Volunteer Opportunities for Preteens (Ages 10–12)

Pet Partners is a national nonprofit, based in Bellevue, Washington, that educates, evaluates, certifies, and insures volunteer therapy animal teams. For nearly 50 years its teams have visited hospitals, schools, and nursing homes, and it registers nine species, from dogs and cats to horses, rabbits, birds, and llamas. Read more ›

Bend Park and Recreation District manages Bend's parks, trails, and recreation facilities, including Juniper Swim & Fitness Center, Larkspur Community Center, and the Deschutes River Trail, and offers year-round sports, fitness, youth, and senior programs for residents of all ages and abilities.

Deschutes Public Library serves all of Deschutes County through branches in Bend, Redmond, Sisters, La Pine, and Sunriver, offering books and media, digital resources, storytimes and youth programs, adult learning and author events, and community spaces. Read more ›

A statewide Oregon environmental nonprofit mobilizing volunteers for litter cleanups, habitat restoration, and waterway care, including annual events in Central Oregon.

BrightSide Animal Center is a high-save animal shelter in Redmond that cares for displaced dogs and cats, rehabilitates them, and places them in responsible, loving homes. Read more ›

The primary parks and recreation provider for residents of Prineville and Crook County. The district manages parks, trails, and open spaces and offers youth sports, recreation programs, and community activities.

Beaver Works Oregon is Think Wild's habitat restoration program, working with land managers and conservation partners across Central and Eastern Oregon to bring back healthy, beaver-supported streams and wetlands. Read more ›

Central Oregon's only bunny-specific rescue and sanctuary, just outside Redmond. Ember's takes in abandoned and surrendered domestic rabbits, including special-needs bunnies, provides spay/neuter and veterinary care, adopts them into loving indoor homes, offers lifelong sanctuary to those who can't be adopted, and educates the community on proper bunny care. Read more ›

The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council brings people together to protect and restore the rivers and streams of the Upper Deschutes basin, leading habitat restoration and water quality monitoring, and connecting students and the community to the river through education programs and the annual Deschutes River Cleanup.

The Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory has inspired visitors to cherish and understand the natural world for more than 50 years. Read more ›

Heritage Apple Corps, a fiscally sponsored project of Discover Your Northwest, is a volunteer-run initiative to revive, protect, and maintain Central Oregon's pioneer-era fruit trees, planted by homesteading families more than a century ago on what is now the Crooked River National Grassland and other public lands. Read more ›

Madras's Kiwanis club, serving children across Jefferson County. Its signature program is Operation Rudolph, the county's primary Christmas gift program for kids facing hardship, run with the Madras High Key Club. The club also supports youth programs and scholarships throughout the year.