Join us for a Love Your Lakes shoreline cleanup at a location near you! Every week, local community members come together across the Durham Region to take action and protect Lake Ontario. Each cleanup brings us closer to cleaner shorelines, stronger communities, and our goal of removing 10 million pieces of litter since A Greener Future began in 2014.

Each cleanup lasts approximately 2 hours. When you arrive, you’ll be welcomed by our team and have the chance to meet your fellow volunteers. Before starting, our team will provide a brief orientation and hand out supplies so everyone feels prepared to participate. We’ll take a fun group photo to celebrate our collective action against litter, then begin our cleanup journey along the shoreline.

After each event, our team collects, sorts, and records each piece of litter volunteers collect. This real litter data supports research, education, and advocacy efforts — meaning that when you join a cleanup, you’re not just picking up litter, you’re joining a community movement taking meaningful action for the freshwater we all rely on.

These family-friendly events are open to everyone — no experience needed! Whether you’re looking for high school volunteer hours, a way to make a difference in your community, or simply something meaningful to do outdoors, our cleanups are a great way to spend your time. Our shorelines and wildlife need our help, and every piece collected makes an impact.

Want to get involved? Find a Love Your Lakes cleanup near you by visiting our events page, selecting your region, and registering for an upcoming event. We can’t wait to welcome you to the shoreline!

Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) has a variety of volunteer opportunities for secondary and post-secondary students,  corporate opportunities,  festival events (Durham Children's Watershed Festival and Purple Woods Maple Syrup Festival) and the Conservation Area Trail Stewards (CATS) program. 

General volunteers do a variety of tasks including food service * dispensing pantry goods * monitoring washrooms * coat check * and various other odd jobs.

Do you like to drive? Do you enjoy helping others? We need you!

Imagine being told you have cancer, and that you need to travel each day to receive life-saving treatment but you have no way to get there. 

That’s where the Canadian Cancer Society’s Wheels of Hope comes in – a program that offers a ride for people with cancer who need help getting to and from their treatment appointments.   

We need volunteer drivers all over the Durham region. The program operates Monday to Friday during the day. A mileage reimbursement is offered. If you have a weekday to spare or even just a few days per month, please consider signing up for Wheels of Hope!

Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary is the only monkey sanctuary in Canada. We are verified by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. Volunteer tasks include indoor and outdoor enclosure cleaning * preparing dinners,  food enrichment and treats for the moneys *  If skilled, carpentry projects, such as building monkey sleep boxes, creating structural enrichment and assisting with facilities maintenance * If you are unable to join us on-site, there are other volunteer opportunities to assist with fundraising, campaigns and outreach. Retirees welcomed! 
 
  
 
Safety Note: As a sanctuary, physical contact with the monkeys is extremely limited. We respect their space and only interact with them on their terms through their enclosures to provide enrichment, support and comfort." 
 
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During the morning shift, the meal is prepared for service later in the day.
Tasks for this shift include:

• Buttering buns
• Rolling cutlery
• Plating desserts
• Sorting food
• Peeling and/or cutting vegetables
• Making salad
• Making fruit salad
• Bagging food to-go
• Washing, drying, and/or putting away dishes
• Doing laundry

During the afternoon shift, guests are served a meal.
Tasks for this shift include:

• Serving guests at their tables
• Busing tables
• Wiping tables and chairs as guests leave 
• Scraping plates 
• Preparing drinks (coffee, tea, juice, and water)
• Plating meals from the steam table
• Washing, drying, and/or putting away dishes
• Handing out food to guests to go

Looking for long-term Volunteers (minimum of 6 months, required to attend 2 hours minimum per week) to assist with every day programs, events, outings, entertainment and much MORE! Please apply online on our AgeCare website! 

• Assisting in preparation of new garden beds
• Planting seeds & seedlings
• Assisting or facilitating community teaching events & student workshops
• Helping with crafts and interactive activities
• Occasional maintenance such as watering or tidying
• Some moving of soil (Volunteers will be notified in advance, and participation will be optional)

Front of House volunteers provide excellent customer service to all Whitby Courthouse Theatre patrons in roles such as ushering, concessions sales, ticket scanners, etc.

Other volunteer roles include backstage help, set construction, props, costumes, and painting. Please fill out the form to indicate your areas of interest. 

https://forms.office.com/r/GNZ7UZKmJw

COSTI is currently recruiting volunteers for its Community Connections Program to support government-sponsored refugee families arriving in the Greater Toronto Area. Selected volunteers will be matched with a newcomer family to assist in their integration and settlement journey, providing guidance, support, and a welcoming presence as they adapt to their new community.

Duties of Welcome Group volunteers might vary based on the family’s needs, some of which might include  

• Build a positive and trusting relationship with newcomer families 

• Socialize and engage with the newcomer family to help build connections and raise a sense of belonging 

• Provide interpretation support if you speak the same language as the family  

• Escort the newcomer clients to some appointments to help navigate the public transportation system 

• Provide information and share resources based on the family's needs 

• Hold a casual conversation with parents/ adult family members to enhance English skills  

If you are interested, please contact us at nahrin.ojanes@costi.org

Deliver food boxes on Friday mornings to clients' homes.  Food boxes contain a variety of healthy food essentials, locally made or grown. Volunteers pick up the food boxes at the Whitby Hub.

Packers assemble food items, organize and fill food boxes on Thursdays.

Deliver meals along an assigned route usually designed to be completed in 1-1.5hrs * Deliver meals to the clients' door.  Have a few minutes for a brief chat.  Pick-up around 11am.

Pack meals in MOW bags in the morning hours

Clean out and sanitize returning MOW bags in the afternoon 
 

Assist shoppers purchase new and gently-used womens, mens and childrens clothing * ensure tidiness of store * set up and take down displays * handle cash * sort clothing donations * promote, be able to talk to customers about Bethesda House