21 Fun Corporate Volunteering Ideas Your Team Will Love
These 21 volunteer activities are perfect for corporate volunteerism, whether you’re cranking out donations at the office or hopping off-site for a quick hour. They’re fast, fun, and pack a positive impact without eating up too much volunteer time.
Your corporate volunteers can tackle them in a few hours — at most. So, your company will support nonprofit organizations and show off your corporate purpose.
Let’s roll through some ideas that’ll make your next volunteer event a slam dunk! We’ve broken the list into three different types of Corporate Volunteering Ideas.
- Corporate Volunteering You Can Do at the Office (And Donate to Charity)
- Quick One-Hour Corporate Volunteering Shifts Off-Site.
- Charity Team Building Activities that Are Done for You!
Corporate Volunteering You Can Do at the Office (And Donate to Charity)
1. Put Together Pet Supply Kits for Shelter Animals.
Got pet lovers in your office? Round up dog food, toys, or spare blankets and pack them into kits for shelters right at your desks. It’s an easy setup that flows smoothly. Your local Humane Society will be thrilled to get them. A laid-back way to rack up volunteer hours while chatting and connecting.
The most needed items are often puppy training pads, stainless steel bowls, cat litter, and rope toys. However, it is a good idea to call your local shelter first to find out exactly what they need.
2. Craft Heartfelt Care Packages for Brave Military Personnel.
Imagine your team packs bags with snacks, socks, and quick notes for troops overseas. Someone grabs supplies, others stuff them, and in a couple hours, you’ve got a stack ready. You drop them with Operation Gratitude or Soldiers’ Angels. It’s hard work that hits home for those serving far away.
The most needed items are often nuts, cracker snacks, beef jerky, socks, and foot powder. However, you can often look up the most needed items on either of the websites above.
3. Create Something Special by Assembling Essential Hygiene Kits for Shelters.
Snag some toothpaste, soap, and socks, and your crew assembles kits in the break room for homeless shelters or women’s refuges in no time. Local spots will grab them up. It’s an easy win for the local community and your team’s spirit.
Most items to add into each kit can be easily purchased online at Amazon or picked up locally at a Walmart or Dollar General. These organizations often request items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, deodorant, and feminine products. But your team can get creative and add in items that they think might be perfect.
4. Bring Your Team Together to Craft Warm No-Sew Blankets for Kids.
Ever made a blanket without a needle? Your group crafts them with fleece, cuts it, ties the edges—boom, cozy blankets for kids in hospitals or foster care. A small team churns out a few in an hour. You hand them to Project Linus or a nearby children’s hospital. Perfect for a successful corporate volunteer program.
This activity takes a little more time than the other giveback donations. However, the donation ill be more personal to the recipients. To create a blanket, you’ll need two pieces of fabric that are identical in size. It is usually a good idea to make one of the pieces a soft (blanket like) fabric. The other piece will often be decorative. Place the two pieces of fabric together and cut a five inch by five inch square out of each corner. Next, cut slits into the sides of the fabric as if you were creating a dorm poster with pull-off tabs. Finally, tie the two “tabs” (two pieces of cloth) together. Continue all the way around the fabric until you have fastened two pieces of fabric together.
The size and the depth of the slits are up to you. Smaller slits create smaller tassels.
5. Sort and Box Old Books for Kids and Local Libraries.
Ask everyone to bring in old books—kids’ stories, novels, anything sitting around—and sort and box them up in the office. Local libraries, schools, or literacy programs in need of donations will happily give them a new home. It’s a relaxed way to rack up volunteer hours fast, plus a smart chance to clear out those dusty shelves for a good cause.
If you’d rather donate new or gently used books, Reading Is Fundamental will gladly accept them to support kids’ literacy—just reach out to your local chapter first to coordinate.
6. Collect and Donate New Toys for Kids’ Holiday Smiles.
Gather new, unwrapped toys or games and box them up right in the office. It’s a simple way to spread holiday cheer and brighten kids’ days. Drop them off at places like Toys for Tots or a local hospital—they’ll be thrilled to get them. It’s a fun, low-key corporate volunteering idea that turns into a mini office celebration.
Quick One-Hour Corporate Volunteering Shifts Off-Site.
7. Build Office Teamwork While Cooking a Meal for Worried Families Whose Child Has a Life-Threatening Illness.
Swing by a Ronald McDonald House and whip up a meal for families with kid is in treatment. In just an hour, you’re chopping, cooking, and serving. They count on corporate volunteers daily, so it’s a quick, heartfelt way to lend a hand. This little action can be a big relief to families going through a traumatic experience. And the emotional reward for your team are fantastic as well.
8. Get a Team from Your Office to Deliver Food for Meals on Wheels.
Take a couple cars, and your team delivers meals to folks who can’t get out much. Meals on Wheels gives you a short route—done in an hour. It’s just you, your team, and some thankful smiles. This option is a quick, no-fuss idea for corporate volunteerism.
