Needs From: VolunteerCNY.org

Landscaping: weeding, litter picking, raking etc.

Join us in celebrating United Way of CNY's 2026 Day of Caring with a Volunteer Work Day at our Woodchuck Hill Field & Forest Preserve!

We have several volunteer opportunities for this work day: assembling benches for the preserves, invasive species removal at Woodchuck Hill, and digging up sod/grass to make room for our new native seed restoration nursery project. 

Help us revitalize this space to enhance our clients' experience! We are asking volunteers to organize, display, fold, hang, and price items for our residents to shop through.

Join us for United Way's fifth annual Day of Caring & make 200 bagged lunches. 

Tasks will consist of trash/debris cleanup and clearing foliage along the shoulders of Murphy's Island Tail. We will meet in the former parking lot of "At Home" in Destiny USA.

This task will include chopping, mixing, and packaging food to be delivered to our clients.

Pair up to drive and deliver meals to our homebound neighbors in need (6 groups of 2 adults, per car). You will be assigned 5-6 routes that cover the entire city of Syracuse. Pick-up is at 307 Gifford St., Syracuse, NY 13204

Volunteers will be assigned to washing down stall doors or washing walls inside the barn. Tasks are subject to change.

Empty and clean water troughs in horse pastures-materials supplied

Sweep, wash, and beautify the arena with the provided materials

Paint wooden fence boards for outside horse pastures within view (but outside of) grazing horses.

EnergySmart CNY welcomes new volunteers to help us in our mission of providing CNY residents with resources that save energy, lower utility costs, and reduce their carbon footprint. Most volunteer roles focus on outreach efforts and community events that connect residents with energy-saving programs and resources. As a volunteer, you may help set up and support workshops, staff an outreach table at community events, collect testimonials from past program participants, and assist with other engagement activities.

EnergySmart CNY participates annually with PEACE Inc., for their back to school backpack giveaway for students and families in the City of Syracuse. We take great care in putting together useful tools and supplies that prepare students for the school year and are seeking dedicated volunteers to assist with preparations.  Volunteers may also support efforts to build relationships by helping connect community organizations with program partners and resources at the Giveaway at the end of August if interested!

Our Energy Efficiency Workshops (EEWs) are community presentations with energy-saving tips and programs that can help residents of CNY save money year-round, such as insulation, air sealing, solar programs, and alternative electric heating (heat pumps). We also give away free DIY energy kits (valued at $40) to participants and guidance on enrolling in energy saving programs available through New York State. We take great care in preparing educational materials for these workshops and would love the the help of dedicated volunteers in our preparations to provide a quality experience for all attendees. 

Volunteering with us offers valuable benefits, including community service credit, resume-building skills, networking opportunities, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the CNY community.

The Fire Museum needs your help - we have accumulated many GREAT artifacts and items for our collection, but we need help moving them around, carrying boxes, and filling display cabinets.  We need to move a couple of display cases to the 2nd floor, stock some bookshelves, and get some storage areas cleaned out.

Southern Missionary Baptist Church is seeking volunteers to assist with an important outdoor safety and grounds improvement project. Several trees on the property are leaning and overgrown, creating potential safety concerns for members, visitors, and the surrounding community. We are in need of assistance with tree cutting and removal, shrub and bush removal, landscaping, debris cleanup, and general outdoor maintenance.

Barn painting

stall repairs

pasture cleaning

donkey barn cleaning 

We will be working in the woods clearing invasive species- honeysuckle and buckthorn to increase biodiversity. This has been an ongoing project that has dramatically changed the quality of the woods.  Volunteers will learn to identify honeysuckle and buckthorn and be provided the tools to remove it.  Much of the work will be done with loppers and chainsaws.  We will also be gathering downed sticks and logs to reduce the biofuel on the forest floor.  If the weather is appropriate, we will be have a fire.  

HOPE for Bereaved is looking for a small group of people who want to spend some time outside at our beautiful butterfly garden helping to inventory our current memorial benches. The small group will work in pairs to walk around and verify where a bench is located compared to a map, verify whose name appears on the bench, and take note of the bench's current condition. The group will be asked to make notes of any discrepancies so our Admin team can make the necessary administrative changes. 

Clear Path For Veterans is looking for groups or individuals that would be interested in coming out for a few hours to help with our grounds and/or facilities. Tasks such as raking, weeding, trimming, mowing, planting and more.  Our 78 acres in Chittenango is regularly used by veterans, family members, and the community. 

Help us refresh and restore key areas of the Downtown YMCA during this year's Day of Caring! Volunteers will play an important role in improving the appearance and functionality of our facility by assisting with painting projects and helping revitalize member lockers through cosmetic repairs and restoration efforts. From applying fresh coats of paint to extending the life of locker spaces, every task contributes to creating a more welcoming, safe, and enjoyable environment for our members and community.Whether you're handy with a paintbrush or enjoy tackling facility improvement projects, your support will help ensure the Downtown YMCA continues to be a place where individuals and families can learn, grow, and thrive.

Join us at the Manlius YMCA for a Day of Caring dedicated to refreshing and revitalizing our spaces through painting projects. Volunteers will help brighten areas throughout the branch, creating a more welcoming and vibrant environment for the children, families, and community members who visit each day. Whether you're an experienced painter or simply eager to lend a hand, your efforts will have a lasting impact on the appearance and atmosphere of the YMCA.

