Local Volunteer Opportunities for Kids to Spread Hope Together with Their Families

As the holiday season begins, it can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of the material parts of the season. Finding ways to volunteer to give back to our communities is a wonderful way to get to spend time with your little ones while also providing the invaluable experience of service and spreading hope.

The organizations below provide opportunities for all members of your family to make a difference in the lives of others. They are organized by their primary mission, but there may be some overlap into other categories, as well. Whatever your family is interested in, there are plenty of ways to get involved!

Volunteer Opportunities Providing Food and Nutrition

Loaves and Fishes Community Services

Naperville and Aurora

Loaves and Fishes provides community members with groceries, as well as educational and employment resources through their CARES programs. There is a monthly 90-minute volunteer family program at the Aurora distribution hub where families are introduced to Loaves and Fishes, tour the facility, and work in the food packing areas. Children must be at least 6 years old to participate in this. There is also a volunteer program for teens who are ages 14-17. See the website for additional information.

Other ways to volunteer include participating in their ongoing virtual food drive, which lets you view their most-needed items, add them to your cart, and purchase them online. Katie’s family has participated in this before and found that it was a great opportunity to talk about why the items are needed and the impact of hunger in our community.

Feed My Starving Children

Feed My Starving Children offers a hands-on volunteering experience for any sized group at one of their local locations in Aurora, Schaumburg, or Libertyville. Families hand-pack dried vegetables, rice, soy, and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins/minerals into bags. The meals are then sent to groups around the world. Feed My Starving Children has required adult-to-children ratios for larger groups, and all volunteers must be 5 years or older.

You must register to volunteer for a time slot, most of which are 2 hours. Check the website to reserve a time for your family to volunteer.

Meals on Wheels

The Meals on Wheels Foundation of Northern Illinois, with locations throughout the suburbs, works with volunteers to deliver hot meals to senior citizens and disabled community members. Volunteers pick up and deliver around 8-10 meals in the mornings, Monday through Friday. Anyone can deliver meals; this could be a great activity to do as a family. Meals on Wheels is also looking for people to create greeting cards to deliver to seniors on holidays and their birthdays to brighten their days. This organization has made such a difference in the communities it serves!

Check out their volunteer page for more information on various ways to get involved.

Northern Illinois Food Pantry

Geneva, Joliet, Lake Forest, Dekalb, and Rockford

Kids 8+ can volunteer with their families for Food Sort & Pack shifts. Kids 12+ have additional opportunities to help out with this important regional food bank. Check out the volunteer website to sign up online.

Greater Chicago Food Depository

Chicago

Get involved and help end food insecurity in our area. Be sure to sign up in advance for their kid’s volunteer days for ages 5 and up. These days are fun, informative, and highlight the importance of helping our neighbors receive nutritious foods and educating young ones about opportunities to help address the root cause of hunger. They also have the opportunity to donate just $1 to help provide a meal for a family of three.

St. Cletus Food Pantry

La Grange

The St. Cletus Food Pantry in La Grange serves residents throughout 18 municipalities in Lyons Township. Volunteers must be in 6th grade or older; younger children must have prior approval to volunteer. Help is needed on Thursday nights from 5:30 – 8:30pm; dress for the weather, as you will be both inside and outside. Find available timeslots on their signup.

Volunteer Opportunities to Help with Homelessness

DuPage Pads

Wheaton

DuPage Pads works to end homelessness in DuPage County by supporting clients with overnight shelters, life coaching, job counseling, and more.

Off-site volunteer opportunities include hosting your own food drive or purchasing these essential items to donate. The DuPagePads Client Service Center in Wheaton has a contact-free drop-off box in its parking lot.

Fill a Heart 4 Kids

Lake Forest

Fill a Heart 4 Kids is a nonprofit based in Lake Forest that serves kids who are homeless, at-risk, or living in foster institutions. They aim to help these children achieve brighter futures through “educational support, necessities and positive experiences to help their hearts heal and restore their dignity.”

