Updated 06/05/2025
The motto of our El Dorado Hills, CA orthodontic office is “Live. Smile. Give. Repeat.” That’s why the team and I are always dreaming up ways to support the community like creating awesome t-shirts to support CASA El Dorado, selling croc charms to help the Bryce Bazor Foundation, or challenging area dental offices to our annual pumpkin carving contest to benefit local charities.
We’re not the only ones who are dedicated to giving back either. Plenty of our patients participate in our efforts and many have taken advantage of the abundance of Sacramento youth volunteer opportunities. There’s nothing that makes us happier than seeing our young patients embrace the spirit of making the community a better place at an early age.
We’re firm believers in introducing kids to volunteerism because it teaches them powerful lessons and helps shape them into amazing humans. I remember when I first became involved with volunteering at our local hospital with my sister. After the hospital had taken such great care of our mom, it was a wonderful opportunity for us to give back and help others who were in need.
Volunteering was eye-opening and it took my small worldview and life experiences and made them both a bit bigger. It helped me realize that “it” wasn’t all about me, and that our ability to make someone’s day a little better is something very powerful that we have full control over.
Now that school is letting out, and you might have some volunteering hours that you need to fulfill, why not get involved with one of these Greater Sacramento youth volunteer opportunities? Not sure where to start? Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics has your back! We rounded up some local EDH and Sacramento-area organizations where kids and teens can volunteer.
Greater Sacramento Youth Volunteer Opportunities for Kids & Teens
1. El Dorado Hills Community Services District (EDHCSD) – Various Locations, El Dorado Hills – Our beloved CSD has a variety of adult and youth volunteer opportunities in El Dorado Hills, including ongoing positions, short-term gigs, and one-time activities. Kids and families can help with special events, senior citizen activities, adopt-a-park, sports, general services, and more. Explore volunteer opportunities and register through their online portal.
2. The Sacramento Zoo – 3930 West Land Park Drive, Sacramento – The zoo is dedicated to conserving species and habitats around the world and is home to more than 500 endangered, native, and rare animals. Visitors, members, donors, and volunteers make their efforts possible. Teenagers, aged 15 and up, can become a general Sacramento Zoo volunteer, which includes greeting and assisting guests at the front gate, cleaning up the grounds, helping at special events, and other special projects. Find out more on the website.
There are also Sacramento Zoo volunteer opportunities specifically geared towards teenagers. They have a Zoo Teens program that runs from August through May for those ages 13 through 19. Zoo Teens are charged with using activity stations to inspire visitors to become better stewards of the Earth. They also help at special events, make animal enrichments, and participate in I Heart Sacramento Zoo Day. Additionally, adolescents aged 15 to 19 can serve as summer camp counselors at the zoo. They teach children, ages 4 through 14, through songs and games, classes, tours, and more. 2025 is full but stay tuned for 2026 applications!
3. El Dorado County Habitat for Humanity or Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento – Various Locations – Habitat for Humanity creates affordable housing for families in need. El Dorado County Habitat for Humanity has a variety of volunteer positions for people of all ages, as well as groups. They even have a youth volunteer program for ages 5 and up. Volunteers are needed for construction projects, the ReStore, fundraising, special events, office help, and more. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento offers similar Sacramento community service opportunities, however, volunteers have to be 16 years old and up to volunteer on a job site. Sign-up here.
4. Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services – 3333 Third Avenue, Sacramento (Family Services Campus) and 1951 Bell Avenue, Sacramento (Food Bank Services Campus) – Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services has tons of openings for people of all ages who want to help. Sacramento Food Bank volunteer opportunities for youth include food bagging and sorting (minimum age of 10). The Family Services campus has positions for kiddos too, such as volunteering at the demonstration garden (minimum age of 10), sorting and distributing parent and baby supplies in the boutique (10 and up), sorting, hanging, bagging, and giving out donated clothing (minimum age of 10) and more. Browse the full list of volunteer opportunities.
