Want to add a little volunteer activity to your schedule? In addition to that feeling of accomplishment, helping others may offer some mental health benefits, as well. Volunteering can help reduce stress and provide a sense of meaning, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Volunteering is also a great way to connect with others in your community and make some new friends. It's easy to find both in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities right on a smartphone. To find some new opportunities, try out these handy apps to find volunteer work.
1. POINT–Volunteer Near You
Find plenty of volunteer opportunities locally—and just about anywhere else—with the POINT app. Make note of your favored causes at signup, including animal care, health, water and sanitation, conservation, and education.
View upcoming opportunities on the Events screen, and check out the event's details, location, and duties. On the Causes screen, meanwhile, scroll through nearby organizations and events that support those aims.
Lastly, check the Profile screen to review hours worked, giving history, and the causes and organizations you follow. Upcoming opportunities appear here as well. The free, well-organized POINT app is an excellent way to locate new volunteer opportunities.
Download: POINT–Volunteer Near You for iOS | Android (Free)
2. Worldpackers Travel the World
Find volunteer opportunities while traveling with the Worldpackers app. At signup, select your preferred type of trip: work exchange, eco programs, or social impact programs.
Work exchange programs encourage you to exchange your help for accommodations, social impact programs include schools and non-government organizations, and eco programs focus on farms and permaculture. Search for locations anywhere around the globe.
In the Hosts section, explore opportunities for volunteer work. Donate 25 hours of help per week to an artistic community in New Jersey, or spend 20 hours a week teaching English at the Mepring Village, Cambodia, for instance.
A robust app, Worldpackers includes not only information about projects to join, but also an Academy section with educational resources about budgeting for travel, gaining confidence, and creating travel plans. Courses explain how to prepare for the volunteer experience, as well as earn certifications to help you get accepted as a volunteer for hosts.
View videos from the WP Life section to get a firsthand view of what these volunteer experiences entail. Whether you're looking for opportunities at home or abroad, the Worldpackers app includes an incredible amount of information.
Download: Worldpackers Travel the World for iOS | Android (Free)
3. Deed App
Use your professional skills to benefit others in need with the Deed app. To support educational opportunities, disaster recovery, environmental causes, or a variety of other needs, the Deed app offers a huge number of ways to support many causes.
Register as an individual or as part of a team. At this time, the app is available in a selection of US cities.
Browse the Home screen for timely causes that need your time and resources. On the Volunteer screen, explore virtual opportunities. Provide translation support for nonprofit organizations, help out a food bank, or join the board of a deserving organization—whatever works for your goals.
Download: Deed for iOS | Android (Free)
4. Idealist
Search thousands of local and remote volunteer opportunities for a huge variety of organizations with this excellent app. Although Idealist is one of the best sites to find jobs at purposeful organizations, it's also a fantastic resource for volunteer jobs as well.
From the Home screen, tap the Volunteering and Events button. Use the Filters to sort by location (including remote options), which issues interest you, skills used, and start and end dates.
Covering almost every skill imaginable, the Idealist app offers an impressive amount of opportunities for any aspiring volunteer. And if you like the idea of helping out from the comfort of a computer, then try out the Chrome extensions that help you support a good cause as well.
Download: Idealist for iOS (Free)
5. Litter CleanUp
Pick up litter on your own time and keep track of the number of pieces gathered. The Litter CleanUp app makes it easy to help tidy a community at any time.
Take or upload a photo of the cleanup haul, along with a count of the total litter gathered. Once submitted, a celebratory screen thanks you for tidying up that part of the planet.
Earn badges for gathering litter, as well as keeping up a streak. Whether you aim to pick up trash for two days in a row or every day for an entire year, it's a motivating feature.
For a simple, accessible way to benefit the environment, the Litter CleanUp app makes cleanup fun. If this cause is close to your heart, then check out the many apps to help keep coastlines clean.
Download: Litter CleanUp for iOS | Android (Free)
Free Volunteering Apps Make Helping Out Easier
If you're interested in volunteering more, then these free apps for volunteer work make it easier than ever to locate new opportunities. Whether you want to help the local community or do virtual work, there are plenty of ways to pitch in and help out.