Adult Services
ABLE
- Supports adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Provides access to independent daily living assistance, group home facilities, vocational training, day-activity programs, on-the-job support, and community service activities.
- Provides year-round volunteer opportunities and accepted donated goods.
- As of August 2020, they are actively looking for board members!
Aging Services
- Serves the needs of aging senior adults in Cleveland County.
- Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities, such as delivering meals, helping at the office, or building ramps or mowing yards for seniors.
Among Friends
- Provides a safe and friendly place for adults with additional needs and disabilities for fun, learning, and friendships.
- Volunteer with specific programs and fundraisers, or donate any time.
Full Circle Adult Day Center
- Provides comprehensive, individually focused, quality based services to support and enrich the lives of seniors and people with disabilities, their families, and the community.
- Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities ranging from helping with activities, interacting with individual members and in small groups, or helping with office duties like preparing mail, filing, welcoming visitors, and more.
Meals on Wheels of Norman
- Improves nutrition by providing meal service to the ill, disabled, and senior residents in Norman.
- Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. Serve as a regular or substitute driver, organize a group of your co-workers to serve as volunteers, or help with special events as advertised.
United Way
- Fights for better education, financial stability, health and independence for every person in our community. Funds programs and organizations in the Norman area, and provides services through community initiatives.
- Hosts an annual “Day of Caring,” where hundreds of volunteers work on service projects at local nonprofit organizations.
- Also provides a comprehensive list of community resources volunteer opportunities.
Animals
Norman Animal Welfare
- Promotes and protects the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and pets of Norman through education, enforcement, and community partnership.
- Volunteer on site, foster an animal, or donate.
Second Chance Animal Sanctuary
- No-kill shelter that runs solely on donations. Gives abandoned dogs and cats a second chance at a forever home, housing nearly 100 dogs and cats and finding homes for over 600 animals annually.
- Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities, such as dog walking, socializing cats, cleaning, light office work, and helping with customer service.
Arts & Culture
The Depot Performing Arts Studio
- Housed in the historic Norman Depot, this nonprofit creates and presents excellent and innovative fine arts programs for the enrichment and education of the Norman community.
- Volunteer for special events or donate.
Firehouse Art Center
- Offers high quality visual arts education, experiences, and exhibitions, and partners with events across Oklahoma City’s greater metro-area.
- Help with community events, beautifying the building, or donate to keep programs going strong.
Jazz in June
- Organizes and implements annual Jazz in June festival, free to the public.
- Volunteer at this event or donate any time.
Norman Arts Council
- Supports Norman’s rich history of public art, events, and arts education.
- Consider an annual donation or one-time gift to the Norman Arts Council to support arts in our community or contact them directly to ask about volunteer opportunities.
Sooner Theatre
- Produces community theatre productions, concerts, and has a robust year-round performing arts education program.
- Consider joining the Encore Club or a one-time gift to help support the Sooner Theatre. Or volunteer your time and talent to help build and paint sets, sew costumes, be an usher, etc.
Education
Norman Public Schools
- Expands educational opportunities to accommodate the growing needs of students and families in Norman.
- Individuals or groups can sign up to volunteer for Norman’s school district in a variety of ways based on interest, schedule, and location.
- Donate to the Norman Public School Foundation any time.
Pioneer Library System
- Serves the residents of Cleveland, McClain, and Pottawatomie Counties through 12 branches in 10 communities, 3 of which are located in Norman. Provides a welcoming environment and access to information, resources, business services, meeting spaces, and entertainment to the public. Those who live, work, go to school, or own property in Cleveland, Pottawatomie, or McClain Counties are eligible for a library card.
- Offers a quality teen volunteer program throughout summer to gain experience in a work environment while giving back to the community. Offers some adult and teen volunteer opportunities year-round on branch-by-branch basis.
- Donate to the Pioneer Library System Foundation any time.
Environment
Blue Thumb
- This statewide citizen science program trains volunteers to monitor creeks and streams and share their knowledge of water quality with others.
- Volunteers can get involved through Education and/or Monitoring. The first step is to attend one of their two-day volunteer training sessions held throughout the year.
Sierra Club of Norman
- Practices and promotes the responsible use of the Earth’s ecosystems and resources, educates and enlists humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment.
- Norman’s chapter meets monthly at The Depot. Donate your used vehicle to the Sierra Club’s CARS program to be recycled responsibly.
National Weather Museum
- This non-profit museum is a state-of-the-art facility for the preservation of weather artifacts, education of science, math, and safety, and showcase of innovations in the field of science. This is the only museum in the U.S. solely dedicated to weather.
- Volunteer to be a docent, take admissions at the front desk, give tours, and more.
Homelessness & Mental Health
Food and Shelter
- Provides basic services of feeding and sheltering those in crisis.
- Welcomes volunteers through the food program or shelter assistance. Help cook or serve, help with office duties, take care of shelter residents, or volunteer with community events and fundraisers.
Salvation Army
- Provides a variety of community services such as emergency assistance, domestic violence, health, housing/residence services, and more.
- Accepts a variety of donations, including goods, clothing, bonds/stocks/funds, planned giving, airline miles, and monetary.
The Virtue Center
- Offers a full spectrum of services from prevention to aftercare for clients of all ages, providing clients with the tools to face every day issues through counseling, education, and overall support.
- Volunteer, donate, or assist with fundraisers.
