Thousands are flocking to the Denver area each year for the plentiful summer sun, snow and winter skiing, fantastic job opportunities, pay, and, of course, the indomitable Rocky Mountains!
Although the city is massive, with a population of nearly 3 million residents, when you factor in all the small towns found in the Denver metro area, most neighborhoods feel like a close-knit community rather than an impersonal big city!
One of the main reasons is that Denver is a city known for its activism, advocacy, and multiple volunteering opportunities.
Are you ready to pitch in and improve the environment and the lives of your fellow Denverites?
Suppose you are moving to Denver or have called the Mile High City, Colorado Springs, or Boulder home for many years.
In that case, you, your families, and your children can get involved in several unique ways to make the city of Denver, CO, even more dynamic and unbeatable.
Hit The Ground Running After Landing At the Denver International Airport: Environmental Volunteer Organizations In The Mile High City
Volunteering is the lifeblood of any community, and you are ready to get started ASAP.
Community and environmental advocacy have become very popular volunteer options over the recent years, and there are many ways you can assist both your community and Mother Nature by working with some of the best organizations in town:
Groundwork Denver
A staple volunteer organization in Denver since 2002, the mission of Groundwork Denver is to positively impact not only the Denver area but also other communities around the city limits.
You can spend several hours a week volunteering, or if you prefer, you can become involved in particular programs and projects.
Groundwork Denver offers individual, group, and corporate volunteering opportunities, and you can choose your area of focus, from planting trees and restoring natural habitats to answering phones and mailing packages to acting as a youth advisor.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
Another institution that offers corporate and personal volunteer options, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, began in 1984 with a simple mission to protect Colorado’s natural resources while encouraging the area’s citizens to get involved.
VOC takes on some massive projects with state and local land agencies and conservation groups, creating hundreds of opportunities throughout not only Denver but the rest of Colorado, including:
- Training
- Volunteering
- Becoming a paid VOC partner
Colorado Natural Heritage Program
An excellent opportunity for university students, the Colorado Natural Heritage Program offers very competitive internships and volunteer opportunities that range from a commitment of several weeks to entire semesters.
Students enrolled in Colorado State University can even earn college credits while providing a fantastic range of services to the heritage program.
The program’s goal is to track, report, and create a comprehensive database of Colorado’s habitats and species, with an aim at conservation and ongoing research.
Bluff Lake Nature Center
If you grew up in Denver or went to school in any number of metro area schools, chances are you took a field trip or enrolled in summer camp at Bluff Lake Nature Center.
The Bluff Lake Nature Center is more than a place to host an out-of-this-world birthday party or bird watch; it is a world-class nature conservancy organization that needs volunteers to care for the land, educate fellow Denverites, and engage the community.
Several volunteer opportunities are available through the center, from organizing corporate events to teaching children in outdoor classrooms and actually tending to the land.
Habitat For Humanity of Metro Denver
You’re moving to Denver, and obviously, one of the most significant considerations is the housing costs.
Like most other places, particularly major urban areas, the 2024 average rent in Denver is skyrocketing, leaving you questioning if you can find an affordable place to live.
There is an affordability crisis gripping the nation, which is why organizations like Habitat for Humanity are becoming more and more relevant in the coming years.
Chances are you’re familiar with Habitat for Humanity and assume you won’t be an asset because you don’t have real-world construction skills, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Combat the Rising Housing Costs in Denver By Building Affordable Living For the Homeless
If you’ve never volunteered before or want to organize a group volunteering opportunity, Habitat for Humanity is truly a great option.
When you work with Habitat for Humanity, you are doing more than swinging a hammer or learning a new skill; you are literally building a home for a person in need.
There are individual volunteering opportunities and opportunities for specialized groups, such as corporations, Americorps members, women, and court-ordered volunteers.
Get Your Kids Involved, Too: Youth Volunteer Organizations and Opportunities
Let’s face it: As a parent, you are looking for any reason to pull your children off their cell phones or away from their PS5s to actually spend time outdoors.
