VOLUNTEERING INFO
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Volunteer Opportunities in Rockford & Winnebago County
Volunteering creates purpose and builds a stronger community. United Way Rock River Valley connects individuals and workplaces with meaningful volunteer opportunities in Rockford and across Winnebago County. Whether you’re searching for volunteer opportunities near you, looking to volunteer as an individual, or exploring corporate volunteer opportunities for your workplace, we help match your time and talents to real community needs. From early literacy support to hands-on community projects, volunteering with United Way creates lasting impact—right here where you live and work.
Choose Your Path
Looking to volunteer as an individual, or with a workplace team? Start here.
Individual Volunteers
Explore volunteer opportunities near you in Rockford and Winnebago County. Flexible time commitments and structure.
Explore Individual Opportunities
Workplace Volunteers
Corporate volunteer opportunities for teams of any size. Easy to plan and meaningful to complete.
Learn About Workplace Opportunities
Individual Volunteer Opportunities
Make a difference, on your schedule.
Volunteering in your community can be incredibly rewarding. If you’re looking to volunteer in Rockford or nearby communities, United Way offers flexible opportunities for individuals, families, and small groups. Whether you can give one hour a week or help with a one-time project, your time supports children, families, and neighbors across Winnebago County.
Examples include:
- Classroom reading support
- Book sorting and literacy projects
- Community-based volunteer needs through partner agencies Jump to WeVolunteer.org section
Opportunities are available throughout Rockford and Winnebago County, making it easy to find volunteer opportunities near you.
FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES
Classroom Volunteering
Support K–3 students in the Harlem School District through small-group literacy activities in the classroom. You’ll work with the same classroom and see growth over the school year, with materials and guidance provided by the teacher.
Schedule: October–May, 30–60 minutes/week (day/time flexible)
EMAIL DAN WITH AVAILABILITY →
United Way Office Volunteering
Help power our book distribution work as we aim to place over 100,000+ books into the community this year. Volunteers assist with book stickering, book sorting, and supporting other office projects—like assembling folders and other fundraising materials.
Great for: Individuals or small groups looking for flexible opportunities
CONNECT TO GET STARTED →
Strong Neighborhood House
Bring a group together to support hands-on projects that help maintain and beautify the Strong Neighborhood House on Irving Avenue, keeping the space welcoming for neighborhood residents.
Best for: Workplace teams or community groups
GET STARTED →
Workplace & Corporate Volunteer Opportunities
Engage your team. Strengthen your community.
United Way Rock River Valley partners with employers to offer meaningful corporate volunteer opportunities that build teamwork while supporting local nonprofits. From small teams to large groups, we help workplaces create impactful volunteering experiences that align with company values and community needs.
Workplace options include:
- Day of Caring (annual community-wide volunteer event)
- On-site kit builds (literacy, hygiene, snacks, teacher support)
- Custom group projects with nonprofit partners
FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Day of Caring
Friday, September 18, 2026
Day of Caring is United Way Rock River Valley’s signature corporate volunteering event, bringing together workplace teams for a morning of hands-on service across Rockford and Winnebago County.
It’s an opportunity to give back, strengthen team connections, and make a visible impact in the community.
LEARN MORE →
Run a Corporate Campaign
Corporate campaigns allow workplaces to support United Way’s work year-round through employee engagement, giving, and volunteerism.
United Way Rock River Valley partners with organizations of all sizes to design campaigns that align with company culture, values, and community impact goals—strengthening both teams and our region.
LEARN MORE →
Hands-On Kit Building
Bring meaningful volunteerism directly to your workplace—no travel required. United Way Rock River Valley brings all supplies to you so your team can assemble kits that support local community partners.
Teams can choose from ready-to-go options or work with us to design a custom kit tied to a book theme, team passion, or companywide goal. Pricing ranges from $8-$15 per kit and includes the cost of supplies plus project facilitation.
CONNECT WITH OUR TEAM →
Additional Volunteer Opportunities: WeVolunteer
United Way Rock River Valley is proud to offer WeVolunteer.org, a community-wide volunteer connection platform for both organizations seeking help and individuals looking to serve. Whether you’re looking to give your time or need help powering your mission, WeVolunteer connects people with purpose.
For volunteers
WeVolunteer makes it easy to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities across Winnebago County. Individuals, families, and groups can browse current needs posted by local nonprofits and community organizations and register directly with the organization that fits their interests, schedule, and skills.
For Agencies
WeVolunteer provides a simple way to reach new volunteers. Any nonprofit, service club, school, or community organization can create a profile, post volunteer opportunities, and manage sign-ups in one central location—at no cost.
Are you an agency in need of volunteers?
Register your organization on WeVolunteer today and start sharing your volunteer needs with the community.
From Our Volunteers
Volunteering with I READ at Parker Elementary has been an absolute joy and incredibly fulfilling. Watching the students' knowledge grow and their excitement for learning light up the room each week is truly inspiring. I always look forward to my time with them—it's fun, rewarding, and a meaningful way to make a real impact!
— Rachel
IREAD Classroom Volunteer
Our staff had an incredible experience volunteering during the United Way's Day of Caring and beyond. We were thrilled to contribute to the United for Literacy campaign by supporting various projects that advance this important initiative. This opportunity perfectly aligns with our mission to enhance literacy within our community. We truly enjoyed our time working with United Way and look forward to continuing our efforts in the future.
— Ann Kossman
Rock Valley Credit Union
I volunteer as an IREAD volunteer at the Parker Center in the Harlem School District. Honestly, I look forward to it every week! What could be more important than helping kindergarteners learn the basic skills for a lifetime of reading? Some kids are sailing along, other children need more help, encouragement, and confidence, but they are all learning and growing. It's great to contribute to that in even a small way and support the teachers in their work.
— Lisa Vrbin
IREAD Volunteer
Volunteering with United Way has been an extremely rewarding experience! Not only did our Employees get to make a tangible impact in our community, but the energy and support from the United Way team made it feel more like a celebration than work.
— John Adams
Waldom Electronics
The Rock River Valley United Way makes it easy for our team to give back through meaningful opportunities all year long. Whether it's a hands-on project like the Day of Caring or in-house activities like book stickering, getting involved was seamless.
— Becca Peterson
Pyramid Plastics
Cherice and the United Way of Rock River Valley have been amazing partners in helping us maintain engagement in the community. They have provided us with flexible opportunities that has allowed many on our team to participate regardless of their role.
— Casey Lester
FIELD