Explore the many local opportunities to get involved and make a difference!
Volunteer opportunities with local organizations are listed below with information provided by each organization’s website. Click on the links for more information about how to start volunteering.
Checkout these local VIRTUAL Volunteer opportunities!
Animal Opportunities
Whether they’re young or mature, big or little, the dogs at Animal House Rescue & Grooming have one thing in common: they’re looking for a second chance-at life, love, and a forever home. A distinctive and special resource within our community, Animal House aims to decrease the euthanasia rate of adoptable dogs by giving these well-deserving animals the opportunity-and most importantly, the time-to find the right home. Through community outreach and collaboration with overpopulated and underserved shelters, we’re making a difference in the lives of dogs and the humans who love them. Animal House specializes in second chances. And with your help-adopting, fostering, volunteering, and donating-we can ensure that every Animal House dog finds exactly what they deserve: a lifetime and home filled with love.
Larimer Humane Society (Fort Collins)
Do you most enjoy working directly with animals in the shelter environment, or are you best suited for a climate-controlled office? No matter what your interests, there are many different opportunities through which you can donate your time and skills to our organization. Larimer Humane Society is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and provide the responsible care and treatment of animals.
Rocky Mountain Raptor Program (RMRP)
For 33 years, the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program has served the northern Colorado community through rescue, rehabilitation & release of injured birds of prey. Our community-based team of veterinary experts and specially trained volunteers provides all aspects of raptor care ranging from compassionate medical care to constructing cages that serve as temporary homes for recovering birds. The Rocky Mountain Raptor Program (RMRP) also plays a vital role in community education and outreach, providing hands-on learning about raptor species and the environment.
CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital
The Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s volunteer program strives to provide the hospital with needed volunteer help when necessary and to give undergraduate students and others in the community a chance to benefit from the hospital’s resources. Volunteer positions in the hospital vary widely. The need for volunteers changes each semester you have the potential to work in any section of our hospital. The majority of our positions require shifts during normal business hours, Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Hours and experience can vary greatly between each volunteer position.
W.O.L.F.’S Mission: To improve the quality of life for wolves and wolf dogs through: Rescue- Save captive-born wolves and wolf dogs who need santuary placement in order to survive; Sanctuary- Provide a life-long home at W.O.L.F. in a natural habistat that takes into account each individual’s physical, medical, and emitional needs; Education- Provide the general public with education about the plight of wolves and wolf dogs (both captive-born and wild) to help foster a greater understanding of them and their value.
Community/Special Needs Opportunities
Empowering adults with special needs and their caregivers by providing safe, therapeutic activities, care and support. Elderhaus provides day programs for adults with special needs, ages 18 years or older. The program at Mindset Creative Community Resources is focused on meeting the needs of high-energy adults, as compared to those with lower energy. Our services include direct care, nutrition programs, medication management, mentoring and counseling, medicaid benefits helper, mobile health services, and veterans services. Mission: Provide holistic and therapeutic daytime care to seniors and adults with disabilities in a safe, engaging environment tailored to their needs. Vision: Our participants, whether seniors or adults over 18 years old with disabilities and including all income levels, have an engaging, safe daytime environment that fosters an enhanced sense of self and of community belonging. Our caregivers have the freedom to adjust to their new normal, be productive, and experience less stress.
Respite Care provides short term quality care for children with developmental disabilities and respite to their families, enabling them to enhance their quality of life. Respite Care believes that a child with a disability is a child first and his or her challenges are secondary. With this mission and philosophy in mind, Respite Care strives to create an interactive, stimulating and safe environment that addresses the physical, emotional, social and mental needs of each individual child. Respite Care is the only organization of its kind in Colorado and receives no state or federal funding. We rely solely on the generosity of local individuals, companies and grants. Thank you for supporting us!
Human Health Opportunities
Banner Health Medical Centers (Locations in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley)
As the leading nonprofit provider of health care in every community we serve, Banner Health is deeply committed to our mission: “To make a difference in people’s lives through excellent patient care.” From Alaska to Arizona, Banner Health is dedicated to fulfilling our nonprofit mission of making a difference in people’s lives through excellent patient care. Based in Phoenix, Ariz., Banner Health is one of the largest, nonprofit health care systems in the country. We are the leading nonprofit provider of hospital services in all the communities we serve. Our Western Region facilities serve a number of rural areas — many are the only inpatient facilities available within the community.
Columbine Health Systems (Fort Collins)
At the heart of Columbine Health Systems beats the energy of a continuum of health network designed to address the care, comfort and safety of seniors, while maintaining their dignity. Our three campuses, located in Fort Collins, Windsor, and Loveland, Colorado, provide elders and their families the opportunity to create an environment conducive to their lifestyles and their ever-changing needs. Columbine has been caring for seniors since 1971. Locally owned and operated, all decisions are made to affect the best possible outcomes for the clients we serve, our employees and the communities in which we live.
Pathways Hospice of Larimer County (Fort Collins/Loveland)
Pathways, located in Fort Collins, is a local nonprofit providing symptom management and support for serious long-term illness, expert medical and hospice care for individuals navigating the last months of life, and grief counseling and programs for those mourning the loss of a loved one. From our beginnings in 1978, when a group of nurses came together in Loveland to voluntarily care for a friend in the final months of her life, we’ve been assisting Northern Colorado residents with hospice care and grief counseling regardless of financial circumstance. We serve individuals living in Larimer County, western Weld County, and the Highway 85 and I-25 corridors including the towns of Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, and Windsor. Honoring every moment of life, Pathways provides compassionate, excellent, comprehensive community care in Larimer and Weld Counties for those who have an advanced medical condition, serious illness and those who are grieving. If you, your family or friends should ever need our hospice, palliative and community care, we’re here to help you.
Other Opportunities
Health District of Northern Larimer County (Fort Collins)
The Health District of Northern Larimer County has been meeting local healthcare needs since 1960. Today we provide residents of northern Larimer County with dental, mental health and preventive health services, in addition to connecting people to more affordable prescription and health insurance options. The Health District is a public agency that provides dental, mental health, prescription assistance and health promotion services to the residents of northern Larimer County.
Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity
Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles that seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities and hope. Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing in the Fort Collins area and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.
Larimer County Health and Environment (Fort Collins)
Almost all of the volunteer opportunities at Larimer County Human Services are in the Child, Youth and Family Services division. Volunteers for this division go through a thorough screening and training process, so a one year commitment to the volunteer program is requested. Volunteer opportunities in Child, Youth and Family Services can involve one-on-one or group work with children, youth or families or supportive activities for the employees of the division. You can also help Larimer County care for your parks and open lands by joining our volunteer program. Volunteers range in age from the very young to the still young at heart and everyone in between, all sharing one thing in common — a love for Colorado’s natural landscapes and protected areas. We could not accomplish all that we do without help from dedicated volunteers. Through a variety of projects and/or programs, we can be the link connecting you to both the natural world and your community.
We are always looking for more volunteer opportunities to share with students. If you would like to share program information here, email us at advising_hp@mail.colostate.edu