October 2019 - Silicon Valley 

 
Urban Farm Volunteer!
Garden to Table

Date/Time: Saturday, October 5, 10am - 2 pm

Location: 200 West Taylor St., San Jose

Ages: There is no minimum age for volunteers but those under the age of 18 need to have their parents sign a waiver. Email taylorstfarms@gmail.com for a waiver.

Time Commitment: Flexible to your schedule

Urban residents have been disconnected from where their food comes from for generations and Garden to Table believes this is a central reason why public health has steadily deteriorated. Food is a fundamental part of everyday life and it should be grown where people live. Come help with a variety of farm tasks: seeding, transplanting, composting, farm maintenance, mulching, and harvesting! They encourage anyone and everyone who is looking for the opportunity to get their hands in the soil and learn how to grow delicious and nutritious food. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty, appropriate footwear and a hat. Don't forget sunscreen! Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. Taylor St Farm is an operating farm so there may be tools present, uneven surfaces and insects.

Contact: There is no need to RSVP to volunteer, just simply show up! If you do have children volunteering, please contact Trinity Tomsic at taylorstfarms@gmail.com to obtain the waiver.
www.taylorstfarms.org

 
Pumpkin Fun at the Fall Festival
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Dept.

Date/Time(s): Saturday, October 5, 7am - 6pm.
  • 7 - 10am (set-up)
  • 8am - 1pm 
  • Noon - 4pm  
  • 3 - 5pm (tear down) 
Location: Martial Cottle County Park, 5283 Snell Ave., San Jose

Ages: Families with children are welcome to participate. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult during the event

Time Commitment: Two to four hours

Volunteers are needed to support the Fifth Annual Fall Festival at Martial Cottle Park! The event will include pumpkin painting and carnival activities, historical ranch activities, food vendors, live music, fresh produce for sale, square dancing, face painting, and much more! Volunteers will be given their assignments on the day of the event. Please let us know if you have a preference.

Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, 408.918.4930. Registration is available online.

 
Event Support for Restoration Fest, Palo Alto Baylands
Save the Bay

Date/Time: Saturday, October 5, 8am - 4 pm. Three shifts are available:
  • 8 - 11am
  • 11am - 2pm
  • 1 - 4pm 
Location: 2500 Embarcadero Rd., Palo Alto

Ages: There is no minimum age required for participation. Children under 12 require parent/guardian supervision, and children under 18 must be signed in by a parent or guardian.

Time Commitment: Three-hour shifts.

Save The Bay works to raise public awareness, mobilize grassroots support, and advocate action for Bay protection and conservation. Bay Day is a celebration of our Bay Area communities and the unique ecological wonders that make up our Bay. This official holiday, like Earth Day for the Bay, connects our community partners, volunteers, and supporters to appreciate and protect our home Your family can help by volunteering at the Palo Alto Baylands Restoration Fest. Volunteer tasks include the following:
  • Set- up: Assembling tents and activities, distributing tables and chairs, installing flags, and signage
  • Activities: Running games, activities, greeting attendees, distributing t-shirts, directing participants.
  • Take down: Pack up activities, take down tents and flags, remove signage, stack tables/chairs, and leave the Baylands trash-free
We invite you to stay and explore the Palo Alto Baylands. We are also looking for a few gregarious individuals to be our mascot on Bay Day. Let us know if you are interested!

Contact: For questions about this event, or to sign up to volunteer for a shift, please contact info@savesfbay.org or 510.463.6850.

 
Day on the Bay 2019
Santa Clara County Volunteers

Date/Time: Sunday, October 13:
  • Volunteer hours 7am- 5 pm
  • Event hours 10am - 3 pm. 
Location: Alviso Marina County Park, 1195 Hope St. Alviso

Ages: Must be 14 or older to volunteer but this event is great for the family and children of all ages to attend.

Time Commitment: Four-hour shifts

This fun-filled festival along the South Bay shores of Alviso features a health resource fair, and a festive celebration of our diverse cultures. Other activities include free pumpkins for kids, music, entertainment, free kayak rides, free hamburgers and veggie burgers, and of course the Cortese Zucchini Car Derby. Volunteer tasks include:
  • Set-up event elements such as canopies, stages, and various booths.
  • Various volunteer stations including the Bounce House; Food Booth; Kayak registration; etc.
  • Event tear-down 
Volunteers will be assigned their individual roles on the day of the event.

Contact: Volunteer Office, 408.918.4930. Registration is available online. Select the shift that you would like to participate in and click to register. Volunteers under the age of 18 MUST complete a volunteer Release and Waiver form available when you register online and/or through the Santa Clara County Parks volunteer office. Minor volunteers without a signed waiver form will not be permitted to participate as a volunteer.
https://scc.samaritan.com/custom/502/#/volunteer_home

Walk to Defeat ALS in San Mateo
ALS Association

Date/Time: Saturday, October 5, 8:30am - 3:45pm

Location: 1701 Coyote Point Dr., San Mateo

Ages: All ages are welcome. ALS Association prefers that volunteers under the age of 12 are accompanied by a parent but it's not necessary, as they have lead volunteer coordinators at their event that can manage youth groups.

Time Commitment: Two to two and one-half hours

The ALS Association is a nonprofit health organization dedicated solely to the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) through research, patient support, information dissemination and public awareness. Walk volunteers are needed to help with the following tasks:
  • Set tablecloths, hang signs, event site prep
  • Sit or stand at booths with information materials
  • Lead walkers on the 2-mile route
  • Put booth information materials into bin and close booth
  • Event clean up
Contact:  Megan Fisher, mfisher@alsagoldenwest.org. Registration is available online.
All volunteers are required to sign a waiver, and volunteers under the age of 18 must have their legal guardian's signature. So long as the child's legal guardian has provided written consent on the volunteer waiver, volunteers under the age of 18 may attend without a chaperone.
http://web.alsa.org/site/TR/Walks/GoldenWest?pg=entry&fr_id=13766

 
Dune's Beach Clean Up- Join the Plastic Free Movement
Pacific Beach Coalition

Date/Time: Saturday, October 12, 10am - noon

Location: Dunes Beach, Half Moon Bay. Click here for directions.

