Do you want to make a difference but don’t have a lot of time? Check out the volunteer opportunities below! 

AgeWell Rides

Provide transportation for older adults to medical appointments, grocery stores, volunteer opportunities, and social gatherings—offering not just a ride, but a chance to build meaningful connections. 

This requires a minimum commitment of one ride a month. 

AgeWell Visits

Visit older adults (65+) in their homes to provide companionship and emotional support. These visits help reduce loneliness and isolation, foster stronger social connections, and promote independence. 

This requires a minimum commitment of one visit a month. 

Transport and Accompany Clients to Appointments or Events

Accompany immigrant clients to appointments as a requirement for green card applications, regular medical appointments, or community events.

Donation Support 

JFCS accepts material donations for clients. Volunteers help organize, discard unusable donations, or on occasion, pick up donations from other organizations.

Job Readiness Preparation: Conduct Mock Interviews and Resume Development 

Volunteers to help job seekers prepare for upcoming interviews and enhance their resume.

This opportunity is a short-term commitment where you’ll meet with job seekers as needed. You may receive short notice to conduct mock interviews, based on job seekers’ interview dates.

Interpretation and translations 

Provide interpretation services during Cultural Orientation sessions for refugees and immigrants, and translate departmental materials including flyers, scripts, and flashcards to ensure clear and accessible communication in different languages. 

This volunteer opportunity is short term and on an as-needed basis 

Provide interpretation for legal clients to communicate with JFCS attorneys. 

Provide translation for legal documents in the Immigration Legal Services 

This volunteer opportunity is case dependent, which ranges from 2 weeks – 6 months.

Citizenship Test Preparation 

Help individuals prepare for their U.S. citizenship test. After a brief training session with JFCS, you’ll review the answers they’ve completed in their application and assist them with civics and history questions. 

This volunteer opportunity is case-dependent, which can take from 3 weeks to 2 months. You meet on a weekly basis either in person or virtually. Proficiency in a second language is helpful.

Bridge Builders

Mentor and enrich the lives of youth, immigrants and refugees as a part of the after-school program! It is designed to ease the adjustment period for new arrivals by helping them with literacy building activities, practice with conversational English, mentoring, homework assistance, physical activities, and community service. 

Bridge Builders Level 1 (Family-Based Mentoring): You are matched with a child or sibling group for weekly mentoring. 

Bridge Builders Level 2 (Group Program Support): Work with Bridge Builder staff during after school programming in a local school or library.  

This volunteer opportunity lasts a semester or full year with weekly programming lasting 1-2 hours.

412Futures

412 Futures is a program for immigrant teens ages 14 to 22. Work with Youth Specialists to help teens with English acquisition, homework, soft skills, prepare for interviews, and apply for higher education or technical schools.  

This volunteer opportunity lasts a semester or full year with weekly programming lasting 2 hours.

Create meaningful change through these volunteer roles.

Shopping, stocking, and bag building at the pantry

Shift volunteers help on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. Help us unload, organize shelves, stock food, guide clients through the pantry, explain food options to clients, and weigh their groceries before they leave. 

This volunteer opportunity is a long-term commitment with weekly shifts lasting 2-3 hours.

Teach Microsoft and Outlook workshops

Volunteers will teach participants how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook software programs. Teaching materials are provided.  

This role requires a long-term commitment to leading workshops one to three times per month.

Pro-bono Attorneys Licensed to Practice in PA

Represent clients seeking immigration legal assistance through Special Immigrant Juvenile requests. Experience in custody cases is helpful. 

This volunteer opportunity is case dependent, which ranges from 2 weeks – 6 months.

Other Pro-bono work needed includes: helping clients file probate papers after family member dies, assisting clients who want to file name change petitions with Court of Common Pleas, helping clients collect necessary documents related to prior arrests, convictions, removal actions, etc., and guardianship.

Prior experience is preferred. 

Immigrant Family or Individual Mentorship

Work closely with a refugee individual or family to help them achieve important goals, such as: 

-Learning to identify and understand important mail 

-Becoming familiar with their new neighborhood 

-Navigating the U.S. healthcare system 

-Integrating into their new community 

-Provide transportation for clients when needed 

-Practice English with clients to build confidence and communication skills 

Offer specialized skills, such as: 

-Interpretation 

-Bus training 

-Setting up utilities 

This volunteer opportunity is long-term and requires weekly meetings for 6 months.

Looking for a meaningful way to bring your employees, family, or friends together? Volunteer as a group and make a real difference—while building stronger bonds and strengthening communities!

Create a Welcome Home Team

Organize a team of volunteers to gather essential items for an immigrant family. Items may be gently used or purchased new (note: certain items, such as bedding, must be brand new). Once collected, deliver the items to the JFCS office or directly to the client, and assist with setting them up.

Get a group together to volunteer at the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry

Form a team of volunteers to unload trucks, organize and stock food, and create emergency bags.

Host a food drive

Host a food drive for the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry and get your community involved. We’ll give you a list of items to collect and marketing materials to help promote your drive. 

It’s a one-time activity, with the option to do more if you’re interested.

Tabling

Enjoy talking and connecting with others? Volunteer to support us at community tabling events and help spread the word about our work!  Training is required, and you can choose tabling events that work with your schedule.

