At Solid Ground, we believe people who volunteer their time and skills in service of others have the power to create stronger communities and move us closer to solving poverty. And while we’ve always been grateful for every volunteer who’s walked through our doors over the last 50 years, our gratitude may never have been deeper than in the wake of the pandemic.

In that first year, when lockdowns were the norm and people were dying by the tens of thousands, the volunteers who’d long been the lifeblood of our agency and other nonprofits were suddenly unable to serve in the same ways. At Solid Ground alone, we saw the number of volunteers donating their time drop from more than 2,100 in 2019 to fewer than 700 in 2021. 

“Most organizations basically closed down for volunteering at first, including Solid Ground,” says our Volunteer Services Manager, Jennifer Gahagan. “There quickly became a few opportunities available to meet critical needs, like delivering groceries, but there were very few remote opportunities in those days and most people just couldn’t volunteer like they did before.” 

Four years later, volunteering is making a big comeback – although it’s still not like it was before the pandemic. Last year, Solid Ground worked alongside 1,246 volunteers who contributed 38,350 hours of their time, valued at more than $1.4 million.  

This includes volunteers who directly support Solid Ground programs as well as AmeriCorps Seniors members through our Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), which matches people 55 and older with volunteer opportunities at one of 35 partner organizations across King County. These dedicated volunteers do nearly every kind of task imaginable, from tutoring kids at Sand Point Housing to packing up food for one of Seattle’s food banks. 

See All Upcoming Volunteer Orientations

We’ve had so many volunteers sign up for one of Solid Ground’s newer programs, Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA), we’ve had to temporarily pause signing up new people so we can train the folks we already have. But there’s still far more need than there are volunteers, both at Solid Ground and organizations across King County. 

“There’s a lot of demand for volunteers right now,” Jennifer says. “People who volunteer their time allow organizations to provide services and programs for our community that simply wouldn’t exist without them.” 

There are also more ways to volunteer now. Many organizations have volunteer opportunities that can be done at home or virtually, and in-person volunteering has come back as well. Just this past January, RSVP held its first in-person meeting in four years, much to the joy of volunteers. “They really missed it,” Jennifer says. 

And we continue to partner with new organizations through RSVP, including Rebuilding Together Seattle, a nonprofit that supports housing stability for low-income homeowners by providing free home repairs and upgrades. To support critical community needs, RSVP currently seeks volunteer tutors, nutrition educators, home helpers, knitters, and more!  

“There are so many ways to volunteer, and so many great things about doing it,” Jennifer says. “It’s a chance to serve others and really make a difference in someone’s life, as well as make new friends, learn new skills, and feel more connected to our community.” 

Join us for an upcoming Solid Ground Volunteer Orientation or Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Info Session to learn more!  

Questions about volunteering with Solid Ground? Contact Carol-Ann Smith, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteers@solid-ground.org.

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Graphic at top by Bee Ho, Weird Works.