Your family can volunteer together to help fill care packages; find upcoming activities and sign up here. Children must be accompanied by an adult. You’ll cover the cost of the package contents, then come to the storefront to help put everything together.

Volunteering with Animals in the Suburbs

ARF: Animal Rescue Foundation

Wheaton, Darien, Aurora, Oswego, Naperville

ARF is a non-profit, 501(c)3 no-kill humane society based in Wheaton. This organization is focused on rescuing, fostering, and caring for dogs and cats while searching for forever homes for them. Volunteering opportunities include being a foster home for an animal, helping to transport animals, and participating in adoption events.

All volunteer opportunities require the participant to be 18 years or older, but may allow for adult supervision for kids younger than 18. Making adoption blankets would be a great scout project! Check the volunteer page for more information.

Cosley Zoo

Wheaton

Cosley Zoo provides the opportunity for teens to have a hands-on experience with animal handling and zookeeper mentorship. To learn more about the different volunteer opportunities, check out their website.

Hinsdale Humane Society

Hinsdale

Hinsdale Humane Society supports animals and families with lost pets, pet therapy and fostering programs, community outreach and obedience classes. Animal shelters in general are always looking for donations of food, cleaning supplies, etc. Consider hosting a garage or bake sale and donating all your proceeds to the animals. The Hinsdale Humane Society has opportunities for kids as young as 4 to get involved, like reading to animals.

Character-Building Volunteer Opportunities for Kids

Inside Out Club DuPage

Naperville, Lisle, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn

The Inside Out Club of Naperville is a nonprofit that focuses on helping kids develop character, all while making a difference in their communities. They have different types of volunteer opportunities, depending on age. The Inside Out Club offers events throughout the year that are geared towards families with kids ages 3-12. Check their calendar for upcoming opportunities, such as their Reverse Trick-or-Treating.

Holiday/Seasonal Volunteer Opportunities for Families

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse. With Operation Christmas Child, families send shoeboxes full of small gifts to children around the world. The FAQ page has guidelines about items to pack. A suggested donation of $10 per box helps cover processing and shipping costs. In order to volunteer at a drop-off location, your child must be 13 years old. National collection week is November 16-23, 2026.

Operation Warm

Operation Warm focuses on keeping children warm during the cold winter months, instilling confidence, and providing hope. Instead of collecting used coats in a coat drive, monetary donations are used to provide new winter coats and shoes to children. Check out their website for inspiration on how to create your own fundraiser.

Helping Those with Illness

Ronald McDonald House

Oak Lawn, Naperville, Chicago, Winfield

Ronald McDonald House Charities has countless ways for people to volunteer. Whether setting up a weekly commitment or volunteering periodically, you’ll make a difference in the lives of families who are away from home as their children are treated for medical concerns. While many of their volunteering opportunities are for ages 18 and up, there are some that include all ages, as well. One activity for groups of all ages and sizes is to create care kits for families; the Family Activity Program is another volunteer opportunity for ages 10 and up. Hosting a fundraiser as a family is another great way to give back.

Ronald McDonald House Charities are located near the following hospitals: Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Edward Hospital in Naperville, Loyola Medical Center in Hines, Lurie’s Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, and UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

Outdoor Volunteer Opportunities for Kids and Families

Forest Preserves of Cook County

If you’re looking for opportunities to get outside and get some fresh air while helping the environment, the Forest Preserves of Cook County have plenty. Their website has options to browse activities based on interest, location, schedule, and more. Their group volunteering opportunities include Ecological Stewardship Days and Litter Cleanup Days, which would be fun to do as a family. The minimum age to volunteer is 13.

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

The forest preserve’s restoration work days are held on select weekends and weekdays and open to kids ages 8+ with their families. Register online or by phone in advance.

