Hands On Greater Portland

HAVE A FEW HOURS? VISIT OUR PROJECT CALENDAR TO FIND A VARIETY OF "DONE-IN-A-DAY" VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.

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Potluck in the Park Meal Service (age 12+) *Hands On*

Potluck in the Park

Potluck in the Park has been serving a free hot meal to anyone in need since 1991. Every Sunday, rain or shine, 52 weeks a year, we provide a hot meal in downtown Portland in various locations. 400-800 Portlanders do not go hungry on Sunday because of Potluck in the Park. We are a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization and we accomplish our mission of providing nutritious food and an atmosphere of community to anyone in need, because of volunteers like you! Potluck in the Park Location Details: Potluck in the Park takes place at the North Park Blocks. The location is around the sculpture at NW 8th and Glisan, in the parking lot of the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA). PARKING There is on-street parking available for $2.00/hr AND a pay parking lot kitty-corner from the park. $5.00 day rate. TRANSIT -Streetcar stops at 10th & Glisan northbound, 11th & Glisan southbound. -MAX stops at Greyhound Depot on 5th & 6th (Yellow, Green and Orange Lines) -Buses: #17 from Downtown or NE, #77 from NE or NW -Or use TriMet’s Trip Planner https://trimet.org/#/planner Meal Service Activities Include: Helping to unload food and supplies Setting up and organizing in preparation for the meal service Serving hot or cold food to guests as they come through the line during meal service General clean-up which includes but is not limited to wiping down tables and picking up trash Helping to take down canopies and load supplies into the Potluck vans at the end of service Volunteer Requirements: All volunteers must sign up below to reserve a spot. If you plan to bring your children or other guests to the event, you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team. You can then sign up your team for this project. We ask that volunteers are 12 years of age or older to attend this project. Any volunteer under age 16 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian, or - if attending with an adult - have them fill one out at the event. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project: Youth Volunteer Release Form Remember to give this to the person running check-in! NOTE: In order to better communicate with volunteers, Potluck in the Park regularly sends out mailers and newsletters. To facilitate this, Potluck in the Park would like to use the contact information you supply when signing up to participate at Potluck In The Park. Potluck in the Park does not release this information to any other third party. If you do NOT wish to share your contact info with Potluck in the Park, please let the registration staff know on the day and you will be excluded from our e-newsletter and other mailings.

2 spots available on

3/30/25 11:45 AM+More

PDX Books Through Bars (age 13+) *Hands On*

PDX Books Through Bars

PDX Books Through Bars (formerly Books to Prisoners) mails literature and educational books to adults in custody nationwide. We help liberate individuals experiencing incarceration through means of literature and educational materials. Books Through Bars holds a volunteer project every Tuesday night from 5:30-7:30 pm to answer requests (letters) from adults in custody. Volunteers will read requests, pull appropriate books from the shelves, and package them for mailing. Books Through Bars: Up to 15 volunteers each week through Hands On Portland. Every Tuesday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Masks are required. There will be a max of 12-15 people between Hands On volunteers and our core committee. The space is ADA-accessible and there are all-gender restrooms on site. We have multiple hand sanitizer bottles in the room for people to use, and the option to set up a station outside if preferred. Volunteers must ring the doorbell at the front doors if they aren't propped open. ALL VOLUNTEERS MUST SIGN UP BEFORE SHOWING. Because we get so many books donated, books will be available for purchase (sliding scale) every Tuesday night during the volunteer shift, and we will also always generate a pile of free books for people to take. *Due to funding shortages, we are unable to send out as many book packages as we can create with the help of volunteers (books are heavy!). Feel free to bring a few dollars to donate if you can; every cent adds up to enable us to send out more packages more quickly! Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 13 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 16 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a Youth Volunteer Release Form signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project. If you plan to bring children or guests you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team, then sign up your team for this project. IMPORTANT NOTE: You are responsible for ensuring that everyone signed up through your team attends - only sign up team members who have confirmed their availability. Teams that repeatedly sign up, but do not show up or show up with fewer volunteers than they signed up, may be removed. To add or remove team members from a project, click on "My Account" and then "My Teams," above. Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.

0 spots available on

4/1/25 5:30 PM+More

Forest Park Restoration Volunteer Event (age 6+) *Hands On*

Portland Parks & Recreation – Natural Areas Stewardship

Do you think nature is only found outside the city? Think again! Lend a hand in a Portland Parks & Recreation's largest natural area and enjoy your morning working outside and meeting others in our community! About this Opportunity - Join Parks & Recreation for a morning of urban forest renewal. It's fun, close-in, accessible, and very important work. Many hikers, runners, and walkers utilize this park and its trails, and it contains part of the 40-mile loop around Portland that connects to other parks. Many hikers, bikers, and other members of the public relax and enjoy Forest Park, and your effort will help keep this a high-quality natural area for people, native plants, and wildlife! - Interested in signing up a large group? If you are interested in bringing 10 or more volunteers to this event, please contact the organizer beforehand - we may or may not be able to accomodate your group at the event. If we cannot accomodate you, we can work with you to find another time to come volunteer! - Interested in court-ordered community service opportunities with the City of Portland? Please call 503-823-5121 before volunteering. What to Bring and Wear Dress for the weather, wear long pants, wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and bring a water bottle. Please bring a water bottle and snacks. PP&R will provide tools, gloves, project instruction, water jug and snacks. Questions? Exact location details will be sent to you by the volunteer coordinator prior to the project. Contact Monica Hescheles with any questions using the email button below or by calling 503-823-8367. Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 6 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 14 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. If you plan to bring your children or other guests to the event, you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team. You can then sign up your team for this project. If your team has 10 or more people, please contact the event coordinator before signing up. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian. This event is not suitable for children younger than 6, but if you are interested in learning about family-friendly events suitable for younger children, please contact the organizer. For youth ages 6-17, please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project: Youth Volunteer Release Form If you are looking for community service to fulfill court requirements, please call 503-823-5121. You must be registered with our program before undertaking any community service. Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355

