Daylight is dwindling, Portland’s cold, gloomy days are setting in, and the desire to hunker down indoors is becoming harder to resist. But in many cases, the winter also comes with isolation and loneliness. Instead of succumbing to the pull of your couch, consider getting out of the house to serve the people around you: Our city is home to tens of thousands of local nonprofits that serve a broad spectrum of causes and communities, and volunteers are often the heartbeat of their work. Whether you’re stocking shelves at the local food pantry, serving hot meals to those in need, harvesting vegetables at a community garden, or removing litter from the Willamette River, you are transforming the lives of those around you, including your own. Overwhelming research has proven that volunteering is not only important for the well-being of our communities, but ours too. And it’s not selfish to want both. Here’s how to lend a hand at organizations across Portland, and not just this winter, either.

Dedicated to breaking cycles of racial trauma and fostering collective healing for Black, brown, and Indigenous Portlanders, Brown Hope launched in 2018 with initiatives like its Black Resilience Fund. Volunteering at Brown Hope occurs through its Action Team, a collaborative space for community members to support its mission of racial healing. Those interested in volunteering can participate in three different action groups: the Solidarity Squad’s mutual-aid network, the Healing and Spirituality group, and community social events. The Action Team meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday of each month, from 6:30–8:30pm on Zoom.

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