Call Terri at (570) 602-3600 , email terri.yencha@ja.org or visit https://nepa.ja.org/volunteer/ways-to-volunteer.
Lackawanna County 4-H- seeking volunteers for their leadership and civic engagement program with 3 area school districts focusing on girls in 9th and 10th grades. Starts mid January. Leader application and screenings necessary. Contact Sandi Graham at saa224@psu.edu or call 570-963-6842
Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority: Do you like hands on volunteer work? LHVA has all kinds of "work with your hands" jobs for you to do! Trail cleanups, painting, tree planting! Summer and winter. All tasks offer flexibility in scheduling and consideration of any physical limitations. Contact: John Morrow at LHVA at 570-963-6732 or oworozbyt@LHVA.org
Lackawanna River Conservation Association - Cleanup Help Needed. We will be gathering on Saturday, May 13, for stewardship of the LRCA Boatyard, the Kosciuska Healing Garden, and the trail between Market and Depot Streets. Mowing, chopping knotweed, and litter pickup will be done. Parking available at the LRCA Boatyard (9 E Market St, Scranton). You're welcome to bring your own tools/gloves, or we will provide tools and gloves.
Please contact the LRCA at 570-347-6311 or lrca@lrca.org to sign up.
LiveUp- a weekend programs for adults with Down Syndrome. Our upcoming program in Scranton, will be held at Chapman Lake over Memorial Weekend from the 26th-29th. We only need four male volunteers for this program. The other programs in Philly and Long Island need many volunteers! For a typical weekend, volunteers share a dorm room with their assigned participant. They participate in fieldtrips, sports, dances, karaoke, and many fun activities throughout the weekend. Volunteers do not pay for anything. The atmosphere is highly supportive, so experience is not necessary. We like volunteers to be over 21, but we can work with those who have a high level of maturity. All volunteers are given a letter stating their contribution to the program. Most earn over 60 hours of volunteer time in one weekend. Contact maureen@loveupprprograms.org or call 570-614-9457
Meals on Wheels- Delivery drivers pick up meals in coolers/cases from dropoff locations throughout Lackawanna County and delivers to clients on routes. Routes are delivered M-F between 10am and 1pm. They can usually be completed in under an hour and half. Delivery drivers need a valid Drivers License and use their own vehicles. State background checks necessary. This site is on COLTS bus route 42 Olive/Providence. Contact Lindsey Skripka at lskripka@mownepa.org or call 570-346-2421Montessori Preschool- volunteers needed assisting children 3-5 years in a preschool environment during the school year. Right on campus! 712 Linden St within the Elm Park Church. Any time between Monday - Friday from 830-330 (hour at a time OK). Training provided. Please contact Pauline Comerford at 570-963-5458.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - seeking volunteer to help to create an engaging membership appeal letter that uses personal stories to engage our current and lapsed members and our community, coordinate email and direct mail campaigns, create social media content to complement appeal letter and follow up and reminders to appeal. Also looking for someone to update their membership list. Training and sample documents provided, as well as a basic introduction to Canva. Contact Marie Onukiavage at marieo@naminepa.org or call 570-342-1047.
Nativity Miguel School- located on the campus of Marywood University, this school serves children in grades 6-7-8. They are looking for student volunteers to assist with their afterschool program Mon-Thurs from 3-445pm. Clearances are necessary. Contact principal Tim Casey at tcasey@nmscranton.org or call 570-955-5176
NeighborWorks Northeastern PA - Aging in Place program - help seniors aging in place with home repair/yard work, landscaping, painting, safety kit installation. Hours are flexible and depend on event days. Training provided. Also available is a data entry position for the Aging in Place program, inputting client records (at their site located in West Scranton). Contact Alyssa at aespinoza@nwnepa.org or call 570-558-2490.
NEPA Youth Shelter- (IN PERSON) seeking volunteers to monitor the teen room, making sure they are on task with their school work, and serving dinner, additional tasks as needed. Volunteers will need valid clearances. Social distancing, masks and sanitizing are necessary. Within walking distance of the U of S (541 Wyoming Ave) and also on the COLTS bus route. Contact Maureen Maher-Grey at nepayouthshelter@gmail.com or call 570-909-9671.Oakwood Terrace Memory Care- great for nursing majors, health and human service majors, etc! Working with the elderly, volunteers will assist the activities director for any seasonal activities, games, etc. Any day between the hours of 9-5, including weekends. Orientation and training provided. Located in Moosic, your own transportation necessary or bus route Pittston. Contact Caitlynn Larnerd at 570-451- 3171 or clarnerd@pslgroupllc.com
PA MEDI- seeking volunteers to retrieve phone messages/medication lists/outreach events and possibly some counseling. Training is provided and clearances are necessary. This work can be both in person and by phone/virtual. Great for Health Adm majors, counseling, etc. Contact Marg Strein at streinm@diakon.org or call 570-822-1158 x 2395.