18 spots available on

4/9/25 9:00 AM+More

Spruce Up Laurelhurst Park (age 15+) *Hands On*

Friends of Laurelhurst Park

Friends of Laurelhurst Park Work Parties will be held April through October, welcoming volunteers to come once or ongoing. We need help with a variety of hands-on work including pruning shrubs, weeding out invasives, planting new shrubs and perennials, and spreading mulch. With so many beautiful and established plantings, this park takes many helpers to keep it looking lovely. Our staff at Portland Parks & Recreation provide project support and guidance and are fun to work with. Highlights of our gatherings include meeting volunteers from around the city as well as working alongside new and longtime neighborhood residents. We welcome new faces to our ever-evolving group; come join in to support this popular place. Laurelhurst Park is Portland's only designated historical park and has an unusual array of horticultural plants and tree species. The pond and all the plants make this a special gathering spot, but also requires extra care to keep it up. Come join in... there’s always something that needs volunteer TLC! Due to community health concerns, we highly recommend that volunteers bring their own sturdy work gloves. Also, please wear sturdy shoes (work boots/sneakers), and bring a water bottle. Dress for the weather, as we work outside. Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 15 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 18 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. If you plan to bring your children or other guests to the event, you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team. You can then sign up your team for this project. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring two waivers signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring these waivers with you on the day of the project: Youth Volunteer Release Form and Portland Parks and Recreation Waiver Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.

7 spots available on

5/14/25 9:00 AM+More

Serve a Meal at Jean's Place (age 18+) *Hands On*

Transition Projects

Support a meal for the ladies at Jean's Place! Volunteers will be asked to bring ingredients to contribute to the meal and the group will prepare dinner on-site to serve to the ladies living at Jean's Place. The volunteer leader will contact each volunteer to instruct you on what ingredients to bring. We're counting on you! It is imperative that if you sign up for this project, you intend to be there and provide the ingredients that are assigned to you. When volunteers don't show up, we're not able to make the meal. If you are unable to attend, please let your Volunteer Leader know ASAP! Please note: no volunteer will be turned away due to lack of resources. If bringing a food item is a hardship for you, please alert the project leader. Everyone will then help facilitate a game of bingo, which will include prizes for the winners! Join us for this unique experience! Volunteers are asked to refrain from wearing strong fragrances, such as perfume and cologne, during their volunteer shift. A part of Transition Projects, Jean's Place is a transitional housing program for adult, single homeless women. Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to attend this project. If you plan to bring guests you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team, then sign up your team for this project. IMPORTANT NOTE: You are responsible for ensuring that everyone signed up through your team attends - only sign up team members who have confirmed their availability. Teams that repeatedly sign up, but do not show up or show up with fewer volunteers than they signed up, may be removed. To add or remove team members from a project, click on "My Account" and then "My Teams," above. Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3364 or email handson@unitedway-pdx.org.

1 spot available on

7/23/25 6:00 PM+More

Get Crafty for Newborns (age 18+) *Hands On*

Hands On Greater Portland

April 2025 location is Bethany Community Library Annex May 2025 location is Beaverton City Library, Auditorium How can crafting make a difference? You might wonder why all the recent fuss about knitting, crocheting, and sewing. Volunteers from the Hands On craft groups will say they love getting together to socialize with new friends and marvel over the creativity of items made. But those who really benefit from our crafting are the recipients of the handmade treasures. Join in this project and knit, machine sew, or crochet anything baby to be donated to the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Clinic, OHSU/ Doernbecker, Kaiser NW, and Family Promise in Hillsboro and Beaverton. A handmade item will make a loving impression on a new mom and baby. Another option - make a garment for a toddler/child/youth to be used to help diffuse trauma & negative impacts on the younger set when they have to be admitted to the hospital. Examples of what we make: Booties, bibs, burp cloths car seat blankets, crochet hats, blankets, for Virginia Garcia Clinic and nursing covers for the hospital etc. We make: new, single layer, tied fleece blankets for children and teens for Rose Haven and Ronald McDonald house. In the winter, we sew warm fleece hats and new seasonal crochet or knits to all ages. Hospitals are not accepting yarn-based items due to Covid and RSV. We provide newborn and hats to foster parents, midwifery ctrs., pregnancy resource ctrs.,0-5 teen-parent programs, and need based, school clothing closets. Things to note: 1. All volunteers must know how to knit, or *MACHINE* sew, or crochet. This (unfortunately) is not an educational/teaching experience around these skills. The opporunity is group based in that volunteers come with projects in mind and materials on hand. We gather to support each other in completing projects while centering the needs of babies and their parents. 2.Volunteers will be asked to drop off the donations to the Volunter Leaders home (near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center) or make arrangements with the Volunteer Leader for donation drop off of the donated pieces. 3. All completed donation items need to be washed prior to donation. The baby items must be scent free, please wash without a drier sheet. Hospitals do not allow donation that have scents and animal hair. All items must be cleaned for clients before drop off. Thank you! Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to attend this project. Any volunteers inviting a youth guest (anyone under 18) must stay with them the entire time. The volunteer must be the youth's parent or legal guardian. Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355 or email handson@unitedway-pdx.org

10 spots available on

4/13/25 1:00 PM+More