The season of giving is here, and there’s no better way to spread holiday cheer than by lending a hand to a local nonprofit. From serving meals to supporting families in need, there are plenty of ways to make a real impact right here in the Valley. Here are 10 places to volunteer in Metro Phoenix and give back to the community this holiday season.
LOCAL NEWS: Phoenix housing market outpaces national trends again in 2025
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: Want more news like this? Get our free newsletter here
Arizona Animal Welfare League
The Arizona Animal Welfare League is the state’s oldest and largest no-kill shelter in Arizona. Founded in 1971, AAWL rehomes and rehabilitates more than 4,000 rescue animals across the state that have been abandoned or surrendered. Besides adoptions, AAWL offers a variety of services such as animal foster programs, rural rescue outreach, youth education and low-cost vet clinics. This holiday season, AAWL is especially in need of foster volunteers to provide short-term homes for vulnerable animals, giving them comfort, safety, and love while they wait to be adopted. Whether you can host a pet for a few days or a few weeks, fostering helps save lives and opens space for more animals in need. For more information, visit aawl.org
Cancer Support Community Arizona
Cancer Support Community Arizona provides free emotional, social, and psychological support to anyone impacted by cancer. With locations in Phoenix and Flagstaff, CSCAZ offers programs like support groups, healthy lifestyle classes, family services, and community workshops that ensure no one faces cancer alone. This holiday season, volunteers are needed to assist with program support, special events, administrative help, and more. Giving your time helps CSCAZ continue offering free, year-round resources to thousands of local families navigating a cancer diagnosis. Learn more about volunteer opportunities at //cscaz.org/volunteer.
Tempe Community Action Agency
Tempe Community Action Agency is an East Valley-based nonprofit meeting the needs of vulnerable community members in south Scottsdale and Tempe. The nonprofit operates a nightly shelter in partnership with faith community partners serving the unhoused community. TCAA is seeking volunteers this holiday season to provide and serve meals to unhoused program participants enrolled in the I-HELP shelter model. Meal providers plan, cook and serve meals to 40 program participants, and are encouraged to sit and enjoy the dinner together alongside TCAA staff and clients. Find out more about how your family can become an I-HELP volunteer this winter by visiting https://tempeaction.org/ihelp-volunteers.html.
New Life Center’s Hope’s Closet
Local shelters and nonprofits all over the valley are looking for volunteers. And while many volunteer during the holidays, these locations need volunteers all year long. Hope’s Closet, owned by New Life Center, is inviting the community to sign up for a consistent shift in their thrift shop that benefits survivors of domestic and sexual violence.Proceeds from Hope’s Closet go directly to New Life Center which supports domestic violence survivors by providing them access to the store for FREE. This ensures all survivors can outfit their homes and themselves in whatever is needed. In addition, they also provide survivors with housing, mobile advocacy services, and many other critical resources. The available shifts are Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am—2pm or 2pm to 5pm and Wednesday and Fridays 10am – 2pm or 2pm-5pm. In addition, all volunteers get special discounts to shop in the store.
Phoenix Rescue Mission
Phoenix Rescue Mission provides Christ-centered, life-transforming solutions to people facing hunger, homelessness, addiction, and trauma. The nonprofit Mission, which has been operating since 1952, is asking the public for support of its many programs designed to transform lives, including Hope for Hunger Food Bank, Hope Coach Street Outreach, Temporary Shelter Programs, Men’s Addiction Recovery Programs, and the Changing Lives Center for Women and Children.
Phoenix Children’s Foundation
Phoenix Children’s Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering philanthropic support from individuals, families, organizations and corporate partners committed to Phoenix Children’s mission: to advance hope, healing and the best health care for children and their families. One of the nation’s leading pediatric health systems, Phoenix Children’s offers 170+ family-centered care programs that are fully or partially funded by philanthropy. There are many ways to give to Phoenix Children’s Foundation to invest in the health of children. Please visit givetopch.org for more information.
St. Mary’s Food Bank
Volunteering at St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix is a powerful way to give back to the community. Whether sorting donations or packing emergency food boxes, volunteers play a critical role in fighting hunger and uplifting Arizona families in need. It’s meaningful, hands-on work that makes an immediate impact.
United Food Bank
Since 1983, United Food Bank has been dedicated to providing hunger relief to people in the East Valley and eastern Arizona. As a member of Feeding America, the local food bank collects, acquires, stores, and distributes food to communities in five counties, serving over 2.5 million Arizonans annually. These efforts results in the distribution of more than 22.7 million pounds of food each year, equating to an average of 52,000 meals a day. To help provide food for Arizona families facing hunger, United Food Bank relies on volunteers to assist with boxing and storing food. Volunteers, as young as five years old, can help build food bags, sort and box food donations, and serve families at its food distributions. To learn more about United Food Bank and how you can start your volunteer journey today, visit www.unitedfoodbank.org/.
The Foster Alliance
The Foster Alliance is Arizona’s largest provider of essential resources for children in foster care, supporting families by supplying critical items such as beds, clothing, diapers, school supplies, and personal care products. Each year, the nonprofit hosts its Holiday Toy Drive, a statewide effort to bring joy and dignity to more than 11,000 children in Arizona’s foster care system. Through donations, toy drives, and volunteer support, community members can help ensure every child in foster care feels valued and celebrated during the holiday season. A suggested donation of $125 provides a complete gift bag for one child, filled with age-appropriate toys and gifts. To learn more about how to donate, host a toy drive, or volunteer, visit www.thefosteralliance.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is dedicated to feeding, clothing, housing and healing individuals who have nowhere else to turn for help. Monetary donations are needed to help keep services in operation, modify services, and aid families coping with income disruption, loss of housing, food shortages, etc.
To make a financial contribution: donate online.
If you’d like to be added to the list of on-call volunteers, email volunteer@svdpaz.org with “Here to Help” in the subject line, or call 602-261-6886.
Drop off food, clothing or sanitizing supplies during regular business hours at the main campus: 2120 S. 3rd Drive, Phoenix 85003.
