Region
Volunteer Opportunities in Prineville, Oregon
Matching organizations, in a different order on every visit
Heart of Oregon Corps empowers young people ages 16–24 through jobs, job training, education, and service to Central Oregon communities. Its programs include YouthBuild, where youth build affordable homes while continuing their education, the High Desert and Central Oregon Youth Conservation Corps, Camp LEAD, and Food Heroes. Since 2000, it has served more than 4,750 youth who are disconnected from school and work.
Volunteers can mentor a young person working to build job skills and finish their education, join the Employer Advisory Council to connect Corps members with local employers and careers, or serve on the Board of Directors (two seats are reserved for program alumni, and no prior board experience is needed). General volunteer opportunities are also available through the inquiry form.
Connect Central Oregon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that strengthens communities in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties (plus Warm Springs) by connecting people with volunteer opportunities, board positions, and mentorship. It promotes civic engagement, community leadership, and innovation through platforms like Central Oregon Volunteer Connect.
Volunteers help run CCO's community events, from volunteer and board fairs to robotics and drone expositions, support community media production, and help keep the Volunteer Central Oregon directory accurate by reviewing organization listings. Students and groups are welcome, and CCO can sign off on community service hours.
Think Wild is Central and Eastern Oregon's only public wildlife hospital and conservation center, located on four acres on Bend's east side. Its veterinary staff and volunteers rescue, treat, and release hundreds of injured and orphaned native animals each year, from hummingbirds and flying squirrels to bald eagles and bobcats. Think Wild also runs a wildlife hotline, humane wildlife conflict help, Beaver Works Oregon habitat restoration, and education programs and camps for youth and the community. Found injured or orphaned wildlife? Call the hotline at 541-241-8680 (8am–6pm daily).
Volunteers help in the wildlife hospital with animal care, diet prep, and enclosure upkeep; rescue and transport injured wildlife; care for ambassador animals; support education programs, camps, and community events; and assist with humane wildlife conflict projects. Youth and family volunteering is available for kids and teens, and families and groups can join habitat restoration through Beaver Works Oregon. Training is provided.
Central Oregon Volunteer Connect
also known as COVC, Volunteer Connect, Volunteer Central Oregon
Central Oregon Volunteer Connect is a program of Connect Central Oregon representing one of their four pillars - alongside Mentoring, Innovation, and Partnership. It's a regional infrastructure, shaped and stewarded by community leaders over more than two decades connecting organizations, volunteers, emerging leaders, and community energy across Central Oregon. Along with direct partnership outreach across the region, most notably the Connect Central Oregon Volunteer & Board Fair — the in-person event connecting volunteers and organizations face to face, their Volunteer Central Oregon directory allows browsing or searching to find organizations across Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties, and Warm Springs looking for volunteers, donors, and community partners.
Connect Central Oregon is always looking for leaders who want to help connect individuals, groups, and organizations to each other and strengthen our community. One of the most important roles within the entire organization, serving as a "Connector" represents the very purpose of ConnectCO and serves as the primary method of our community engagement...using very literally every resource ConnectCO and its leadership team have to offer.
Central Oregon Trail Alliance, Inc.
also known as COTA
Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) develops, protects, and enhances the Central Oregon mountain bike experience through trail stewardship, advocacy, collaboration, and education. Working with the Forest Service, BLM, and other land managers, this largely volunteer-powered nonprofit stewards nearly 600 miles of singletrack, five bike parks, and groomed winter fat bike trails across a region roughly 100 miles north to south and east to west, with local chapters and a goal of putting every Central Oregonian within 20 minutes of a trail.
COTA volunteers logged more than 20,000 hours last year building and maintaining trails across a region roughly 100 miles on each side. Join a trail work day with no experience needed, train as a volunteer crew leader, earn USDA national sawyer certification through COTA's saw program to clear downed trees, help groom winter fat bike trails, or get involved with a local chapter. Businesses and community groups can book their own trail work events.
The Crooked River Weed Management Area is a partnership of landowners, agencies, and organizations working to prevent and control invasive, noxious weeds across the Crooked River basin to protect rangelands, farms, and native habitat.
Volunteers join weed pulls and invasive plant removal days and help with outreach and education about identifying and controlling noxious weeds.
St. Vincent de Paul Society of Crook County
also known as SVdP Prineville, St. Joseph Conference
Locally organized since 1977, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Crook County serves anyone in need in the Prineville area with dignity and respect, regardless of faith or background. It runs a food pantry and provides emergency assistance and other social services, powered by volunteers and donations from local individuals and businesses.
Volunteers work shifts in the food pantry packing food boxes and sorting donations, unload and load food trucks, direct guests as parking lot attendants, or sign up as on-call helpers for busy days. Volunteers come from many faiths and backgrounds and are invited to the Conference's regular meetings to help shape how it runs.
The Crook County Sheriff's Mounted Posse is a uniformed volunteer horseback unit that assists the Sheriff's Office, emergency responders, and search and rescue teams, and represents the county at parades, rodeos, and community events.
Uniformed volunteer members provide their own horses for search and rescue, event security, and community patrols, and represent the Sheriff's Office at parades, rodeos, and civic events throughout Crook County.
A nonprofit serving Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties through food access, housing stability, child care, and financial services, empowering individuals and families to succeed.
Volunteer opportunities include sorting and packing donated food, supporting warehouse operations, and helping with group service days for corporate and community groups across food, housing, and family support programs.
Crook County Sheriff Search and Rescue is the all-volunteer search and rescue team of the Crook County Sheriff's Office, finding and helping lost, injured, and stranded people across the county's backcountry, Ochoco Mountains, reservoirs, and high desert, and teaching the public about outdoor safety and preparedness.
Volunteers respond to backcountry, wilderness, and stranded-motorist rescues throughout Crook County, using vehicles, snowmobiles, and tracked rescue equipment. Search and Rescue also provides community education on outdoor safety and preparedness.
Redemption House Ministries is Prineville's faith-based shelter and meals ministry for people experiencing homelessness. It runs Redemption House, a transitional shelter for women and families; Regeneration House, an overnight shelter with nightly dinner for men; and Craig's Compassionate Café, a community café where anyone can get a hot meal for a token price or by trading a chore, with volunteers also bringing meals to people living in camps. It also offers a food pantry and case management.
Volunteers cook and serve at Craig's Compassionate Café, help bring meals out to people living in camps, prepare dinners and sack breakfasts for shelter guests, sort donations and stock the food pantry, and help with facility upkeep and events. Church and community groups can sign up to provide meals.
ClearPath Healthcare
also known as Hospice of Redmond
ClearPath Healthcare, formerly Hospice of Redmond, is a local nonprofit that has cared for Central Oregon families since 1979. Now serving much of Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties, it provides hospice care, in-home primary care for homebound seniors, and free Transitions support for people facing serious illness, plus grief support open to anyone in the community, special care for veterans, and the Pet Peace of Mind program that cares for patients' pets.
Trained hospice volunteers are part of the care team: offering companionship and respite so family caregivers can rest, sitting vigil, supporting veterans through We Honor Veterans, and helping with grief support. Others help with the Pet Peace of Mind program, community events like the Festival of Trees and Light Up a Life, Camp Sunrise for grieving kids, and office work. No medical background is needed; training is provided.
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