Thunderbird Clubhouse
- Provides support to individuals in recovery from mental illness, connecting members as they rediscover talents, abilities, and interests.
- Become a member or make a donation.
Transition House
- Offers programs and provides tools for sustaining mental wellness with skills development, supportive care, and advocacy.
- Consider a donation or attend/sponsor their annual June Bug Jam.
Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity
- This local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International works to eliminate substandard housing in Cleveland County.
- Volunteer in store or on construction sites.
Red Rock Behavior Services
- Nonprofit community mental health center that provides mental health services and referrals to physical health services.
- View a list of hotlines, shelters, and other vital resources on the “Resources” page.
Women & Children
Assistance League
- Operation School Bell matches elementary or middle school students with clothing.
- Volunteer for a variety of philanthropic programs and committees that meets your interests.
Bethesda
- Provides expert care for all children in Oklahoma who have suffered trauma of childhood sexual abuse.
- Volunteers provide support to the work of client treatment, including data entry, preparation of craft materials for client use, administrative functions, and providing childcare in waiting rooms.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in Norman, developing positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
- Apply to be a “Big,” offering one-to-one mentoring relationship. Can apply to be a part of the Community, School, or Big Couple program.
Boys and Girls Club of Norman
- After school programming for students ages 6-18, offered through parent agency CCFI
- Offers a variety of opportunities year-round for individuals and groups.
Bridges of Norman
- Empowers high school students in family crisis to pursue education without obstacles. Provides physical, mental, and educational assistance towards high school graduation, offers mentorship, and guides students towards fulfilling careers.
- Volunteer to become a mentor, career coach, or donate clothing, housing goods, or nonperishable food items.
South Central Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
- Recruits, screens, trains, and supports court-appointed special advocates (CASAs) in Cleveland, McClain, and Garvin Counties.
- Accepts volunteers year-round. Apply on the website > Volunteer.
Center for Children & Families
- Provides a variety of services for families, including a diaper closet, parenting classes, counseling services, divorcing/co-parent services, teenage and new parent classes, and more.
- Offers a variety of opportunities year-round for individuals and groups, such as providing homework help, assisting in food distribution and clean up, working in the front office/baby pantry, and more.
Cleveland County Health Clinic
- Sooner Start
- Early intervention program designed to meet the needs of infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. Also provides other services like dental care and car seat installation
- Child Guidance Program
- Developmental and hearing screening for children from birth to 12 years of age
- Children First
- First time moms, referrals must contact before 29 weeks
- WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)
- Guidance programs for young families & more.
Community After School Program
- Provides a safe and enriching environment for children after school while their parents are at work.
- Accepts volunteers for literacy tutoring, “Be Fit Club” nutrition and exercise assistance, and other short-term volunteers who may have limited availability of less than one semester.
Compassionate Friends
- Provides highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a family member, and helps others better assist the grieving family.
- Welcomes volunteers to help provide packets to the newly bereaved as well as other support opportunities.
Crossroads Youth & Family Services
- Provides counseling services, Head Start programs, and emergency youth shelter.
- Baby Steps supports high school students in parenting to complete their high school education while providing a safe, nurturing environment for children.
- Offers a variety of flexible opportunities, such as office management, group philanthropic projects, support staff internships, field experience for college students, and more.
Head Start Programs
- Lists day cares for young children in Norman and surrounding area.
- Volunteer opportunities vary by location.
Infant Crisis Center of OKC
- Baby Mobile provides assistance to children from birth through age three, travels to Metro area.
- Volunteer opportunities vary, including purchasing and assembling kits for clients in need. Engaging volunteer opportunities for teens including a summer program and Teen Associate Board.
JD McCarty Center
- Provides a comprehensive program of rehabilitative care to Oklahoma’s children with developmental disabilities from birth to age 21.
- Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities such as therapy, clinical or administrative, recreational activities, school, and sewing projects.
Junior League of Norman
- Baby Steps supports high school students in parenting to complete their high school education while providing a safe, nurturing environment for children.
- Become a member or inquire to learn more about volunteer opportunities that help local organizations like Baby Steps, Norman Public Schools, and JD McCarty Center.
Loveworks Leadership
- Committed to helping middle school students discover their potential and live into their dreams.
- Accepts volunteers that are passionate about impacting the lives of middle school students year-round.
Mary Abbott's Children's House
- Preventing abuse, advocating for children, and fostering hope and healing. A safe place for children to tell their stories regarding abuse and neglect, as well as children who are a witness to crime and in drug endangered situations.
- Offers volunteer opportunities, accepted donated comfort items.
Mission Norman
- Christian-based organization dedicated to serving particularly to persons who are homeless by providing transitional housing, clothing, food, counseling, and other services.
- Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities including answering phones, checking in clients, working in the pantry, helping with grounds mowing and general clean-up, and more.
Women's Resource Center
- Dedicated to supporting individuals who have experienced violence in the Cleveland County community. Offers specialized services catered to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Services are offered at no cost.
- Offers volunteer opportunities, and accepts donated goods such as personal hygiene items, pantry staples, and other goods.
Women's Sanctuary
- Supports basic human rights by offering homeless and low-income women and children resources, providing support and advocacy to alleviate the efforts of poverty within the community, and providing tools to overcome homelessness.
- Offers volunteer opportunities and opportunities to become a parish liaison.