It’s the giving season, and one of our favorite ways to give back is by volunteering! There are so many options in Wilmington, so we crafted this quick guide to help you choose with volunteer organization you want to partner with this season.
For animal lovers and environmental enthusiasts:
If you have the free time to dedicate yourself to extensive training, it will pay off in dividends at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. Join volunteers to rescue, rehabilitate, and release turtles back into the ocean. Plus, you’ll take long walks on the beach at sunrise to record nesting sites!
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is very reliant on its volunteers. As a volunteer, you help with special events, horticulture, visitor education, and tank deep cleans! Please note that due to expansions, they’ve paused their volunteering recruitment…but you should still keep your eyes peeled for when it opens back up!
Dog lovers will appreciate Paws4People, where volunteers train assistance dogs. You can assist with anything from puppy socialization to graphic design. Have a way with words? They’re also accepting volunteer copywriters, SEO specialists, and communicators, too! There’s truly an opportunity for everyone.
At Poplar Grove Plantation, you can be a volunteer farmhand, doing daily chores for rescue horses, chickens, goats, and other farm animals. This hands-on opportunity also includes fence repairs and animal pen expansions. Folks who aren’t afraid to put in a little elbow grease enjoy everyone’s gratitude, even the animals’!
Check out the Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program, where volunteers help those with disabilities interact with horses. This wholesome opportunity is perfect for anyone familiar with horses. Definitely check them out if you want a rewarding chance to help familiarize others, too!
Environmentalists get together under the Masonboro.org umbrella. This organization brings school classes to the natural island for educational tours, and also cleans the island after boating festivities. Protect public access and promote responsible use with this awesome initiative.
For human-to-human volunteer connection:
Volunteer with the largest hospital in the area, the Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center. These opportunities include everything from nurses, doulas, greeters, and patient discharge, and always make a huge difference.
Hospice patients through Lower Cape Fear Hospice use volunteers to help run errands and provide companionship. Additionally, you can help patients fulfill bucket list items!
The Cape Fear Volunteer Center connects people with needs. Volunteer for a number of different programs with adult literacy, or be a “big buddy.” You’ll also help with major issues like hurricane relief.
Finally, A Safe Place is the perfect place to volunteer your time with victims of human trafficking. You’ll have the option to pack hygiene bags, feed weekly peer groups, become a prayer partner, host fundraisers, teach life skills, and more.
For builders and remodelers:
Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity meets the housing needs of the community, giving folks the chance to own a home. Some of their many volunteer opportunities include construction, home repair, furniture flipping, and deconstruction. If you’re really good with your hands, you can even teach a Learning Lab to others!
Teach wood-working to at-risk youth with Kids Making It. Students learn valuable vocational skills and trades, as well as entrepreneurship. This is a very rewarding opportunity for anyone who’s hands-on and passionate about mentorship.
Volunteer to feed our community:
At The Good Shepherd Center, you can volunteer to help unhoused individuals and to provide food for those who need it. They accept folks on various schedules to work with your availability, with opportunities for helping out during the day, evening, or weekend!
The all-volunteer operation Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard distributes emergency food to the hungry. It is also provided in partnership with the community, without regard to race or religion, and with care to preserve the dignity of the individuals being served.
When Nourish NC discreetly slips bags of food into students’ backpacks after school, they help ensure children in our community don’t go hungry. Volunteers pack bags with weekend necessities and more substantial meals for long school breaks.
For those who want to serve the troops:
Step Up For Soldiers was originally founded in 2004, when two veterans needed wheelchair access installed in their homes. Today, they build and fundraise for our community’s veterans! Volunteer to help vets feel at home in their houses and community.
For art lovers:
If you want to volunteer in Wilmington but don’t want to leave the arts behind, The Wilson Center has a great volunteering program. You can be an usher, ticket scanner, host, and more on show night!
Thalian Hall also relies on its volunteers to keep operations running smoothly. Train to assist with concessions, greeting, and hospitality, or find yourself in the VIP Lounge and Opera Box.
