Community Service Projects
Sign up for a service project ! Volunteers will help out local Durham organizations from 9-12 a.m. on Saturday, September 20th. Those who volunteer will be allowed to go home and take a shower.
- Animal Protection Society of Durham
The Animal Protection Society of Durham (APS) manages the Durham County Animal Shelter provides food, shelter and medical attention for approximately 7,000 stray, surrendered and abused animals each year.
The mission of the APS of Durham is to educate the public about the humane care, treatment and well-being of all animals, to help stop pet overpopulation through the promotion of spay/neuter programs, and to find suitable adoptive homes for the animals in our care. Volunteers will not be working directly with the animals. - Carolina Friends School
CFS wants to update landscaping and clear the walking trail around the school. - Duke Forest
The Duke Forest is in need of a new pedestrian bridge in the Korstian Division in Orange County, over a tributary of New Hope Creek in a high-traffic recreational area. Participants will transport materials along our trail system to the site and work with Duke Forest staff to build the bridge. There will also be the opportunity for some trail trimming in the area. - Duke Homestead
The restored Duke Homestead serves as a "living museum of tobacco history" offering activities that demonstrate early farming techniques and manufacturing processes which made tobacco such an essential mainstay of the state's economy. Volunteers will be repairing fences on the property. - Duke Interdisciplinary Initiative in Social Psychology (DIISP)
The Duke Interdisciplinary Initiative in Social Psychology is looking for volunteers to participate in research studies at Erwin Mill. A variety of pen-and-paper questionnaires and computer-based studies will be available, each ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour in length. There will be enough ongoing studies for you to mix and match and move between them at your own pace. - Durham Food Bank
Food Bank of North Carolina is a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes food to agencies that directly assist people at risk of hunger in central and eatern NC. Food is collected from national and local sources and distributed to agencies such as soup kithcens, food pantries, shelters, and programs for children and adults. Volunteers will be sorting canned goods for the food bank and assisting with transporting boxes of canned goods to the food bank warehouse. - Durham Parks and Recreation
DurhamParks and Recreation is Durham's source for creative and challenging recreational choices. We strive to help citizens discover, explore, and enjoy life through creative and challenging recreational choices that contribute to their physical. emotional, and social health. Volunteers will be assisting with cleaning up the park and painting at Forest Hills Park and Spruce Pine Lodge. - Durham Parks and Recreation and Special Olympics Youth Soccer
Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition to more than 2.5 million people with intellectual disabilities in more than 165 countries. Students will assist with the local Youth Soccer Program. Students may assist young athletes, ages 5-12, with their soccer skills and cheer them on. Those with soccer experience are particularly encouraged to choose this project. - Durham Rape Crisis Center
Pennies for Change Thrift Store is a program of the Durham Crisis Response Center, a non-profit agency providing services to survivors of domestic and sexual assault. The thrift store has a three prong mission 1) to provide a stream of revenue to support services provided by the agency 2) provide clothing and housewares to clients on a as-needed basis 3) as an outreach and community link. The Durham Crisis Response Center services include: an domestic violence emergency shelter for women and children, 24/7 crisis line, court advocacy, legal clinics, support groups and community education. Volunteers will be cleaning the store, tagging items, bagging clothes, and doing some ground maintance such as weeding and painting. - Durham Rescue Mission
The Durham Rescue Mission is a faith-based, non-profit organization that serves the needy and homeless in central North Carolina. Volunteers will be sorting donations. - George Watts Elementary School
George Watts Elementary School is holding a grounds work day. Some of there goals for the morning will depend upon whether or not we can do some planting, (based on watering restrictions), but we have many other things to do. Weeding, raking, mulching, watering, hopefully planting, and possibly tilling earth are some examples. Wear comfortable clothes that aren't afraid to get dirty, work gloves, if you have them, a water bottle for yourself, and sun protection, if needed. Yard tools are very welcomed, but not required! - Habitat for Humanity
