See how you can apply your skills and personal interests to make a real difference in the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need.

Each year 50% of Americans donate a total of more than 20 billion hours to various causes. Hayward offers a wide range of opportunities to join in the fun:

Literacy and Education Opportunities:

• Literacy Plus Tutor
  Provide free, confidential, one-to-one literacy tutoring to English-speaking adults who read below 8th-grade level.
• Friends of the Library
  Involves a variety of activities, principally book sales to raise funds for Library services, newsletter mailings, and promoting the Library in the community.
• Homework Support Center
  Help students with their homework after school, Monday through Thursday.
• Volunteer Opportunities for Teens
  In the spring and summer, students in Grade 7 and up help with the Summer Reading Game or other library programs and projects. Other projects for young volunteers may be available during the year.
• Special Projects
  Include light clerical work, washing books, special library service projects.

Sustainability and Community Appearance Opportunities:

• Keep Hayward Clean & Green Task Force
  The KHCG Task Force organizes monthly community clean-up events throughout Hayward.
  These events provide Hayward residents with an opportunity to make a real and significant difference in their neighborhoods while connecting with similarly civic-minded individuals. Volunteers work to clean up litter, paint out graffiti and execute small landscape improvement projects in pre-identified Hayward neighborhoods. Supplies, instructions and maps are provided. Bring your gloves!

Public Safety & Emergency Response Opportunities:

• Community Emergency Response Team Program
  Participants in the course learn skills that will enable them to provide emergency assistance to their families and neighbors as well as organize a neighborhood team response in the event of a major disaster.
• Animal Shelter Volunteer Program
  Volunteers are essential to operations at the Hayward Animal Services. Without them, many shelter animals would never find a new home. Volunteers are needed to socialize and play with, groom, feed, walk, wash and clean up after dogs, cats, rabbits and other animals. We also need volunteers for pet adoption outreach, special events in the community and front office assistance. Are you a social media guru or handy with a still or video camera? We need your help too! Learn more about our volunteer program and opportunities. Attend an upcoming volunteer orientation at the Hayward Animal Shelter.
• Police Ambassador Program
  The Ambassador Program consists of volunteers trained to provide foot patrol services in the downtown Hayward area. An Ambassador usually volunteers about 2 hours per week. Ambassadors receive special training and any needed equipment from the Police Department, and are recognizable by their green Ambassador jackets.
• Police Explorer Program
  The Police Explorer Program provides young adults who may be interested in a career in law enforcement with a comprehensive program of training, competition, service and practical experiences. Character development, physical fitness, good citizenship and patriotism are integral components of the overall program. Contact Fire Administration 510.583.4943 for more information.
• Police Reserve Officer Program
  Our Police Reserve program has been in existence since the 1950s and continues to be a vital part of the Police Department. The Hayward Reserve Police Bureau is a volunteer organization, whose members supplement full time paid officers. The Reserve Bureau members conduct a variety of activities including assisting with large events, traffic control, serving arrest warrants, conducting random audits for compliance with sex registrants and supplementing daily activities that our regular sworn beat officers are engaged in everyday.
• RACES - Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services
  The RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services) volunteer program utilizes FCC licensed amateur radio operators who are Disaster Service Workers to provide auxiliary communications support to local government during an emergency or special event. Contact Fire Administration 510.583.4943 for more information.
• VIPS - Volunteers in Police Services
  Volunteers in Police Services are residents who volunteer for the Hayward Police Department. VIPS are involved in supporting a variety of departments such as District Operations, Crime Prevention, Special Duty Unit, Downtown Safety Officers, Property & Evidence and the Records Bureau. VIPS receive specialized training in their functional area.