5. Team Celebrate – El Dorado Hills – Team Celebrate is an awesome organization started by a high school student Lizzie Allison who also serves as the president. The nonprofit organizes personalized birthday parties for foster children in the Sacramento area with the help of volunteers and partners. There aren’t many things more magical than a birthday celebration and a lot of youth in foster care have never had one. Team Celebrate has volunteer opportunities in El Dorado Hills for kids through its Kid Ambassador Program. Youngsters can become a Birthday Hero by doing one of the following service projects:
- Hosting a wrapping party or supply drive at their school or church (gather supplies for a party or work as a team to assemble and wrap birthday boxes)
- Putting together a fundraiser with their sports team
- Donating their own birthday gifts to foster kids (ask guests at your birthday party to bring gift cards, toys, or party supplies for the program in lieu of gifts)
- Creating birthday boxes with their Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop, church, or school group (birthday boxes include everything needed for a birthday party, such as decorations, snacks, a box of cake mix and frosting, games, a handmade card, and a present)
Visit Team Celebrate’s website for specifics.
6. Lend a Heart Animal-Assisted Therapy – Sacramento – This all-volunteer, nonprofit organization offers animal-assisted therapy services to different facilities and has programs in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Sutter and Yolo Counties. Volunteers visit places like hospitals, libraries, senior living facilities, recovery centers, and schools with well-trained therapy animals.
Since kids 10 years old and up can participate along with a parent or guardian, it makes for a great volunteer opportunity in Sacramento for families. You can bring the family cat, dog, or rabbit if they meet certain criteria. Kids can apply to be a junior handler after going through the Lend a Heart training program or volunteer as a non-handler. Check out the steps to join Lend a Heart here.
7. Special Olympics Northern California – Multiple Locations – Special Olympics Northern California provides hope and enrichment to more than 22,780 children and adults with intellectual disabilities through sports, athlete health, and education. The minimum age for most Sacramento youth volunteer opportunities is 10 years old. Minors between the ages of 10 and 15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
There are openings for day-of-event volunteers, as well as other positions. Volunteers are needed for scorekeeping, timing, presenting awards at competitions, assisting coaches during practice, lunch service, and general office work. The El Dorado County program offers training and competitions in 10 sports, if you’re looking for something close to home. Search for upcoming events and opportunities here.
8. El Dorado County Library – Multiple Branches (including our very own El Dorado Hills Library) – The El Dorado County Library system has volunteer opportunities for teens and adults at its various branches. Positions range from providing assistance with special projects and events to re-shelving materials and pulling holds for patrons. Fill out an application. Note that teen applications will need the signature of a parent or legal guardian.
9. Marshall Medical Center – 1100 Marshall Way, Placerville – Kick off your volunteering career at a hospital like I did as a kid! Marshall Medical Center in Placerville has a year-round Junior Volunteer Program for teens aged 16 to 18. Volunteers greet and escort patients and visitors and offer assistance to patients, visitors, and hospital staff for six hours per month on evenings and weekends. It’s a great chance to be a positive part of patients’ experiences and help them feel more comfortable.
To join the program, teens will have to attend a volunteer information session with a parent or guardian, as well as an orientation program. The hospital also asks that volunteers complete a medical clearance, submit a letter of recommendation form, and do some department-specific training. See the full list of requirements and sign up here.
10. Front Street Animal Shelter – 2127 Front Street, Sacramento – The City of Sacramento’s animal shelter on Front Street gives shelter and care to abandoned cats, dogs, rabbits, and other animals with the ultimate goal of finding them a safe and loving home. Volunteers are always needed to help with morning cleaning, working in the pet food pantry, socializing cats, training the dogs, fostering animals, assisting with fundraisers, special events and projects, and more.
Teen volunteers, aged 12 to 15, can participate with the supervision of a parent or guardian. Teenagers 16 years old and up can become a Sacramento animal shelter volunteer without adult supervision. Get the details and fill out an application online. Children under the age of 12 can’t volunteer at the shelter site but they can help the shelter with community projects like donation drives, putting together pet treat bags, and making cat mobiles and cat mats. Take a look at the shelter’s wish list to see the types of items they’re in need of.
