Many colleges want to see what kinds of community service applicants have done during high school. Thankfully, there are many community service ideas to try out.

Here’s a brief list of community service ideas to use if you haven’t found the time to provide service just yet for college applications.

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Helping Out Kids

• Begin tutoring students at your school in subjects that you’re strong at, or start a peer tutoring program
• Become a summer camp counselor or help volunteer with children’s programs at a local community center
• Help coach a local youth sports team
• Volunteer to read at your local library to children
• Teach mini classes or lessons at an after-school program or daycare center for pre-school kids
• Contact your local high school or community mentorship program and become a mentor

Helping Promote Safety

• Volunteer to help at a local police or fire station
• Become a certified lifeguard and volunteer your help at a local pool and/or beach
• Help clean up graffiti damage in your neighborhood
• Help organize a self-defense class
• Volunteer your time at a drug prevention program
• Start a neighborhood watch program to promote safety
• Teach a home-alone safety class for small kids
• Volunteer as a crossing guard for a local elementary school

Helping Out Schools

• Start or work with a local anti-bullying program
• Work with students to help maintain the school premises, e.g., picking up trash, helping plant a garden, help paint areas with school officials’ permission
• Collect prom outfits to donate to students who have problems affording them.
• Start a food pantry at a school to hold canned goods and other useful nonperishables like toiletries.
• Collect backpacks and other school supplies for families who have trouble affording them.
• Seek out donations for books and other supplies, leading to a fundraiser to help out.

Helping Out The Community At Large

• Help paint local park benches
• Donate used books to your library
• Volunteer your time as a tour guide for a local museum
• Help plant flowers and other plants in public areas
• Organize a campaign to raise money for new playground equipment
• Volunteer time to help organize a community-hosted parade
• Help clean up a vacant public lot
• Adopt a section of highway and spend time cleaning up trash alongside it
• Help fix or raise money for a run-down playground or park
• Help local clean up efforts after a natural disaster occurs

Helping Out The Homeless

• Volunteer time at a local soup kitchen or food bank
• Host a Thanksgiving dinner for people or donate supplies to a local food bank hosting a dinner
• Organize a food or clothing drive for a local shelter
• Help build homes with Habitat For Humanity for the homeless
• Help buy Christmas gifts or participate in a Toys 4 Tots program during the holidays
• Provide free babysitting service for families that need childcare help
• Become a Big Buddy or mentor to a child at a homeless shelter

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