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate with adult supervision as long as you think your child can actively participate the activities outlined below.

Time Commitment: Two hours

Volunteers should meet at end of the parking lot. Look for the tent. Dunes Beach is a state park so there is a fee to park. Volunteers will be cleaning up the beach, trail and parking lot areas. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own buckets and reusable gloves. Extra gloves and buckets will be provided while supplies last. Make sure to bring extra layers, a hat, sunblock, water and snacks. Expect to be picking up cigarette butts, food wrappers, cans and bottles. There will also be microplastic and styrofoam along the tide line. If you have a shovel or some type of scoping tool, you can help us grab the plastic items.
 

 
Linda Mar Beach Clean Up
Pacific Beach Coalition

Date/Time: Saturday, October 19, 10am - noon

Location: 601 Beaumont, Pacifica. Volunteers will meet in the main parking lot near Taco Bell.

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate with adult supervision as long as you think your child can actively participate the activities outlined below.

Time Commitment: Two hours

The Pacifica Beach Coalition is dedicated to preserving the ocean, coastal ecosystems and wildlife, with a focus on ending litter through advocacy, education, community building and citizen action. Volunteers will  be picking small and large pieces of trash from the parking lots, promenade and the beach. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own buckets and reusable gloves. Extra gloves, buckets, pickup sticks and specific tools for this site cleanup will be provided while supplies last. Make sure to bring extra layers, a hat, sunblock, water and snacks. Be a volunteer and help us make trash extinct. Join us today!


 
Create the Change Day Bay Area
Project Giving Kids (PGK)

Date/Time: Sunday, October 13, 2 - 4pm

Location: Computer History Museum, 1401 North Shoreline Boulevard, Mountain View

Ages: Families with children age three and older are welcome to participate. Most projects are suitable for ages three and older although some adult facilitation will be required for those on the younger side. All children MUST be accompanied by an adult. Waivers are required for all participants, and must be signed off on by a parent or guardian for those under age 18. The waiver form is integrated into the ticketing process.

Time Commitment: Varies, up to two hours

Join the community for an afternoon of hands-on service curated especially for youth and families. Kids will be assembling hygiene kits for people in need, crafting no-sew blankets for shelter animals, decorating lunch bags for hungry neighbors, writing notes of encouragement, and much more. There will also be music, snacks, raffle prizes, and other fun you don't want to miss. Projects benefit local nonprofits including Ecumenical Hunger Program, Hope's Corner, Town Cats, EAH Housing, and more! Service hours available for middle and high school students.

Contact: ajohnson@projectgivingkids.org. Registration is available online.  

 
Menlo Park Birthday Parties!
The Birthday Party Project

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 17 and Wednesday, November 20, 6 - 8pm

Location: Shelter in Menlo Park

Ages: Families with children 10 and older are welcome to volunteer!

Time Commitment: Two hours
 
Help us celebrate children and give them a birthday party they will never forget for the families and kiddos at Life Moves - Menlo Park! The Birthday Party Project hosts monthly birthday parties at homeless and transitional living facilities across the country. We celebrate all children (ages 1-21) that have a birthday that month, and we invite all children and family members staying at the agency to join us for the party. We bring everything needed for an awesome event, but we need volunteers to truly make the party come to life! We spend a half-hour setting up, an hour partying, and a half-hour cleaning up. Let's party!

Contact: Candace Trevino, candace@thebirthdaypartyproject.org. Registration is available online.
www.thebirthdaypartyproject.org

Assemble Care Kits for the Homeless
Help the Homeless in Your Own Community

Date/Time: Flexible

Location: Your own community

Ages: The whole family can participate.

Time Commitment: Varies

When you see a person who is homeless holding a sign on a street corner, are you unsure how to respond? Having care kits to hand out can help. Your family can pack bags of new, warm socks with a water bottle and granola bars to give to homeless men and women you pass on the streets or located near train stations and shopping centers. Visit Doing Good Together's Assemble Care Kits for the Homeless project page for reflection questions, books about homelessness, and other ways your family can make a positive difference.   

 
Raise Funds for Disaster Relief
Red Cross

Date/Time: Flexible

Location: Your home and community

Ages: Everyone is welcome to help out

Time Commitment: Varies

Across the country, the Red Cross responds to nearly 1 disaster every 8 minutes and you can be there to provide support. From emergencies like hurricanes to floods to home fires, your help is needed to provide impacted families with essentials like warm meals and a place to stay.  You can turn heartbreak into hope by starting a fundraiser or making a donation to support American Red Cross disaster relief and help with disasters big and small. We have lots of tools and resources to help you with your efforts. Review our fundraising toolkit to get started. Go door-to-door, call your family members, set up a table outside of your local grocery store. Get creative with your fundraising strategies! 

Contact: redcross@crowdwise.com   

 
Check out our featured Project of the Month!  


EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more!
 
 
October is Bullying Prevention Awareness month.

It's never too early (or too late) to start big-hearted conversations with your children about the power of kindness, the importance of upstanding for others, and the ways we can make a difference in our community. Start your conversations using these big-hearted picture books on bullying and these chapter books too, then read or revisit this important blog post from DGT.


 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2019 Doing Good Together™