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Become a Boston Cares Member


Boston Cares wants to make volunteering easy for you! We provide a wide array of programs and opportunities that make it simple to volunteer at over 165 community agencies no matter how busy your schedule is.

We understand that volunteerism is a direct way to develop community connection,live out our civic duty, advance social justice, build stronger ecosystems and uplift current and future generations of Bostonians. Through providing volunteers with ways to directly impact their neighborhoods, we provide the opportunity to  connect with community-based solutions that directly build towards the future the community themselves wish to see. 

Through the avenue of volunteerism, we provide a wide array of programs and opportunities that allow you to connect with 165 community agencies. Whether it’s community revitalization efforts, tutoring for our newest immigrant neighbors, or food justice through providing fresh produce,  we want to ensure there are no barriers to you being able to connect to the cause you care about. 

What does it mean to become a member of Boston Cares? When you join us in this work, you are choosing to come along to partner your good with the good of the community. We are excited to connect with volunteers who: 

  • Believe that they are a special piece of the puzzle of change, with all other puzzle pieces made up of community members, grassroots organizations, neighborhood leaders, and other volunteers who have been on the ground for years. We appreciate you wanting to lend your individual power to a collective work! 
  • Recognize and honor the humanity of the communities they will partner with, while valuing deep relationships and meaningful change. This is also something we are continuously striving to as an organization and your commitment to this is essential! 
  • Welcome challenge, and are open to learning about how to tackle root causes of harm, learning new ways of community, and sometimes unlearning unhealthy service practices. We especially feel accomplished when you walk away with new knowledge or a new perception around the community and their current issues.

Actively listen to community members and trust their guidance during volunteer experiences.The communities we serve are the experts of their future!

To become a member and start volunteering with us, Boston Cares requires that individuals create a Boston Cares account and attend a New Volunteer Orientation. Each session provides valuable information about Boston Cares, our programs, and what it means to be fully prepared to partner in service. Afterwards, you will be able to sign up for projects through our online calendar of opportunities and participate in our other ongoing programs. See the steps below to get started! 

 

STEP 1: 

Fill out the registration form to create an account on our website! 

Create an Account

 

STEP 2:

Attend an online New Volunteer Orientation to learn about our programs and and how to plug in.

Sign up for an Orientation

 

STEP 3:

Choose your way to serve.

Ways to Volunteer

Important Information for Volunteers Under 18:

Boston Cares offers National Days of Service events and some age-friendly Calendar projects for volunteers under 18. The overall minimum age for all Boston Cares programs is 5 years old. Please note that each of our agency partners on the Calendar Program determine the age restrictions for their projects, based on their policies and the appropriateness of the project for young volunteers. Boston Cares does not have the ability to allow volunteers younger than the listed age requirements to register for a project. 

Other questions about volunteering?

Visit our FAQ page

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