Local Charities and Volunteering

Heifer International is a non-profit organization whose goal is to help end world hunger and poverty through self-reliance & sustainability. They are the organization that takes the old adage, "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." to the extreme. by providing education and livestock to people all over the country. The only catch is that those people must do the same for someone else. The whole of Heifer is centered on the idea that people can be taught to help themselves. You can volunteer for Heifer in many ways including being an educator, fundraiser or coordinator. 877-663-1686. More

The Van visits current homeless camps, searches for new camps, combs alleyways, bridges, and other places to seek out people in need. They take food, water, clothing and hygiene products to people where they are. The One, Inc. seeks to build relationships with members of the homeless community so that they may then identify barriers to obtaining income and housing, and help them move beyond their homelessness. They can always use money and goods, but can also use volunteers. More/Donate

According to the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, 18.8% of Arkansans live below the poverty line and can't afford enough food to eat. That means that 1 in 6 of your neighbors struggle with making ends meet and providing enough food for their family. Organizations like Arkansas Rice Depot will take monetary donations or donations of goods. They can also use some volunteers to organize food, drives and even do clerical work. Many local pantries need help distributing goods. Here's a list of organizations and pantries you can contact.

The Little Zoo include over 600 animals representing 170 species and promotes the conservation of wild species and the environment. You can volunteer at the Little Rock Zoo in a few different capacities. The most dedicated volunteers are the Little Rock Zoo Docents who present animal programs and conservation education as part of the Little Rock Zoo education department. However, the Little Rock Zoo also uses volunteers for some special events. More

CARTI's biggest event is the festival of trees.  At that event, volunteers do things like decorating trees, wrapping gifts and manning the silent auction. CARTI also has opportunities for non-holiday work including being a host, doing some clerical work and the patient pals program. They also take donations. 1-800-482-8561, ext. 612, or 501-660-7612. More

Let's not forget our fuzzy friends. The Humane Society and Little Rock Animal Village need volunteers to help give the animals a better quality of life by walking, playing with and cleaning them. They also need foster owners, volunteers for special events and donations of items for the animals. Call 501-227-6166 or 501-725-0250 for more information or visit their website.

The United Way Volunteer Center has more than 190 agencies in Pulaski County that each has opportunities for volunteer work. They will match your strengths and interests with volunteer opportunities. You can fill out a form online or call 501-376-4567. More

River City Ministries offers many services for the less fortunate including medical and dental services, food and shelter, career planning, financial help and more.  They always need professionals and others to volunteer their time.  More