Community Service Volunteers
Thank you for helping the animals as part of your community service requirements.
Volunteer at AWS
We welcome volunteers of all ages who need to complete community service hours. We can sign off on any paperwork once volunteer work has been completed.
Please note that it may take a few weeks to get you onboard as a volunteer and to find a suitable project for you. Therefore, we ask that community service volunteers not wait until the last minute to reach out.
At-Home Project Guide
At-Home Project Guide
Those needing community service hours should download our At-Home Project Guide to find ways to help the animals from the comfort and safety of your home. The guide includes enrichment activities and resources for our animals that are fun to work on! Projects offer varying levels of difficulty, skill and time commitment. Once completed, projects can be dropped off at AWS and will be put to use right away. Hours spent working on the projects can count toward community service requirements. Download the At-Home Guide today!
We encourage middle and high school students to complete their community service hours at home using our At-Home Project Guide. The projects they work on at home can then be delivered directly to AWS’ animals so students can see first-hand how their service hours make a difference to the pets at AWS.
Community Service for Adults
If you are an adult looking to complete service hours, please apply to become an AWS volunteer. Hours served at AWS will contribute to your community service requirements. Duties for community service volunteers primarily focus on cleaning – kennels, cages, laundry, floors, doors, crates, etc. as needed. There are sometimes opportunities to help with offsite events. Please note that the on-boarding process to become an official AWS volunteer can take a couple weeks so we encourage those interested to plan ahead to make sure you have enough time to go through orientation, on-boarding and training before your service hours are due.
Community Service for Students
Opportunities to complete service hours include:
- Students can volunteer at our facility (if 15 or younger, alongside a parent or guardian). To get started, fill out our youth volunteer application.
- Students can participate in a session of Animal Advocates, which take place on select half days and school vacation weeks.
Community Service for Professional Groups
We have limited opportunities for large groups to help us during their “Days of Caring.” When we are able to accommodate groups, tasks can include grooming our walking trails, painting or helping at events. Our biggest event of the year, Woofstock, is a GREAT way to volunteer as a group and make a big difference at AWS!
We encourage groups, particularly professional groups to review the At-Home Project Guide. Complete projects at home or in the office and drop off on your company’s “Day of Caring.” Or call us in advance to schedule a time to drop off the items. When scheduled in advance, we can offer a tour of AWS where groups see their projects being put to use right away!
Questions about doing community service at AWS?
Please contact our Animal Services Manager via email or telephone at (207) 985-3244 ext. 114.