Petals for Goodness Sake- volunteers would collect flowers leftover from venues (weddings, events, funerals, etc) mostly in downtown Scranton and deliver to their site in Clarks Summit. Hours vary from later evenings to daytime (after event is over). Also delivering small arrangements to nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living sites. Your own car would be necessary. Contact Kathy at kseno104@yahoo.com or call/text to 570-881-4737.
Scranton City Cleanup- Bags and gloves provided at each park. All are welcome. More info? Parks and Rec dept 570.348.4816
- May 19 Novembrino Park, West Scranton 9am-1pm
- May 26 Nay Aug Park Community Room, 9am-1pm
Beautification/plantings: Weed, prune, plant flowers, and enhance curb appeal.
Cleanups: Remove litter, rake, sweep and paint over graffiti in parks and green spaces.
Garbage Olympics: A fun twist on traditional neighborhood cleanups. Learn more at garbageolympics.org.
Little free libraries: Build, decorate and install micro-libraries outside local community outreach organizations for all to enjoy. To learn more, visit scrantontomorrow.org/post/take-a-book-share-a-book-little-free-libraries-in-scranton.
Donate single-use coffee pods: Coffee drinkers who use single-use coffee pods (K-Cups), are encouraged to donate used pods to Scranton Tomorrow’s single-use coffee pod recycling program. Learn more at scrantontomorrow.org/post/help-us-recycle-single-use-coffee-pods.
Design a project: Scranton City Pride team members will help volunteers develop their own project ideas from concept to completion. Contact Steve Ward, Project Manager, Safe, Clean, Green and Design Program, Scranton Tomorrow, at steve@scrantontomorrow.org or 570-963-5901.
Be a good neighbor: Homeowners are encouraged to clean, spruce or improve their home’s exterior or front yard, and take advantage of free educational programs offered during Scranton City Pride. Local experts will offer tips on gardening, home maintenance and more. Learn more at scrantontomorrow.org/blog.
To register: Volunteers may register as individuals, or as teams representing nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations, businesses, or other groups. Volunteers are provided with work gloves and trash bags. To register, visit www.scrantoncitypride.org
Scranton Cultural Center- located just a few blocks from campus, the Cultural Center is seeking volunteers to usher and help out at various children's programming and Broadway Shows. See great shows for free! Contact Donna at donnap@scrantonculturalcenter.org for dates and times (mostly weekend Fri-Sat-Sun, evenings and matinees). 570-346-7369 x121
Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children - a non-profit, tuition-free school located in Northeast Pennsylvania, provides a variety of academic and extracurricular programs to deaf and hard-of-hearing children from birth through the 8th grade, preparing for all aspects of life through high-quality, student-centered education, and extracurricular programs in an All-Inclusives Communication Environment (AICE). We treat volunteers as one of our greatest assets! We will place volunteers in a setting that mutually benefits both parties, doing our best to meet your goals. Within a few days after you submit a Volunteer Pre-Application form we will contact you with suggestions for potential volunteer placement. Your own transportation necessary. Contact (570) 585-1000 .
SPCA of Luzurne County- Animal shelter volunteers! Dogs, cats, small animals. Located in Wilkes-Barre, volunteers are involved in many aspects of the shelter and assist us with daily animal care, special events, fund raising, and community outreach programs. This site located about 30 minutes from campus. Fill out their application and contact them at (570) 825-4111
St. Eulalia Parish - in conjunction with the Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen will provide a free, hot, nutritious meal to members of the North Pocono community. The meal will be served on Tuesdays from Noon – 12:30pm in our Parish Hall (Roaring Brook Twp- about 10 miles from campus). St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen will fully prepare and deliver the hot meal to our parish. We need volunteers to help set up, serve, and clean up. This volunteer commitment is approximately 2 hours from 11am-1pm on one Tuesday a month. Our goal is to establish 4 teams of 6-8 volunteers per team. Each team will serve only one Tuesday a month. We are seeking volunteers who enjoy a spirit of hospitality and outreach. All are welcome to join this ministry! If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Ellen Dermody at pastoralassociate@saint-eulalia.com or call 570-842-7656 (Option 7). Your own transportation necessary.
