Find Your Own Opportunity

University of Portland students have served with a variety of organizations that have provided valuable volunteer experiences.

If you have a specific issue that interests you or a certain population you'd like to serve, use these resources to identify the volunteer opportunity that is the right fit for you.

COVID-19 Relief

Many organizations in Portland are providing services to vulnerable members of our community most impacted by the corona virus pandemic. These organizations need our support. Here is a list of organizations you can support and volunteer with:

• Blanchet House - serve meals and drinks, sort and give out clothing
• Village Gardens - help establish and tend gardens for families experiencing food insecurity

Existing Partnerships

The organizations listed on this page welcome University of Portland volunteers and have provided meaningful service opportunities. Use the contact information on the organizations’ websites to connect directly with their staff members for details about possible volunteer opportunities. 

Campus Volunteer Coordinators (CVCs) build close relationships with specific community organizations and promote and arrange ongoing service for UP students.

We currently have partnerships with the following organizations: 

• Friends of Trees
• Roosevelt High School SUN Program
• North Portland Elementary SUN Program
  (César Chavez Elementary and James John Elementary)
• Saint André Bessette Catholic Church
• SMART (Start Making A Reader Today)

Service and Justice Coordinators (SJCs) coordinate and promote monthly service opportunities to fellow classmates in UP residence halls. These student leaders are also engaged in weekly service and often invite their peers to join them.

Meet the CVCs and SJCs.  

Other Organizations

There are many organizations in the Portland Metro Area that have welcomed UP students to engage with them for one-time or ongoing service.

You can visit their websites to learn more about their volunteer opportunities.

• Blanchet House
• Boys & Girls Club
• Bridgetown, Inc. – Operation Night Strike
• Catholic Charities (Kateri Park)
• Girls Incorporated of the Pacific Northwest
• Holy Cross School
• Legacy Hospice
• Operation Nightwatch
• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
• The Rebuilding Center
• Portland Tennis & Education

Additional Service Opportunities 

Looking for additional resources to help you identify a service opportunity that’s the right fit for you?

You can search the following websites to locate volunteer opportunities in the Portland area. If you come across a good potential fit, use the contact information on the organizations’ websites to connect directly with their staff members for additional details.

• Hands on Greater Portland
• Volunteer Match

Learn more about how to get to your service site. 

Best Practices for Finding an Opportunity

• Thoroughly look at an organization’s website and/or talk with people who have volunteered or worked with them in the past. Become especially familiar with the organization’s mission, program offerings, and staff.
• Non-profit and community organizations are often underresourced, understaffed, and overworked. Do your best to work around the organization’s program and scheduling needs. Treat organizations and the individuals they serve with respect.
• Phone calls or in-person conversations are often better than email. If you email to make a connection, follow up with a phone call, or if an organization is not responding to an email, try calling or stopping by. Email is great to summarize what you heard in a conversation.
• A key component to a quality service-learning experience is reflection. Jot down notes after each site visit so you have something to refer back to during class discussions, presentations, or written assignments. Note significant challenges, positive experiences, and anything you notice related to course-related concepts. Go in looking for things to reflect on!
• Most youth placements will require a background check. The cost depends on the depth of the required process and subsidies available to pay for it through the organization.

If you have additional questions about locating the opportunity that’s the right fit for you, contact the Moreau Center for Service & Justice staff at 503.943.7132 (x7132) or moreaucenter@up.edu.