When 2 million low-income Pennsylvanians temporarily lost their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits last month due to the government shutdown, and millions of dollars in state aid to food banks were held up due to the budget stalemate in Harrisburg, Pennsylvanians took notice. They began offering their time, money, and efforts to help those facing food insecurity.

In some instances, entire families stepped up to help their fellow Pennsylvanians in the fight against hunger. Parents embraced it as an opportunity to expose their children to the power of volunteering, showing them how helping others strengthens social bonds and builds community resilience.

Volunteering in Pennsylvania has always been a force for good. But in this moment, its power feels more urgent and vital than ever.

If you’re looking for ways to give back in your community as a family this holiday season—or any time of year—we’ve put together a mix of volunteer ideas for families, tailored to different interests and ways to give back.

Not all organizations we’re highlighting offer volunteer opportunities for children; however, we have focused on identifying places that welcome young volunteers. And if you have a favorite nonprofit or volunteer group near you, give them a call to ask about volunteer opportunities for you and your kids—many organizations are delighted to involve families who want to lend a hand (or several!).

An adorable puppy at an animal shelter bonds with a human. (Madeline Bowen/Unsplash)

If your kids love animals, they might be excited to volunteer at a local animal shelter or advocacy group. And volunteering with animals isn’t limited to your community’s most well-known shelter—there are also groups supporting exotic pets, wildlife, and even farm animals. Many animal shelters require volunteers to be at least 18 years old, but some opportunities are tailored for kids and teens.

🐕 In Pittsburgh, teens at least 16 years old can volunteer with their families at Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, where volunteers walk dogs, care for cats, and support the shelter behind the scenes.

🐴 Outside of Pittsburgh in Zelienople, Glade Run Adventures is recruiting volunteers to help with the therapeutic program’s horses. Volunteers assist with feeding and grooming horses as well as cleaning the stables, and there are opportunities for kids as young as 8.

🐈 In Chester County, the Brandywine Valley SPCA has a junior volunteer program for kids between the ages of 8 and 12, where kids can socialize puppies and kittens, help with grooming, walk dogs, and take care of animals with the supervision of a parent or guardian. (Kids who are 13 and older can help out without a chaperone.)

📖 😺 Humane Pennsylvania, an animal shelter that operates in both Reading and Lancaster, has opportunities for kids ages 4 to 13 to be “Rescue Readers”—supporting socialization by reading aloud to cats. Families with kids 14 and older can volunteer to care for dogs and cats at either of the Humane Pennsylvania locations.

A group with Allegheny CleanWays removes litter from along the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville. (Creative Commons)

Pennsylvania offers family-friendly environmental volunteering year-round, though many activities ramp up in spring, summer, and fall. Families can help maintain trails, care for public parks, and support educational programs.

🌱 Pennsylvania State Parks regularly post volunteer opportunities to help keep the parks beautiful, and in some parks—like Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Ohiopyle State Park—volunteer days continue through the cold months. Many parks have opportunities suitable for all ages, from pulling invasive plants and cleaning up litter to helping out with educational programs.

🏕 Keystone Trails Association sponsors volunteer camping weekends across the state to improve Pennsylvania trails. From March through November, volunteers work during the day and then socialize around a campfire before curling up in sleeping bags. Even if your family has no experience working on trails, you can help out with KTA. “If you can handle a pair of loppers or wield a paintbrush, then your volunteer efforts will be much appreciated by everyone in the hiking community,” KTA says on its website. Youth volunteers must be at least 14 years old.

🌲 Many local conservation and watershed groups welcome families to help with river cleanups, tree planting, and habitat restorations. Some groups to check out include Central Pennsylvania’s ClearWater Conservancy, Pittsburgh’s UpstreamPgh, and Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lackawanna River Conservation Association.

Cuts to public broadcasting have left fewer local reporters in fewer places, at the exact moment our communities most need trusted information. Just in the past year, 136 US newsrooms have shut down. Community-focused newsrooms like ours are filling those gaps in Pennsylvania, but we can only do that with the help of readers like you.

If you value having a source dedicated to Pennsylvania news that is paywall-free and focused on providing you with fact-based reporting, please make a donation during our year-end fund drive. Every contribution, large or small, moves us closer to our goal and strengthens our ability to serve you in 2026.

(Shutterstock)

Food banks and pantries often offer family-friendly ways to support neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Straightforward tasks like sorting donations and assembling donation boxes or bags are especially great for families new to volunteering. You can also find anti-hunger volunteer opportunities where families help out on local farms or deliver food to people in need.

🥔 Children 12 and older can pack boxes and sort produce at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and they can also participate in “gleaning” projects—rescuing produce on local farms.

🥫 Erie’s Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania welcomes volunteers as young as 10 years old, as long as they’re accompanied by an adult.

🥚 In Philadelphia, the Mama-Tee Community Fridge Project supports communities without easy access to grocery stores by filling 18 fridges in neighborhoods throughout the city with free, healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. The project needs volunteers to help pack boxes and then deliver them to the community fridges. Reach out to schedule a time for your family to contribute.

🧒 Also, keep an eye out for family volunteer days where opportunities are specifically crafted with young helpers in mind. For example, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank welcomes volunteers as young as 6 years old during four annual family volunteer events.

It can be deeply rewarding to give back to others facing difficult circumstances, whether they live in your community or abroad.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 In Pittsburgh, the Salvation Army’s Family Caring Center provides shelter and meals to families experiencing homelessness. Volunteer groups can sign up to prepare and serve meals for as many as 20 unhoused women on cold winter nights. You and your family could prepare a meal at home and then bring it to the center, or you could cook together at the East Liberty facility’s commercial kitchen. Salvation Army staff told The Keystone that kids 12 and up can volunteer in the kitchen, and volunteers as young as 8 can help with serving.

👚 In Philadelphia, families with children as young as 5 can volunteer with Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit that provides donations of basic necessities like clothes and hygiene products to kids and families in need. Volunteers can register online to sort donated items in the organization’s “Giving Factory.”

🌎 You can also support families around the globe! Volunteers of all ages can pack personal hygiene kits for Pittsburgh’s Global Links, which shares surplus health care items with communities worldwide.

👴 Many nursing homes and senior centers welcome family volunteers to help with activities and provide warm conversation, which in turn grants families meaningful intergenerational experiences. You can reach out to a nursing home or senior center near you to learn about possible opportunities for your family. For example, volunteers at Scranton’s Marywood Heights Retirement Community host arts and crafts activities, read to residents, play bingo and other games, and much more.

How are you thinking about giving back this season? If something here inspired you—or if you’ve got your own approach—we’d love to hear it. Hit reply and share! 💌

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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