Since 1985, Habitat for Humanity has built over 200 homes in Durham. Habitat homes are modest, well-built homes constructed by volunteers from the community and families selected by Habitat. Volunteers will be helping with a house close to campus. - Keep Durham Beautiful
Keep Durham Beautiful is a nonprofit, volunteer organization working in partnership with the City of Durham's General Services Department and the County of Durham to bring private businesses, citizens and community organizations together to conserve and enhance the appearance and environment of Durham through cleanup events, beautification projects, and educational activities. One group of volunteers will be cleaning up roadways and parks. Another group will be building dog waste stations to put in local parks. This group will be taken in vans to various parks around Durham to assemble and place the signs and stations. - Morehead Montessori
Morehead Montessori Magnet Elementary School is a small magnet school in the Durham Public School system. The school prides itself on educating the whole student. Volunteers will be digging holes, planting trees, mulching, and planting flower beds. - Old West Durham Neighborhood Association/Friends of South Ellerbe Creek
The Friends of South Ellerbe Creek is an informal group of citizens dedicated to conserving and enhancing the scenic, recreational, natural and historic qualities of South Ellerbe Creek. Volunteers with meet at a central location and then split up into groups and clean up around Old West Durham and South Ellerbe Creek. - Ronald McDonald House
Since 1980, the Ronald McDonald House of Durham has provided loving shelter to more than 20,000 families whose children were being treated in local hospitals. Volunteers are asked to wear comfortable clothes, as they will be organizing and cleaning. - SEEDS DIG Program
SEEDS' youth program, DIG (Durham Inner-city Gardeners), is a youth-driven market garden in which teenagers raise fruits, vegetables, and flowers right here in downtown Durham and sell them at the Durham Farmer's Market. Volunteers who work with DIG on Saturday mornings work alongside the youth to assist them in their activities of planting, harvesting, weeding, and tending a diverse array of produce. Other activities may include preparing beds, turning compost and a variety of special projects. On your volunteer day, come prepared to work hard, get dirty, and have fun with the DIG crew, staff, and other volunteers. Bees are active in our garden, so if you are allergic, please come prepared. - Shodor
Shodor is a non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the advancement of science and math education, specifically through the use of modeling and simulation technologies. Volunteers will assist with writing reviews and organizing digital materials to help build the nation's National Science Digital Library. Students with math or science knowledge are particularly encouraged to volunteer here. - TROSA
TROSA is a comprehensive, long-term, residential substance abuse recovery program located in Durham, North Carolina. Founded in 1994, TROSA is now the largest residential therapeutic community in North Carolina and is widely respected for its innovative therapeutic and entrepreneurial approach to the pervasive issue of substance abuse. - UNC TV
Since 1955 UNC TV has been broadcasting educational television. They believe that public television has the power and responsibility to change lives. Volunteers will be washing state vehicals and organizing blueprints. - United Way/Teaming for Technology
Teaming for Technology is a United Way program that refurbish computers for low-income students in the Triangle area. Volunteers will help clean computers and load software. No computer knowledge is necessary. Volunteers will be treated with food and freebies. - Urban Ministries of Durham
The Urban Ministries of Durham is a faith based organization that provides food, clothing, shelter and supportive services to people in need. The Urban Ministries Food Pantry and Clothes Closet address basic emergency needs for food, clothing and hygiene supplies. Every month, they assist 350 to 400 individuals with food for in-home use, 180 to 220 people with clothing, and 2 to 3 households with emergency financial assistance. Volunteers will help sort and hang donated clothing in the Clothing Closet and shelve food donations in the Food Pantry. - Welcome Baby
Welcome Baby is a parenting education and support program of the Durham County Cooperative Extension. We provide a variety of services to families with children younger than five years old. One of the services we provide is the Giving Closet. It is a once a week clothes give-away where families can come and "shop" for infant/children's clothing, equipment (i.e. strollers, cribs, etc.), maternity clothes, and sundry other items. Volunteers will be switching out the summer clothing to fall/winter clothing, as well as sorting and hanging clothes in the Giving Closet.