As Needed Tasks 

These tasks come up a few times a month. Examples include helping clients get State IDs, teaching clients how to get to the food pantry, assisting with cultural orientation sessions, organizing donations, picking up or dropping off donations, and various administrative tasks.

Older Adult Services

AgeWell Rides

Provide reliable rides for older adults: medical visits, groceries, and community events. 

This requires a minimum commitment of one ride a month. 

AgeWell Visits

Create moments that matter: engage with older adults through games and heartfelt conversations. 

This requires a minimum commitment of one visit a month. 

Refugee & Immigrant Services

Family or Individual Mentorship

Work closely with a refugee individual or family to help them achieve important goals, such as: 

-Learning to identify and understand important mail

-Becoming familiar with their new neighborhood

-Navigating the U.S. healthcare system

-Integrating into their new community

-Provide transportation for clients when needed

-Practice English with clients to build confidence and communication skills

Offer specialized skills, such as: 

-Interpretation 

-Bus training 

-Setting up utilities 

This volunteer opportunity is long-term and requires weekly meetings for 6 months. 

Interpretation and Translation

Provide interpretation services during Cultural Orientation sessions for refugees and immigrants, and translate departmental materials including flyers, scripts, and flashcards to ensure clear and accessible communication in different languages. 

This volunteer opportunity is on an as-needed basis. 

Welcome home teams

Organize a team of volunteers to gather essential items for an immigrant family. Items may be gently used or purchased new (note: certain items, such as bedding, must be brand new). Once collected, deliver the items to the JFCS office or directly to the client, and assist with setting them up. 

Transport and Accompany Clients to Appointments or Events

Accompany immigrant clients to appointments as a requirement for green card applications, regular medical appointments, or community events.

Immigration Legal

Citizenship Test Preparation

Help individuals prepare for their U.S. citizenship test. After a brief training session with JFCS, you’ll review the answers they’ve completed in their application and assist them with civics and history questions. 

This volunteer opportunity is case-dependent, which can take 2 weeks- 3 months. You meet on a weekly basis either in person or virtually. Proficiency in a second language is helpful.  

Legal Interpretation and Translation 

Provide interpretation for legal clients to communicate with JFCS attorneys. 

Provide translation for legal documents in the Immigration Legal Services 

This volunteer opportunity is case dependent, which ranges from 2 weeks – 6 months. 

Pro-bono Attorneys Licensed to Practice in PA 

Represent clients seeking immigration legal assistance through Special Immigrant Juvenile requests. Experience in custody cases is helpful. 

This volunteer opportunity is case dependent, which ranges from 3 – 6 months. 

Other Pro-bono work needed includes: Other Pro-bono work needed includes: helping clients file probate papers after family member dies, assisting clients who want to file name change petitions with Court of Common Pleas, helping clients collect necessary documents related to prior arrests, convictions, removal actions, etc., and guardianship.

Prior experience preferred. 

Help collect and submit paperwork

Help clients collect necessary documents related to prior arrests, convictions, removal actions, etc.  

Transport and Accompany Clients to Appointments or Events

Accompany immigrant clients to appointments as a requirement for green card applications, regular medical appointments, or community events.

Career Services

Teach Microsoft and Outlook workshops

Volunteers will teach participants how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook software programs. Teaching materials are provided.  

This opportunity is a long-term commitment where you’ll lead workshops one to three times each month. 

Job Readiness Preparation: Conduct Mock Interviews and Resume Development 

Volunteers to help job seekers prepare for upcoming interviews and enhance their resume.

This opportunity is a short-term commitment where you’ll meet with job seekers as needed. You may receive short notice to conduct mock interviews, based on job seekers’ interview dates.

Youth Services

Bridge Builders

Mentor and enrich the lives of youth, immigrants and refugees as a part of the after-school program! It is designed to ease the adjustment period for new arrivals by helping them with literacy building activities, practice with conversational English, mentoring, homework assistance, physical activities, and community service. 

Bridge Builders Level 1 (Family-Based Mentoring): You are matched with a child or sibling group for weekly mentoring. 

Bridge Builders Level 2 (Group Program Support): Work with Bridge Builder staff during after school programming in a local school or library.  

This volunteer opportunity lasts a semester or full year with weekly programming lasting 1-2 hours.  

412Futures

412 Futures is a program for immigrant teens ages 14 to 22 in the Allegheny County area who are looking to explore career and post-secondary options. Volunteers, in conjunction with Youth Specialists, will help teens with English acquisition, homework, soft skills, prepare for interviews, and apply for higher education or technical schools. Our mission is to prepare these young adults for life after high school and help them build the skills necessary for success. 

This volunteer opportunity lasts a semester or full year with weekly programming lasting 2 hours.  

JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry

Shopping, stocking, and bag building

Shift volunteers help on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. Help us unload, organize shelves, stock food, guide clients through their pantry shop, explain food options to clients, and weigh their groceries before they leave. 

This volunteer opportunity is a long-term commitment with weekly shifts lasting 2-3 hours.  

Group volunteering

Form a team of volunteers to unload trucks, organize and stock food, and create emergency bags.  

This volunteer opportunity is a one-time commitment with a shift lasting 2-3 hours, however your group is welcome to do multiple group volunteering.  

Food drives

Get your whole community involved and host a food drive for the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry. Our team will provide you with a list of food items to collect and marketing materials to support your drive.