Moving to a new city is easier when you feel connected — and volunteering is one of the fastest ways to build that connection. Indianapolis has a strong culture of community service, with organizations that welcome newcomers and provide meaningful ways to contribute. Here’s how to get involved.
Food Security Organizations
Gleaners Food Bank serves Central Indiana through a network of over 500 partner agencies. Volunteers sort and pack food at the distribution center, assist at mobile pantries, and help with fundraising events. The time commitment is flexible — single shifts are available, making it accessible for newcomers testing their availability.
Second Helpings rescues prepared and perishable food from restaurants, caterers, and manufacturers, transforming it into nutritious meals for social service agencies. Volunteers help in the kitchen, assist with food rescue pickups, and support the culinary job training program that helps adults with barriers to employment.
Midwest Food Bank Indianapolis operates a massive warehouse distribution center where volunteers sort, pack, and distribute food to agencies across the state. Saturday volunteer shifts are particularly popular with families.
Housing and Community Development
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis builds and renovates homes throughout Marion County. Construction volunteers don’t need experience — Habitat provides training and supervision on-site. The organization also runs ReStore locations where volunteers help process donated building materials and home goods.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) organizes neighborhood cleanups, tree plantings, and community beautification projects throughout the city. The programs are particularly effective for meeting neighbors and understanding different Indianapolis neighborhoods.
Youth and Education
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana matches adult mentors with young people who benefit from positive role models. The commitment is typically one to two meetings per month, and the organization provides training and support throughout the match.
The Indianapolis Public Library welcomes volunteers for literacy tutoring, English language learning assistance, and children’s programming. Multiple branch locations make it convenient regardless of where you live in the metro.
Junior Achievement of Central Indiana brings business and economic literacy programs to schools through volunteer-led classroom instruction. The programs are structured with provided curriculum, making it accessible even for first-time volunteers.
Environmental and Outdoor
Indiana Wildlife Federation and the Central Indiana Land Trust organize habitat restoration, trail maintenance, and environmental education programs. The Eagle Creek Park volunteers and White River cleanup events provide outdoor volunteering that connects you with Indianapolis’s natural resources.
How to Find Opportunities
VolunteerMatch.org and United Way of Central Indiana both maintain searchable databases of volunteer opportunities across the metro. The Indy Do Day (annual citywide service day) is an excellent entry point for newcomers who want a structured group experience.
For more on community life in Indianapolis, explore our free things to do guide and best neighborhoods.