Courtesy Northwest Harvest

Make aSocial Impact

Engaging in activities that leave a lasting impact in your host city is a great way to harness the power of meetings for the greater good. At Visit Seattle, we make it easy to jump in with useful resources for meeting planners.

HOMELESSNESS

Compass Housing Alliance

Compass Housing Alliance provides housing, shelter and support services to people experiencing homelessness and poverty in the Puget Sound region.Volunteer opportunities include providing meals at one of their sites, making sandwiches, collecting and donating socks and other household items, making quilts for shelter beds, or planning cleaning project.

DESC

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization of nearly 600 professional staff, board members, and community volunteers who strive to fulfill DESC’s mission to end chronic homelessness in our community. Volunteer opportunities include painting projects, providing and serving meals, deep cleaning/sanitation, filing/sorting projects, event and holiday decoration, collecting and distributing donations.

Facing Homelessness

Facing Homelessness began its journey in 2010 with a belief that we can and will end homelessness when we invite community to be a part of the solution. As a community of compassion, they believe we can face homelessness by choosing to see the beauty of a person in front of us rather than the issue that overwhelms us. Facing Homelessness invites you to “Just Say Hello” to someone who is experiencing homelessness while you are walking around Seattle. Offering a pair of socks, a snack, or a bottle of water is an easy icebreaker to make a connection that will make a huge difference in that person’s day and yours. 

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County has an open-door policy: All who believe that everyone needs a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to help with the work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, political views or any of the other distinctions that too often divide people. Volunteer with your group to help build the homes and work on construction sites.

Mary’s Place

Mary’s Place is a leading voice for homeless women, children, and families in emergency situations. Our work keeps struggling families together and provides practical tools and resources that help women find housing and employment. Volunteers can bring, prepare, and serve a meal on a Saturday morning and invite our Director, Marty Hartman, and one of the Mary’s Place women, to speak to your group or company. The women’s stories you hear will touch your heart!

Plymouth Housing Group

Plymouth Housing Group transforms lives by providing permanent, supportive homes to homeless people with few other options for housing. Our model of permanent housing, coupled with “wrap around” supportive services, helps people rebuild their lives, regain their dignity, and leave homelessness behind forever. Volunteer opportunities include providing meals for residents, collecting and donating goods and foods for residents, leading enrichment activities such as painting, writing, yoga, and work on beautification projects.

Solid Ground

Solid Ground is a Seattle-based nonprofit working to end poverty and undo racism and other oppressions that are root causes of poverty in our community. Volunteer opportunities include Urban Farm Work Parties, tutor services, helping renovate residential building spaces.

YouthCare

At YouthCare, we serve children as young as 12 and young adults all of 24. From specialized counseling to formal and informal coaching in life skills, from GED and high school classes to employment training, the continuum of care is the surest way to get homeless youth off the streets and preparing for life. Volunteer opportunities include, serving a meal at James W. Ray Orion Center, doing laundry on site for residents, host community drive to collect donations for youth, or participate in Clean & Green Group.

HUNGER

Farestart

FareStart is a real solution to some of our society’s most pressing challenges—homelessness, joblessness, poverty and hunger. Volunteer opportunities include purchasing and compiling student personal kits, helping with kitchen prep, helping clean and prep restaurants, or host a community dinner.

Food Lifeline

Working with the food industry and its surpluses, Food Lifeline comes up with creative solutions to stopping hunger, including redirecting good food from manufacturers, farmers, grocery stores and restaurants that might otherwise go to waste. Lifeline has year-round volunteer opportunities, including repackaging food for the food pantries and helping with community events.

Hunger Intervention Program

Hunger Intervention Program‘s mission is to increase food security for underserved populations in North King County through nutritious meals, educational programs, and advocacy. Volunteer with your group to prepare and serve meals along with packing up food gift bags.

Northwest Harvest

The mission of Northwest Harvest is to provide nutritious food to hungry people statewide in a manner that respects their dignity, while fighting to eliminate hunger. Volunteer opportunities include sorting and packing food, serving clients at the Cherry Street Food Bank in Seattle, or assisting staff at special events.

