LightHouse for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Come volunteer!

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides education, training, advocacy, and community for blind individuals in California and around the world. Founded and based in San Francisco since 1902, the LightHouse is one of the largest and most established comprehensive blindness organizations in North America, with a wide variety of programs to suit a wide variety of needs, as well as a rich network of blindness advocates and professionals.

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, tax EIN 94-1415317.

Volunteering

Volunteers are essential to the success of our organization. We welcome volunteers who have a positive philosophy on blindness, a willingness to learn, and a desire to further LightHouse’s mission. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us!

Our volunteers work at our downtown San Francisco headquarters and throughout the greater Bay Area. Based on your interests, you may sign up to be a volunteer in the following roles. These roles are flexible and we encourage volunteers to participate in different ways:

• Personal Services Volunteer: PSVs work directly with LightHouse students who are blind or has low vision on a number of tasks where having vision may be useful, like sorting mail, grocery shopping, and organizing paperwork. We need volunteers who have good verbal skills, enjoy working with people, and are flexible in tasks and scheduling. (Note: if you are a blind individual who would like to have a personal service volunteer, please email volunteer@lighthouse-sf.org, with the subject line “Personal Services Request”).
• Fitness Partner: Do you like getting outside, getting your heart rate up, or just generally staying healthy? This is the role for you! Fitness Partners work with blind or low vision individuals who want to lead healthy lives, whether it’s as a running partner or half of a tandem cycling team. All fitness levels are welcome!
•  LightHouse  Agency Volunteer: At our office spaces there is always extra work to be done, from administrative tasks and data entry to more creative tasks like prepping and assisting with new initiatives. These volunteers are organized, focused, and passionate about efficiency and healthy agency operations.
• Program & Event Volunteers: We offer programs and events throughout the year, many of which need volunteers to support! We need volunteers at Cycle for Sight, yoga workshops, fundraisers, and more. Program and Event volunteers are flexible, enjoy working with people, and willing to help with logistics like setting up food or packing up supplies.
• Enchanted Hills Camp Volunteer: During the summer, Enchanted Hills Camp is a bustling campus filled with blind campers doing everything from immersive arts and educational classes, to music academy, horseback riding, and archery. Summer volunteers at EHC typically exhibit lots of energy and passion for the outdoors, recreation, learning, and a high level of ability to work alongside children, adults, and individuals with developmental disabilities.Throughout the rest of the year, EHC stays busy with immersive blindness trainings, programs, and retreat groups. Twice a year, we invite volunteers to join us EHC Community Volunteer Days, where we do everything from removing invasive plant species to fire abatement to painting facilities.

Ask us to find the right position to fit your strengths. No matter where your interests lie, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired offers volunteer opportunities that make our community stronger, more vibrant, and more inclusive every day.

Are you part of a group? We would love to work with you to create a volunteer opportunity tailed to your group. Group volunteering fosters team growth outside of your usual workspace and provides a perfect opportunity to support a local organization. We host groups at both our San Francisco headquarters and Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa. If interested, please email the volunteer engagement specialist at volunteer@lighthouse-sf.org or call 415-694-7320.

How do I begin volunteering?

1. Sign up to volunteer today!
2. After signing up, you will be invited to attend our once-monthly volunteer orientation.
3. You may be asked to complete a background check, depending on how you would like to volunteer with LightHouse.

Thank you for your interest and we looking forward to seeing you at LightHouse in the near future!