Maybe you already give back year-round, or maybe practicing thankfulness this holiday season has got you in the giving spirit. All we know is there are more than enough great causes in Columbia to give your time to. Whether you’re an animal lover, an outdoorsy type, a Veteran supporter, or a holiday enthusiast, there’s a nearby volunteer opportunity for you. Here are 40+ Columbia organizations to show a little love to this holiday season.
🦃 If the holidays are your favorite time of the year:
- Harvest Hope | Help feed families during the holidays by volunteering for the crisis pantry or organizing a food drive. The organization looking for extra help on the Nov. 22, 23, and 24.
- Homeless No More | This organization frequently needs meal donations, donations of bedding + hygiene products. It’s also hosting a holiday event coming up + could use a few extra hands and some donations, or sign up to be a leader for children’s groups.
- Feed the Hungry | Join St. Peter’s Catholic Church + First Baptist Church for Columbia’s biggest Thanksgiving celebration. The organization already has enough volunteers to serve food, but it’s looking for donations.
- The Salvation Army of the Midlands | Participate in seasonal roles, like bell-ringer, stocking stuffer or angel adoption. Year-round roles are also available, like kitchen helper + family store worker.
- Transitions | Help serve meals at the homeless shelter, volunteer at its library, or help with day center activities..
- Families Helping Families | Sponsor a family that is in need of food, clothing + Christmas gifts this holiday season.
- Epworth Children’s Home | Participate in Christmas with Epworth by dropping off gifts to its annual holiday drive on Dec. 6-8.
🇺🇲 Supporters of Veterans today + everyday:
- USO | Volunteer for a position at USO’s location at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Volunteers help serve traveling service members + welcome new Fort Jackson recruits.
- Hidden Wounds | Complete the interest form to learn more about what positions are available to help support the organization’s mission to “help heroes battle the invisible war at home.”
- Blue Star Mothers | Get involved with Operation Elf and become one of Santa’s helpers for SC military families.
🍎 Natural-born teachers + mentors:
- Boys & Girls Club of Columbia | Become a mentor, coach, tutor, or assist with special events.
- Big Homie Lil Homie | Sign up to become a mentor for young males.
- Camp Cole | Volunteers can choose to sign up for long-term roles — like an activity leader or administration assistant, register for specific monthly volunteer opportunities.
- Family Connection of SC, Inc. | Complete the volunteer form to find a variety of opportunities to support families of children with disabilities or special needs throughout SC.
💙 If you want to be there for abuse victims:
- Be Kind Be Great | Whether funding or directly feeding the community, support is welcomed to empower Columbia by creating opportunities + meals for those who need it most.
- Sistercare | Explore a variety of programs that provide support for domestic violence survivors and their children.
- Pathways to Healing | Accompany survivors to the hospital to provide support and answer the 24-hour community hotline.
♿ If you have a passion for disabled community members:
- Special Olympics of SC | Become a coach, participate on a Unified Sports team, or volunteer for a day-of event.
- Able SC | Get involved by becoming a travel ambassador, travel navigator, driver, or an office volunteer. Able SC is also hiring multiple positions if you’ve volunteered before and are looking to take the next step.
- Babcock Center | Main volunteer opportunities include yard work, beautification, transportation services, and musical talent opportunities that include instrumental or vocal performances. Background checks are required of all volunteers.
💚 If you’re a mental illness advocate:
- Mental Illness Recovery Center | Options for volunteers include special events, group opportunities, or becoming a committee member. Click for an application form.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness | Fill out its volunteer form with your interests + be on the lookout for emails that will match you with opportunities.
🎨 The artsy types:
- Columbia Museum of Art | Get involved in dynamic + engaging programs, facilitating art experiences, working with specific audiences, providing customer service, or administrative tasks. For more information, call 803-799-2810 or fill out this form and email it to volunteers@columbiamuseum.org.
- Tapp’s Outpost | Volunteers will get on-the-ground experience of what it’s like to manage a gallery, and you’ll be helping Columbia’s art space thrive.
😷 If you’re interested in healthcare:
- American Cancer Society | Help with fundraising, patient programs, or education. Find flexible opportunities that work with your schedule if you’re interested in volunteering virtually.
- Free Medical Clinic, Inc. | Hey students, this one’s for you. This organization requires a commitment of at least 24 hours a semester.
- Prisma Health Midlands Foundation | There are six main ways you can get involved with supporting + volunteering with this organization. Whether its fundraising, donating, helping with breast cancer patients, or supporting the trauma center, find an area you can step in and offer a helping hand.
- Ronald McDonald House | Volunteer duties may include, organizing the pantry, preparing/cleaning rooms for incoming guest families, completing household tasks, baking cookies, replenishing supplies, or other tasks that are crucial to the daily operations of the House.
🐶 If you’re an animal lover:
- Pawmetto Lifeline | Become an official volunteer and help with tasks like animal care, transportation, administrative roles + special events.
- Final Victory Animal Rescue | Spend time with its rescue dogs while helping with dog walking, transportation + kennel cleaning.
- City of Columbia Animal Services | The city shelter is always looking for volunteers of all ages.
🌳 The outdoorsy types:
- Keep the Midlands Beautiful | Join the organization for our final Spotless Service Saturday of the year on December 15 at 9 a.m. Volunteers will clean Lower Richland Blvd. in Richland County. All supplies will be provided. Sign up here.
- Palmetto Conservation Foundation | Trail workdays are scheduled regularly throughout the year for maintenance chores, and unpredictably following storms to clear debris. Trail construction and maintenance can be physically challenging, but there are tasks for everyone.
- Congaree Riverkeeper | The best way to help with organization is to submit comments on policy decisions, call or email your representative to support good water policy, and advocate for Columbia rivers at public meetings, committees, and hearings. Looking for a specific event? Sign up for a river cleanup.
🏳️🌈 If you’re passionate about supporting local minority groups:
- Columbia Urban League | Email inform@culsc.org for more information on how you can become a part of one of the many community outreach programs by donating your time to help advance the organization’s cause,
- Harriet Hancock LGBT Center | donating your time by filling out this volunteer application, or buy something on its Amazon wishlist.
- Senior Resources | Whether you’d like to help pack or deliver food for Meals on Wheels, assist at special events, lead a class at a senior center, or take food to pets in need, there is an opportunity for you.
🏛️ If you live + breathe Columbia:
- Historic Columbia | Nurture, support, and protect the historical, cultural heritage of Columbia through programs of education, advocacy and preservation. Check out its positions of volunteering and fill out the application.
- United Way of the Midlands | Become an individual volunteer, corporate partner, nonprofit partner, or see the organization’s ongoing initiatives.
- Serve & Connect | Help with research, education, operations, raising awareness, events, or simply fundraise.
📚Self-proclaimed bibliophiles:
- Richland Library | Fill out this application. Once received + reviewed, it will invite you in for a meeting. At the meeting you will learn more about the duties involved, and have an opportunity to interview with staff.
- Midlands Reading Consortium | Become a weekly 30 minute tutor to help improve reading engagement for elementary students. The organization offers virtual options as well. Fill out this form if you are new, and this form if you’re a returning tutor.
🦋 The social butterflies:
- Junior League of Columbia | The Junior League of Columbia encourages volunteerism amongst youth through its Junior Volunteer Program. Junior Volunteers is a program created for girls in grades 7-12 who are interested in making a difference around Columbia.
🔨 The handymen + women:
- Central SC Habitat for Humanity | The organization has numerous opportunities available through its volunteer calendars, and would love to connect you to a project whether it’s neighborhood revitalization, restoration, or construction.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know, and we’ll make sure to add the organizatin to the list.