Pike Market Food Bank

The Pike Market Food Bank helps residents of downtown Seattle supplement food security with free groceries. We serve people of all ages and work hard to offer a variety of nutritious foods in a friendly environment. Volunteer opportunities include grocery distribution, Food Link. Farmers Market Gleaning, and home delivery service

The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s

The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s helps provide food for people who find they are unable to provide it for themselves. Some of the people who come in have temporarily hit hard times, but many are experiencing long term economic struggles. Common volunteer positions include warehouse helpers, walk-in program sorters and distributors. Other group volunteers available upon request.

St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul‘s neighborhood-based Conferences deliver services to people who live in King County. We assist in preventing evictions, keeping power and heat turned on, providing food for families, arranging doctor visits, providing assistance with childcare, and more. Volunteer with your group to prepare and serve the thousands of people that come in for this service.

ANIMAL PROTECTION

Purrfect Pals Cat Sanctuary and Shelter

Through placement and prevention programs, Purrfect Pals works to end cat homelessness in the Puget Sound region – Because every cat matters. Gather your group and spend time caring and playing with cats as well as cleaning cages and acting as matchmakers for potential adopters.

Seattle Animal Shelter

The Seattle Animal Shelter was founded in 1972 to protect public safety and enforce all animal-related ordinances for the City of Seattle. In addition to our primary role, we care for the abandoned, abused and orphaned animals of Seattle. Contact shelter to inquire about group volunteer opportunities. 

PAWS

PAWS is people helping animals. We are the kind of people who delight in the company of an animal friend, who are awed by a majestic eagle in flight. Group volunteer projects include weeding, painting, helping with small building projects, spreading bark on our dog walking or wildlife interpretive trails, stuffing packets, sorting animal toys and food. These projects do not include hands-on contact with the animals in our care, but they are all very important aspects of helping animals in need.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT

Jubilee Women’s Center

Founded in 1983, Jubilee Women’s Center provides safe and affordable community housing and support services to help women transition out of homelessness and into independent living. Bring your group to provide delicious and nourishing meals for 31 residents at Jubilee’s main site on Capitol Hill.

Pike Place Market Foundation

The Pike Place Market Foundation is the heart of the Market. By helping our low-income neighbors who work, learn and live in and around the Market, the Foundation helps the Market you love remain a thriving, caring community. Volunteer for special events, MarketFront Outreach Team, Education Programs, or Social Services.

Puget Soundkeeper

Founded in 1984 as the Puget Sound Alliance (PSA), Puget Soundkeeper was the first grassroots organization to focus exclusively on protecting the marine environment of Puget Sound. For 34 years their mission has remained the same: to protect and preserve our shared waterways for future generations. Volunteer opportunities include cleaning beaches, waterways and shorelines throughout the year to remove harmful trash and debris.

 

Volunteer Park Trust

Volunteer Park Trust (VPT) was founded in 2012 by friends and neighbors to restore protect and preserve Seattle’s city and national landmark Volunteer Park for today and for generations to come. Volunteer opportunities include cleaning and maintaining the garden beds in Volunteer Park at our monthly work parties, twice-annual major stewardship events, and occasional special events partnering with non-profits, schools and businesses. No experience necessary and we provide gloves and tools.

YWCA

Our mission is to advance the quality of life for women of all ages, races and faiths, and their families. In support of this mission, the YWCA provides services to meet critical needs, promote self-sufficiency, reduce violence, eliminate racism and achieve equal opportunities for all people. Volunteer opportunities include providing warm meals through YWCA meal program, collecting household items and drop-off, or hosting food drive.

 

RECENT GROUPS THAT HAVE PARTNERED WITH VISIT SEATTLE FOR SOCIAL IMPACT:

American Pharmacists Association
Mary’s Place (watch video)

American Public Human Services Association
Compass Housing Alliance

American Public Works
Facing Homelessness

HPN
Mary’s Place

INFORMS
Farestart

JADPRO Live
Alliance of Therapy Dogs

ODTUG
The Pike Place Market Foundation | Three Little Pitties Rescue

US Foods 2020 Sales Meeting
Food Lifeline

Start Planning

Visit Seattle can be your connection to local organizations
and help build a program that lets your group make a difference.

Contact our Convention Services Team

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