Support Your Community

The United States has a long history of receiving immigrants from all over the world, and local communities play an important role in welcoming and supporting them. People in the United States also have a strong tradition of volunteerism and engagement in civic life and institutions. The links below will help Americans and immigrants alike to find available volunteer opportunities in their communities. Volunteerism and community engagement can build connections between immigrants and receiving communities. To get started, read this information sheet (PDF) from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which provides 10 useful tips on becoming a volunteer.

1. Start looking for volunteer opportunities and resources from serve.gov, an online resource to find volunteer opportunities near you and information on how to create volunteer opportunities in your community.

2. Check out the Volunteer Training: Adult Citizenship Education Strategies for Volunteers. These training modules are designed to provide volunteers with a basic understanding of adult second language acquisition and the naturalization process, including the interview and test.

3. Visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a list of federal and nongovernmental national volunteer programs. Communities depend on volunteers. Visit this web page to see if one of these volunteer opportunities fits your interests.

4. Prepare Your Community for an Emergency. Ready.gov provides information on Citizen Corps, a program that brings together volunteers to make communities safer and better prepared to respond to emergency situations. It provides opportunities for people to participate in a range of measures to make their families, their homes, and their communities safer from the threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds.

5. Search the U.S. National Park Service’s (NPS) database of volunteer opportunities available in National Parks. There are many ways you can help care for your national parks, from one-time to reoccurring volunteer opportunities for youth, families, groups, and individuals.

6. Volunteer with federal, state, and local agencies on public lands throughout the United States. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for example, provides information on volunteer opportunities to care for recreation facilities and natural resources.

7. Volunteer with a community-based organization serving immigrants in your community. You can use our class locator to find organizations near you, and reach out to see what volunteer needs they may have. This is a great way to welcome newcomers in your community and help them adjust to life in the United States.