St. Charles Park District Volunteer Opportunities

Help keep natural spaces in St. Charles beautiful with Restoration Work Days, held Saturday mornings at rotating locations. Other park district volunteer opportunities include opportunities at Primrose Farm, Hickory Knolls, and more. Volunteer opportunities begin at age 9.

The GardenWorks Project

The GardenWorks project assists families in DuPage County each spring by helping plant home gardens. This organization helps families by providing garden beds, seeds, and organic gardening education. They truly believe everyone is capable of growing their own produce that will be healthy for them and their family. There are many different ways to get involved with this organization, even if you don’t have much experience gardening.

Follow The GardenWorks Project on Facebook for fresh updates and listings of all-age volunteering opportunities.

More Volunteer Opportunities for Kids and Families

3:11 Project

The 3:11 Project is a local non-profit based in Montgomery whose goal is to use social media to make social change. Their Facebook page outlines more timely needs that can be donated. Monetary donations, as well as goods and services, will be directly shared with local families.

Kidlist Family Volunteer and Donate Event

Kidlist loves giving back to the community. For the past five years, we have coordinated family events to decorate, pack, and donate bags to foster children.

This family-friendly opportunity is doable for all ages, hands on, and impacts local kids. All of the decorated and packed duffel bags that volunteers put together are donated to All Our Children’s Advocacy Center in Justice, who will be passing them out to kids in tough situations around Chicagoland, such as kids who need support while being relocated for their own safety. Be on the lookout for this event to return in winter of 2027 and stay tuned for details!

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that helps build and improve homes for families. They offer several ways to get involved, starting from age 5. Check out their website on how you can volunteer with kids and assist someone to finally feel “at home.”

Share Our Spare

(SOS) dedicates their service to ensuring every Chicago area child, ages 0-5, has essential items needed for their overall health and development and equip them and their families for a strong start. Volunteer (ages 6 and up) opportunities can look like sorting diapers, making clothing kits, organizing nursing supplies, etc. These items are given to social service agencies to support children and families across Chicagoland.

Buddy Baseball

Created by the Wheaton Jr. Women’s Club in 1991, this five-week experience provides a meaningful community volunteer experience for families in Dupage County. This program for children with special needs, ages five and up utilizes the “buddy system”: children and young adults with special needs are paired with able-bodied buddies.  Volunteer buddies must be at least 13 years of age. The camp includes scrimmage games with an emphasis on baseball skills. The 2026 season has ended, but check out their website for dates to add to your 2027 volunteer opportunity list.

World Relief

World Relief is a volunteer organization that welcomes refugees and immigrants, helping them acclimate to life here. They have several locations, including Chicago, Carol Stream, and Aurora. Volunteer opportunities vary, based on time commitments; there are group service opportunities, as well. As a family, you can also help by putting together their top-needed Welcome Kit.

Special Olympics

Special Olympics needs volunteers to help grow the community and create impact. Visit their website to learn more about event volunteer opportunities as well as specialized volunteers and unique roles, as most opportunities are available for ages 14 and up.

YMCA

The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago offers programs, services, and activities to bring people together and strengthen communities. The Y has volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups; some of their group volunteering events include collection drives, fresh food distribution days, landscaping, and outdoor/indoor clean-up. Their website has areas to connect with your local Y or to complete a volunteer form that highlights your interests.

More Events to Volunteer At

Our Kidlist calendar has pop-up events where families can support their community and local organizations.

Don’t forget! You can get your children involved in service through a variety of other ways. Children can make a difference in their local community through school clubs or PTO groups, religious groups, or scout organizations. With the holidays approaching, making cards for a hospital or retirement home is always appreciated. And lastly, random acts of kindness for your own family, friends, and loved ones are wonderfully positive ways to teach the beauty of good deeds and selflessness to children.

Thanks for reading, and check out the rest of our amazing articles to get ideas for fun indoor things to do with kids! Our winter-holiday-family-fun guide is a great resource, too.