Denver is a mecca for outdoor activities, but there are also a wide variety of excellent ways to get your kiddos involved while encouraging them to spend some much-needed time with Mother Nature.
Here are a few of the best options in the area for your curious little ones:
The Urban Farm at Central Park
No, we aren’t referring to the massive, multi-acre park in New York City; instead, the Central Park of references is found in Denver, Colorado!
The Urban Farm is a popular non-profit that aims to provide education about the local agricultural system with an emphasis on providing volunteer opportunities for kids and adults of all ages.
Your children can learn how to care for horses and how their food gets to the table and will get the opportunity to learn what life is like on the farm without leaving the hustle and bustle of the city.
This is a great option if you hope to pull your littles away from technology and help them understand the value of caring for the land and a hard day’s work.
Freedom Service Dogs of America
An estimated 500,000 United States citizens benefit from the specialized experience and companionship well-trained service dogs offer.
There are also an estimated 3.1 million dogs presently in shelters across the United States.
The aim of the Freedom Service Dogs of America is simple: Rescue shelter dogs and train them to be service animals for people in need.
Headquartered in nearby Englewood, CO, this organization is the perfect fit for the canine-loving children in your home, as they can pitch in by playing with dogs at the shelter!
Environmental Learning for Kids
Originally founded by two environmental biologists in 1996, the mission of ELK, or Environmental Learning for Kids, is to educate the youth of the Denver area about math, science, and careers in the environmental field.
ELK accomplishes this through several educational opportunities, including Youth in Natural Resources, Urban Rangers, and a variety of stewardship and conservation, and by volunteering to clean up local parks, rivers, and lakes.
If you and your kids are moving from the Bay Area or San Francisco to Denver and want to learn about Denver’s unique ecosystem or fun new skills, including fishing, ELK is a great organization to join.
Tips For Finding Additional Volunteer Opportunities In Your New Denver Area Neighborhood
The biggest city and capital of Colorado, Denver, is the perfect place to live, grow as a person, and find ways to give back to your new friends and community.
In addition to some of the amazing volunteer opportunities mentioned earlier, there are some additional ways for you to get involved after your big move, including:
Check Out VolunteerMatch
The slogan of VolunteerMatch is “Where Volunteering Begins!”
Visit the organization’s website to search for hundreds of volunteer opportunities in the greater Denver area.
Simply type the city’s zip code into the website, and you are matched with several different ways to help your community – or other neighborhoods across the country, from Texas to Idaho and California to Maine!
Understand the Cause and Your Passion
Do you love animals and want to find a way to give back to your furry friends, or would you instead support single mothers or environmental causes in the Mile High City?
Consider your passions and give your all to a Denver-based volunteer organization where you can do some real good.
For example, SafeHouse Denver provides emergency housing for domestic abuse survivors.
Do you love animals – Give some love to your favorite furry friends at MaxFund Animal Adoption Center.
Start In Your Own Backyard
You don’t need to join any official organizations, give huge donations, or spend every weekend helping out; you can simply ask a friend or neighbor if they need help shoveling their driveway in winter or could use a hand getting their groceries into the house!
Remember, Denver isn’t only one of the fastest-growing cities in 2024; it is also one of the kindest, so don’t be surprised when your generosity is paid forward and you start an amazing new trend throughout the city!
Volunteers Are Needed During the Holiday Season: Serve Your Community and Combat Poverty In Downtown Denver During the Winter
The holiday season is challenging for many Denverites, and there is always a significant need.
Spread joy throughout the Mile High City by setting aside a few hours of your holidays to help those less fortunate.
Here are some worthy organizations that need volunteers just like you during the winter months:
Denver Food Rescue
A company that provides free meals all year round, Denver Food Rescue delivers unsold food from farmers’ markets and grocery stores to Denverites in need through the organization’s “No Cost Grocery Program.”
When accepted, Participants must apply and deliver the groceries by car or bicycle.
You only need to offer a few hours of your week to make a massive difference in people’s lives.
