Get Out and Give Back

Feeling like you want to do something meaningful with your spare time? You’re in luck: Santa Fe is a hotspot for volunteerism.

With hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the region, volunteer opportunities range from traditional to obscure in a multitude of areas, so even the pickiest of folks can find a way to give back to their community.

The Santa Fe Watershed Association (1413 2nd St # 3, 820-1696) works to protect and restore the Santa Fe River and surrounding vegetation and wildlife habitats in an effort to safeguard both the ecosystem and our water supply. Short-term and long-term volunteers are needed to help with education and advocacy, trash pickup, vegetation management, special events and more.

Animal lovers in Santa Fe have a broad assortment of volunteer options from which to choose. The Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society (100 Caja del Rio Road, 983-4309) not only provides opportunities for people ages 12 and older to give hands-on help with animals at the shelter, but also seeks volunteers for work that ranges from providing administrative assistance to photographing animals for the adoption website to sorting donations at the resale furniture shop, Look What the Cat Dragged In. Volunteers at The Horse Shelter (1600 Lena St. 471-6179), which rescues and rehabilitates abused, abandoned and neglected horses in Northern New Mexico, have the opportunity to help with fundraising and events, as well as working directly with the horses.

Randall Davey Audubon Center and Sancturary (800 Upper Canyon Road, 983-4609), For nature lover’s, the Randall Davey Audubon Center and Sancturary is looking for volunteers to help in the visitor’s center and assist with landscaping and trail work, and even serve as Natural History Education and Field Biology assistants.

Many Mothers (1824 Tewa Road, 983-5984) is a local nonprofit that gives free in-house assistance to mothers and families with newborns. The organization matches volunteers with mothers and families through an interview and selection process. The assistance provided depends on the mother’s needs and can range from helping with household tasks and coaching in new parenting to doing grocery shopping or holding the baby while Mom reads to a sibling, gets some exercise or takes a nap.

A popular choice for those wanting to help the greater good, The Food Depot (1222 Siler Road, 471-1633) is Santa Fe’s food bank, and it relies heavily on volunteer support to operate. Volunteer opportunities range from one-time to long lasting commitments; their LOVE (Little Ones Volunteer Experience) program offers children ages 3 and up a chance to learn about serving their community.

The Railyard Stewards (805 Early St. 204 B, 316-3596) work to maintain the Railyard Park and Plaza and coordinate outreach programs within the community. Volunteers provide help with landscaping and care for the park’s ornamental gardens, as well as fundraising and coordination of visitor programming and education.

Those looking to experience farm life and get their hands dirty should head north. En route to Española is Camino de Paz School & Farm (03A Camino de Paz, 747-6707), which recruits volunteer help to feed and cuddle baby goats, plant seeds, clean animal pens and provide all-around farmhand labor.