HPA Volunteer Opportunities

Select from the following categories to learn more about specific types of volunteer opportunities:

Camps
International & Long-Term Service Learning
Local Hospitals & Clinical Environments
Non-Profit Organizations
Virtual/Remote Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering in Tacoma

Virtual/Remote Volunteer Opportunities

(online volunteer community for those in need of emotional support)
(search for volunteer opportunities (of any kind) in a specific geographic area)
(research and expose human rights violations)
(app that connects sighted volunteers with those who have low vision or who are blind and need visual assistance with their tasks)
(volunteering opportunity that connects volunteers with "E-buddies" who have developmental or intellectual disabilities)
(focus is on ending the feeling of social isolation by connecting people from older and younger generations through phone or video calls)
(virtually support, encourage, and provide joy to isolated senior citizens)
(provides services supporting the elderly)
(virtual and in-person opportunities may be available dependent on location)
(dedicate time to hourly chats with residents of assisted living or memory care facilities to reduce loneliness and feelings of isolation)
(global health remote volunteer opportunities)
(requires 30 hours of training)
(provides free online tutoring support to children of frontline workers who have been personally impacted by COVID-19)
(focuses on suicide prevention and crisis management through chats and phone calls)
("brings books to life" for dyslexic, blind, and visually impaired students to help them succeed in school, and are currently recruiting volunteers to be "authentic voice narrators" in culturally-diverse stories. They are also currently looking for fluent Spanish-speakers to narrate Spanish language textbooks)
(helps seniors stay connected through classes and activities for older adults)
(volunteer to support lonely/socially-isolated seniors in communities throughout Washington, Idaho, and Oregon)
(volunteers map small villages/rural populations that are missing from current maps used in relief efforts)
(provide virtual support for those navigating mental illness)
(virtual volunteers needed for screening dog adoption applications, time commitment is 1-2 hours/week)
(provide online-tutoring for conflict affected individuals)
(requires 30 hours of training)
(help tutor young students in their reading comprehension and skills, remote & in-person opportunities)
(helps neighbors stay in their homes)
(teach others how to speak English more fluently)
(created to enrich the lives of kids who are going through struggles in their lives)
(crisis support for People of Color)
(crisis hotline that supports LGBTQ youth)
(focuses on the conservation of the Togean Islands of Indonesia)
(crisis support for Transgender and Non-binary persons, virtual and in-person opportunities may be available)
(for students fluent in multiple languages)
(online tutoring for disadvantaged students)
(people-powered research program)

Local Hospitals and Clinical Environments

Local hospitals and other health-related organizations offer a variety of training programs and volunteer opportunities where you can serve in a clinical setting. Below is a sampling of locations where Puget Sound pre-health students and graduates have volunteered. For information about paid clinical experiences, visit the HPA Paid Clinical Experiences page.

: Includes Tacoma General Hospital (1.4 miles from campus) and Allenmore Hospital (1.5 miles from campus)
: Low-income, comprehensive, primary-care clinic serving the greater Seattle area
: Includes Tacoma General Hospital (1.4 miles from campus), Allenmore Hospital (1.5 miles from campus), and Mary Bridge Children's Hospital (1.5 miles from campus)
: Supports those who are uninsured and under-insured in Tacoma (2 miles from campus)
: Includes St. Joseph Medical Center (2.1 miles from campus), St. Clare Hospital (7.6 miles from campus), and St. Francis Hospital (7.6 miles from campus)

Non-Profit Organizations

(located in Seattle, WA)
(Cancer Resource Centers)
(support essential services for people experiencing homelessness or financial difficulty in Tacoma, in-person experience)
(provides medical/clinical, early childhood literacy, and food support to the Bryant community neighborhood)
(support an abused or neglected child through the process of getting into a safe home, 30+ hours of pre-service training required)
(serves the needs of domestic violence victims and their children by providing comprehensive victim services in one, central, safe location in downtown Tacoma)
(located throughout King County, HealthPoint is a community-based, community-supported, and community-governed network of non-profit health centers that includes )
(serves children and families in Pierce County who face trauma, abuse and overwhelming life challenges)
(locate a local food pantry, soup kitchen or homeless shelter seeking volunteers)
(dedicated to addressing food insecurity in Tacoma through a volunteer network of farms, gardens and involved neighbors)
(retirement & assisted living home in Tacoma)
(assist with harvest efforts at the Puyallup, WA farm location, which is then distributed to Pierce County food pantries and meal sites)
(volunteers support wildlife education and wildlife conservation programs)
(volunteers serve roles as a guest experience interpreter--educating zoo guests about animals and conservation, or a zoo greeter--welcoming guests, providing directions, and answering questions, in-person experience)
(provides service-enriched housing programs for those in rental housing communities in Tacoma)
(provides necessary hygiene products to girls in Western Washington, and partners with local organizations committed to serving youth)
(helps refugees secure homes and jobs, learn English, navigate educational and public systems, and build fulfilling connections)
(interactive, hands-on & play-based museum for young kids)
(provides immigration support services, education & employment services, and victim advocacy support)
(includes both volunteer & internship opportunities)
(committed to enhancing infant safety and reduce infant mortality through education and outreach regarding safe sleep practices; offers comprehensive family support; and address disparities in race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors to reduce the incidence of Sudden Unexplained Infant Death through both direct and indirect services.)
(explore local non-profits seeking volunteers)
(facilitates peer groups for children and adults who are grieving a death by creating the space for sharing, connection, and healing in nature)
(provides assistance to survivors of domestic violence and their children)

Camps

American Diabetes Association
(a summer experience for young people ages 12-19 with Turner Syndrome)
(serving campers with Sickle Cell Disease, located in California)
(pediatric oncology summer camp, located on Vashon Island, WA)
(serving campers who are impacted by a parent or caregiver who has cancer)
(serving campers with muscular dystrophy and neuromuscular diseases)
(serving campers with cleft lips and/or cleft palates, located in Colorado)
for people of all ages, and their loved ones, living with specific medical conditions

International and Long-Term Service Learning

For students looking for international and/or long-term service learning experiences, the following organizations may be of interest. Many of these organizations work in areas that have a great need for health care and other basic needs and welcome volunteers and teachers.

Volunteering in Tacoma

To find additional service-learning opportunities in Tacoma:

Explore the to identify local volunteer opportunities.
Contact the Office of Civic Engagement & Leadership in Wheelock 203, by calling 253.879.2751 or visit the website.

Pre-health students joined the fall Walk to End Alzheimer's on the Puget Sound campus.

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