9. Or, to Really Help Hungry People in Need, Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen or Community Kitchen.
Along similar lines, you could have your team volunteer at a soup kitchen for an hour. Places like Salvation Army need hands to keep it moving. It’s lively, fun, and a solid volunteer effort. When people are hungry, nothing else really matters. So, this is a very meaningful way to get your office to help people who are less fortunate.
10. Lend a Hand at a Local Animal Shelter.
Stop by a nearby shelter and pitch in by walking dogs or tidying up kennels. An hour’s all you need to give the pups some attention or spruce up their space. Local rescues rely on volunteers, making it a fun, active event for pet lovers. To find a shelter near you, Google ‘animal shelters near me’ or ‘pet rescues in [your city]’ and check their websites or call to confirm volunteer opportunities.
11. Get Your Team to Sort Donations at a Food Bank.
Drop by a food bank and dive into sorting donations—cans, boxes, whatever’s there. You can pack a bunch for families in just an hour. Feeding America locations or local pantries depend on volunteer energy. It’s a speedy, satisfying way for your corporate volunteers to make an impact.
12. Organize a Team Blood Drive at Your Office.
Organize a blood drive at your office office. Or, your team could support a local American Red Cross or Vitalant office by checking donors in or handing out snacks. It’s a great way to show your team’s best practices at work in a totally different setting.
Incidentally, since the Covid pandemic, the nation has been in an emergency blood shortage. So this team volunteer activity actually has the potential to save lives.
13. Your Crew Can Host an Activity Hour at an Aging Support Center.
Your crew can host a game or activity hour at a local Senior Center. Bingo’s a crowd-pleaser, or bring craft materials to play with. These places love volunteers bringing the energy. It’s mellow and a nice way to connect locally.
By the way, if you really want to make a big hit with this group, stop by a Walmart and pick up a Karaoke machine on the way! Not only will these retired folks love you, but you can leave the machine behind for them to enjoy after your team returns to the office.
14. Prep and Deliver Supplies for Homeless Outreach.
Whip up sandwiches or stuff hygiene bags at the office, then head out to drop them at a shelter or outreach spot in 30 minutes flat. Local homeless programs will gladly take what you bring. It’s a quick mix of prep and action—perfect for corporate volunteers supporting nonprofits.
Charity Team Building Activities that Are Done for You
These seven ideas are for those organizers who just want to make one call and be done. Team building companies like The Leaders Institute ® specialize in these types of activities. They will do all the set up, organizing of the charity donation, shipping materials to the location, and leading the event.
These are the absolute easiest types of corporate volunteering programs!
15. Your team builds bikes with Build-A-Bike®.
Your team builds bikes for kids in need with Build-A-Bike®—the original and still the top charity team activity out there. It’s hands-on, high-energy, and ends with bikes donated to a good cause. A total win for your successful corporate volunteer program.
16. Your crew races in Ace Race® Mini Golf.
Your crew races in Ace Race®, turning mini golf into a wild dash to feed the hungry. Build holes from food items, swing for glory, and donate the goods after. Competitive teams go nuts over this—it’s a blast and a half for volunteer hours.
17. Your group constructs teddy bears with Rescue Bear®.
With Rescue Bear®, your group constructs teddy bears for kids who’ve faced trauma. It’s all about comfort and teamwork, stuffing plush pals to give away. A sweet, feel-good volunteer activity that sticks with you.
18. Your team tackles obstacles with Amazing Builders.
Your team tackles a customizable obstacle course race with Amazing Builders. Build stuff, solve challenges, and donate the results to charity. It’s tailored chaos that sharpens teamwork and supports a common goal.
19. Your crew competes in Game On!.
Kick off Game On!, and your crew competes in a laugh-out-loud, non-athletic “athletic” challenge. Goofy games, no sweat required, with winnings going to charity. It’s hilarious and a fresh take on corporate volunteering party events.
20. Your team fills backpacks with Hopeful Horizons.
In Hopeful Horizons, your team fills backpacks with essentials for teens overlooked by foster care. Think school supplies, hygiene gear—stuff they really need. It’s quick, meaningful volunteer efforts with a big payoff.
21. Your group crafts pet toys with Toys for Tails.
Your group crafts toys for shelter animals with Toys for Tails, unleashing your pet-loving side. Build, compete a little, and donate the haul. It’s a heartwarming romp for corporate volunteers who dig furry friends.
Launch Your Corporate Volunteering Now—Pick One and Go!
There you have it—21 ways to flex your corporate purpose and rack up volunteer time in a day! From office kit-making to one-hour shifts or full-on charity builds, these fit any successful corporate volunteer program.
Hit up nonprofit organizations early to nail down details or supplies. Toss in some party events like tunes or treats to amp the vibe. The positive impact ripples through your team and local communities—lifting spirits, smashing silos, and proving what hard work can do.
So, grab your corporate volunteers, pick a favorite charity activity, and get after it. You’ll see the payoff in no time!
About Doug Staneart