- Clothing Store - 504 Penn Ave Scranton. Walking distance of U of S. Especially in need of volunteers to sort clothing on MTWTh from 11:00 am- 2 pm. Sorting clothing and assisting shoppers. Contact Linda Mangino at 570-342-5556 option 3 or email kitchen@stfranciskitchen.org
- Kitchen - 500 Penn Ave Scranton. Volunteers needed for meal prep such as cutting and peeling fruit and vegetables, plating desserts as well as meal service, cleaning counters, tables and chairs. 9:00am - 12:30pm on MTuWThFSaSu or 3:30pm-6:30pm on TWTh. Contact Bo Fuller at 570-342-5556 ext. 2 or email chef@stfranciskitchen.org.
- Client Choice Food Pantry - 500 Penn Ave Scranton. Volunteers will stock shelves, light cleaning and help shoppers. TWThF fr om 10am-2pm. Contact Adam Lynch at pantry@stfranciskitchen.org or call 570-342-5556 option 5.
Steamtown National Historic Site- Volunteers needed to use a personal computer with Internet access and MS Word, transcribe digitized historical records from the Steamtown NHS Archives. The digitized docs will be emailed to the transcriber, who will email back the transcriptions. Most records currently being transcribed deal with routine operations of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad early in the last century. Work at your own pace. A park historian is always available to answer questions. Contact megan_stevens@nps.gov or call 570-340-5339
Tomorrows at Village Park Apartments- homework tutors needed! Supervised by the onsite staff the tutors will work with children, plan and organize day to day activities, help maintain the community room, accompany staff on field trips, and supervise kids. Monday through Thursdays from 3-5pm during the school year. Clearances are necessary. Orientation provided. On the COLTS bus route (43 & 52). Contact Valeria Lemus at valeria.lemus@betteromorrows.org or call 570-346-8874.
Traditional Home Health & Hospice- seeking volunteers to hospice patients at both facilities and homes, to provide increased companionship/socialization as well as respite to the families/primary caregivers. Training is provided. Clearances and TB test necessary (provided by agency). Office volunteers needed too! Interns welcome. Days and hours are flexible. Contact- call 570-207-9286 or email Kellie.sheakoski@traditionalhomehealthcare.com
- ESL tutors - Become a tutor or teacher to adult learners in a small group setting for reading, writing, citizenship education, and English as a second language. In person or virtual. Qualifications necessary are fluency in English, good communication skills, an enthusiasm for teaching and learning, (virtual: understanding of Zoom). Evenings. In person location 631 Cedar Ave Scranton. Training provided. Contact Arlene Jaramillo, tutor coordinator at 272-228-1380 or email ajaramillo@uncnepa.org
- Food Pantry - Prepare food bags to hand out to clients, bagging produce, sometimes carrying bags out to their cars, sorting clothing, & hanging clothing at Angels Attic pantry. Located at 410 Olive St Scranton. Within walking distance of campus or on the COLTS bus route 40 or 36 (Wyoming Ave). Open Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm. Volunteers mostly needed in the afternoons but mornings could work too! Contact Megan Lee at mlee@uncnepa.org or call 570-343-8835. Training provided and a simple volunteer form.
- Musicians - Do you play the guitar, keyboard, violin, or drums? Would you be interested in donating an hour or two of your time each week to help teach youth ages 13 to 18 the basics of one of these instruments? UNC is looking for volunteers for a new youth music program. The hours are flexible and instruction can be done in-person or virtually. If you're interested in volunteering, please call (570) 961-1592 ext. 105
University of Scranton End of the Year Drive- help collect and sorting student donations from boxes in residence halls during finals week. Does require some heavy lifting and walking around campus. Hosted by the Center for Service & Social Justice. Contact Ellen.Judge@scranton.edu . ON CAMPUS
Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity- help with home building for a family in need in Pittston (about 15 minutes from campus, your own car required), on the job training, no previous experience necessary. Every Saturday (except holidays) from 9-3. Great for individuals and groups. Contact Mary Beth Allen at volunteer@wv-hfh.org or call 570-820-8002.