A Little Help
Although the name might suggest a smaller mission, the organizers of the aim of A Little Help is to ensure that senior citizens throughout Denver can remain in their homes and as independent as possible for as long as possible.
The needs of each participant will vary, so you may be tasked with providing rides to doctor appointments one week and helping an elderly neighbor rake their yard the next.
The need is often most significant during the winter months when many elderly citizens cannot leave their homes or shovel sidewalks.
Denver Rescue Mission
Denver Rescue Mission provides transitional housing and meals for those in need and helps people struggling with addiction and homelessness.
Like many other charitable organizations in the metro area, there are several ways you can help, including donating your time, money, and efforts towards helping people who are in the greatest need.
Volunteering In the Mile High City: It’s a Big Deal!
Like any other bustling metropolitan area, people always need an extra hand in the Denver, CO area.
Maybe you want to help people, but perhaps your passion lies in saving the environment, improving access to equitable health care, or teaching children and caring for animals.
Giving your time to a worthy cause doesn’t only benefit a single person, organization, or whole community; it also has amazing benefits for you, including:
- Improves your mental health
- Reduces your stress
- Allows you to learn new skills that translate into the real world and job market
- Giving to others is a great way to connect to your neighbors and make new friends
Are you moving to Colorado Springs and looking for profound ways to connect to your new community – You cannot go wrong with volunteering!
Why Denver, Colorado Is a Great Place to Serve Your Community and Raise a Family
The time has finally come to start researching long-distance moving companies and planning a relocation to a new hometown, but you are looking for a place that is not only a fantastic area to raise a family but also has a true sense of community.
Look no further than Denver, Colorado, which, in addition to all your above-mentioned requirements, also has world-class dining, spectacular views, wonderful schools, and some of the best skiing in the country.
Enjoy the Constant Sunshine Once You Acclimate to the High Altitude!
Did you know that besides enjoying recreational marijuana and an impressive view of the Rocky Mountains, Denverites can bask in the glow of around 300 days of sunshine per year?!
All that sunshine will allow you to get out and enjoy everything Denver has to offer – just be aware that it can take a few days or weeks for your body to become accustomed to the higher altitudes.
Remember, Denver is the “Mile High City,” after all!
A Great City for Young People
Of the thousands of people moving to Denver, many are under 30.
The reasons for this Millennial and Generation Z exodus to the area are very simple: The nightlife, eclectic neighborhoods, outdoor activities, and, of course, the plentiful job opportunities.
The average annual salary in Denver is roughly $67,627 per year, which is higher than the national average annual income of around $58,428 in 2023.
Who Needs Cars When You Have Public Transportation Options Like These?
Yes, much like every other big city in the United States, parking in downtown Denver can be a nightmare.
Luckily, you have several options if you need to commute from anywhere in the Denver metro area to the downtown area.
The city offers two convenient modes of transportation: The Denver Bus System and the light rail system, both of which provide multiple stops throughout the downtown area.
Additionally, the SkyRide and A-lines travel daily to the Denver International Airport, making visiting and exploring the city more accessible than ever.
Trust us when we tell you when you visit Denver, even once, you will never want to leave!
Mountain Climbing, Snowboarding, Skiing, and All the Other Amazing Outdoor Opportunities
Prepare yourself to be overwhelmed and exhausted by the sheer number of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors throughout the greater Denver area.
In addition to exploring the foothills of the Rockies, you can explore the Denver Zoo, stroll through City Manor Park, dip your toes into the water at Sloan’s Lake Park, or commune with the very large animals at Zuma’s Rescue Ranch!
Our Customers Also Ask
Where are volunteers most needed?
There are always amazing organizations and worthy causes, especially in Denver.
Some causes that truly need assistance include:
- Disaster relief and humanitarian causes
- Animal care
- Eldercare
- Medical support and healthcare
- Environmental causes
How can I volunteer in my community?
You can look around your neighborhood to find places in need.
From major organizations that assist thousands throughout the greater Denver area to simply helping your elderly neighbor mow their lawn, you will be amazed at how much a seemingly small act can make a difference in a person’s life