11. Sacramento Valley Conservancy – Multiple Locations – The Sacramento Valley Conservancy is dedicated to preserving open space and protecting the beauty, diversity, and character of the Sacramento Valley landscape. They have a number of Sacramento youth volunteer opportunities and there is no minimum age to get involved (volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian). There are service projects at Deer Creek Hills Preserve (Latrobe Road, Sloughhouse) twice a year where attendees help with trail building and maintenance, fence repair, sign hanging, pulling weeds, and general cleanup projects.
On select Saturdays, there are also service projects at Camp Pollock (1501 Northgate Blvd, Sacramento) that involve weeding, native plantings, general lawn and native garden maintenance, painting, general maintenance, and cleanup projects. Email camppollock@sacramentovalleyconservancy.org to register.
12. Triple-R Adult Day Program – Multiple Locations in Sacramento – Triple-R offers resources for families and recreation for senior citizens with memory loss through their adult day program, which is operated by the City of Sacramento. The program’s youth volunteer opportunities in Sacramento (Greenhaven, Midtown, and North Sacramento) include activities such as games, cooking, crafts, music, walks, dancing, exercise, and visiting with seniors to provide companionship. The minimum age for volunteers is 14. For more information, visit the volunteer portal.
13. Fat Kitty City – El Dorado Hills – The Agee Memorial Wildlife Fund, Inc. is a nonprofit focused on helping animals through spaying, neutering, socializing and adopting. It also operates a sanctuary called Fat Kitty City, which is a 20-acre natural environment for abandoned and feral cats, as well as a few dogs. Fat Kitty City has an El Dorado Hills youth volunteer program. Kids can help clean the sanctuary, foster cats with their family, socialize specific cats, and assist with fundraising, creating adoption fliers, and with adoptions at PetSmart or Petco.
14. Soil Born Farms – 2140 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova – Soil Born Farms is a center for health, food, and the environment located on the 55-acre American River Ranch in Rancho Cordova. The nonprofit serves the Sacramento area and is dedicated to improving access to fresh produce, mentoring youth and future farmers, and encouraging land and environmental stewardship.
There are lots of fun community service opportunities for children and teens in Sacramento and the neighboring communities through the Teen Volunteer Crew (open to kids ages 12-16). Teens 16 and up can participate in most of the general volunteer opportunities. Volunteer jobs change seasonally, so keep an eye on the schedule to see what’s available.
15. Wellspring Women’s Center – 3414 4th Avenue, Sacramento – This daytime, drop-in program for low-income, homeless, and vulnerable women and their children serves a healthy breakfast from 7:30 to 11:30am every weekday and a light lunch. Wellspring also has other services, including its Children’s Corner, which is filled with learning opportunities and activities for little ones, safety net services, parenting classes, social work, and referrals. Wellspring takes up to 12 volunteers per day, ages 14 and up, to help prepare meals, serve food, work in the Children’s Corner, bag things like diapers and toiletries, and greet guests.
16. Hands4Hope – Placerville, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills – Hands4Hope is a nonprofit that enables kids and teens to make a difference in their communities through meaningful community service projects. The organization has a wide variety of Greater Sacramento youth volunteer opportunities for those in kindergarten and up. Note that elementary school children will need to be accompanied by an adult.
Options include:
- Distributing food to over 200 people in need at the Green Valley Community Church in Placerville on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 8:30 to 11am.
- Playing games, helping with craft activities, and preparing and serving dinner to seniors at Creekview Manner in Folsom on the third Wednesday of the month from 3:30 to 5:30pm.
- Helping with the after-school program or assisting with STEM-themed games and activities through Camp Mercy at White Rock Village in El Dorado Hills (open to participants in 8th grade and up) on select weekdays.
See the full list of openings here.
Ready to Get Involved?
At Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics, my team and I believe that giving back is always in style. We hope this list of Greater Sacramento youth volunteer opportunities inspires kids, teens, and families to find a cause they care about and start giving. You never know how one small act of kindness might grow into a lifelong passion for helping others.
Let’s Live. Smile. Give. Repeat.
Looking for More Greater Sacramento Youth Volunteer Opportunities?
For even more Greater Sacramento youth volunteer opportunities, check out the City of Sacramento’s volunteer resource where you can search openings by age and interest.