Help make a lasting impact at the North YMCA during our Day of Caring! Volunteers will support both exterior painting and interior cleaning projects designed to enhance the appearance, cleanliness, and welcoming atmosphere of the facility. From refreshing outdoor spaces with a new coat of paint to helping deep clean key areas inside the branch, every effort contributes to creating an environment where members, families, and staff can thrive.Whether you enjoy working outdoors, tackling hands-on projects, or helping create cleaner community spaces, your time and talents will help ensure the North YMCA continues to be a place where everyone feels welcome and supported.

Join us for a rewarding Day of Caring project as we work together to enhance and refresh the Northwest YMCA for the members, families, and community we serve each day. Volunteers will assist with a variety of improvement projects both inside and outside the facility, including weeding and mulching landscape beds, light painting in designated areas, deep cleaning program spaces, maintaining outdoor grounds, and cleaning windows and ledges throughout the building. These efforts will help create a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors. Whether you enjoy working outdoors, tackling hands-on projects, or helping improve community spaces, your time and talents will make a lasting impact on the YMCA and the thousands of individuals and families who utilize our programs and services each year.

Help refresh and revitalize our YMCA branch through an interior painting project that will enhance spaces used by members, families, and children every day. Volunteers will work together to brighten walls, create a welcoming atmosphere, and make a lasting impact on the experience of everyone who visits our YMCA.

Join us for United Way's annual day of Caring to farm out in Tully! Enjoy a productive morning by assisting us in harvesting up to 300 pounds of produce to go out to local food pantries and soup kitchens. 

Help bring order and inspiration to the Arts Branch library during the United Way Day of Caring! Volunteers will assist with organizing books, tidying shelves, sorting materials, and creating a welcoming space for members and participants to explore, learn, and grow. Your efforts will help ensure that this valuable resource remains accessible, inviting, and ready to support creativity and lifelong learning for all who visit.

Once a child's wish is granted, a special star is made with the Wish Kid's name and year of their granted wish to live on the Wall of Honor. We have about 100 stars that are ready to be hung high on the wall and recorded. This job requires use of a tall ladder to stick the stars to the wall. One volunteer will stick on stars at a time and others will record the location.

Looking for individuals who can help clean out our garage here at Childcare Solutions. We will have a dumpster on-site.

Cleaning up the front and back areas of our property, yardwork will include tasks like weeding, planting, and cutting down tree branches in the play area.

This project will focus on improving and maintaining this community greenspace through a variety of stewardship activities, including:

Volunteers will meet and park at the address below, where OEC and/or City staff will be awaiting your arrival.

We could use support cleaning the building including the outside and inside of windows and washing the rugs within the building.  All supplies will be provided.

Activities may include weeding, cleaning, setting up trays, planting fall plants and removing summer plants, setting up equipment and getting ready for the fall!

Spend Volunteer CNY's United Way Day of Caring with the Syracuse Poster Project! This is the perfect volunteer opportunity for anyone passionate about public / civic art. As volunteer, you will help us clean and renovate retired posters from our yearly civic art poster series. Eventually, these posters will be installed in other public venues or sold to support our nonprofit activities. In the past, renovated posters have been re-used in affordable apartment buildings, residences for formerly homeless veterans, and a shelter for homeless LGTBQ youths.  We hope that you can join us for this year's Day of Caring!

We would love volunteers to come to our office and help with handwritten thank you cards!  We will supply everything.  We may also have miscellaneous office tasks, including cleaning/organizing and inventorying.

We have clients who are elderly, live alone, and/or are no longer able to do much yard work. We would like to have a group (or many groups) clean up the yard of one of our clients so that they can utilize their space. This work will be fun and interactive. We'll have 5 homes total throughout the area and split up into groups of 3 to 5 per home!

In August, donation appointments are critical as summer activities, and the potential for severe weather remains a challenge to keeping the blood supply stable. Those who come to give in August will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card by email. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/August for details. 

To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, visit www. Redcrossblood.org and enter NEMED into the search box (scroll to 8/6 date), click https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=NEMED  (scroll to 8/6 date), or scan the QR code  (scroll to 8/6 date).

Volunteer Responsibilities:

Impact: Your efforts help create a clean, safe, and welcoming space for clients, staff, and visitors while supporting our mission to serve the community.

Thornden Park Association volunteers maintain four gardens in Thornden Park: the Lily Pond, Madison Street, Carriage House and Lilac Grove. We would like to schedule a two hour work session. No experience is required and we can provide tools. 

Volunteers will help beautify the naturescape garden in front of our building to bring it up to date with our mission as a place to showcase native plant species. This will involve weeding, digging plants, laying light stonework, and planting native plants. 

Volunteers will assist Beaver Lake staff in preparing for the upcoming Golden Harvest Festival. Activities may include painting, cleaning signage and materials, inventorying supplies, etc.

Volunteers will assist Beaver Lake staff in removing invasive plants from trails, trimming vegetation on trails and park grounds, and hauling plant material away.

Help run a few activities for our summer participants in our gym and small green space!