12 Fun Team Building Volunteer Ideas to Engage Employees With Purpose

Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.
- Marjorie Moore, Executive Director, MindsEye

There’s something quietly fulfilling about being able to help someone. I remember tutoring my house-help’s son outside work hours. One evening, he ran up to tell me he’d passed his exams. His father smiled, eyes welling up as he thanked me. And in that moment, I understood what my dad once quoted to me:

Success isn’t measured by what you can buy, it is measured by your capacity to help someone without thinking twice.

That’s the heart of corporate volunteering. It’s not about ticking boxes for your annual CSR reports or polishing a brand image. It’s about the quiet joy that comes from giving back and how that joy amplifies when shared by a team united around a meaningful cause.

When employees come together through team-building volunteer activities, it’s more than just bonding. It builds purpose, trust, and connection, both within the team and the wider community. 

Did You Know 💡
According to a 2024 Deloitte Volunteerism Survey, 91% of employees believe that company-sponsored volunteer programs boost morale and strengthen workplace relationships.

Whether your teams are remote, hybrid, or on-site, we’ve curated a list of corporate volunteering ideas designed to spark action and inspire collective impact. From virtual initiatives to in-office volunteering ideas and on-ground nonprofit collaborations, these activities will bring your people closer while making a tangible difference in the world.

We have also included a checklist toward the end of this article to help teams execute a purposeful corporate volunteering event.

Top 12 Virtual and In-Person Team Building Volunteer Ideas for 2025

Virtual Team Building Volunteer Ideas

Virtual team building volunteer activities make it possible for employees to support meaningful causes no matter where they work from. Whether your teams are fully remote or scattered across regions, these ideas ensure they can collaborate, build connections, and drive social impact together.

Disaster Relief Aid: Support Global Communities With These Group Volunteer Ideas

1. First-Aid Kit Supply Drive‍

You can host a virtual supply drive where employees assemble DIY first aid kits from home, filled with essentials like bandages, sanitizers, and over-the-counter medicines. The assembly process can be guided through easy video tutorials or done together during an organization-wide, virtual huddle. Once ready, employees can ship the supply packages directly to your nonprofit partner, who can then distribute them to affected communities. It’s an impactful group activity that unites your teams for a collective purpose.

💡Inspiring example of impactFeeding America's virtual supply drive for the Texas winter storm raised $1.7M, with 300+ companies participating, providing 18M meals and supplies. The virtual supply drive allowed companies to create their own online fundraising pages and encourage their employees and customers to donate funds to help purchase critical supplies such as water, food, and shelter for people affected by the storm.

2. Remote Volunteer Coordination

Partnering with a disaster relief nonprofit and providing remote coordination support is a high-impact corporate volunteering idea. Employees can help schedule volunteer shifts, communicate with on-ground teams, track aid delivery, and manage logistics—all virtually.

💡Inspiring Example of Impact
Microsoft partnered with Team Rubicon to create a volunteer management system for disaster response, aiding in the quick identification and deployment of volunteers through its tech support. The system also allows remote coordination and communication, increasing efficiency.

Academic and Educational Support

3. Virtual Career Mentoring

This is one of the best team building volunteer activities that connects professional expertise with purpose through skills-based volunteering. Skills-based volunteering is when employees apply their specialized talents, like marketing, finance, or career coaching, and other expertise to support nonprofits and community initiatives. It goes beyond traditional volunteering by offering meaningful, high-impact support where it’s needed most.

Partner with schools or nonprofits to offer underserved students virtual career guidance, resume reviews, mock interviews, and mentorship. It’s a rewarding way for employees to share knowledge and shape future leaders. 

According to Mentor, 76% of youth with a mentor aspire to enroll and graduate from college, nearly double the rate of those without mentors.

Organizations can partner with schools or educational institutions to provide virtual career mentoring to students, enabling career exploration and development. Employees can also provide feedback on resumes and cover letters. This remote volunteering opportunity allows employees to share their expertise and provide valuable career support to students without having to leave their homes.

4. Online Translation Volunteering 

Enable employees fluent in multiple languages to volunteer virtually by translating educational materials for students in underserved communities. These workplace volunteering ideas help improve literacy and access to education across geographies.

💡 Knowledge Hub
UNESCO estimates that 40% of the global population does not have access to education in a language they speak or understand well—translation volunteers can bridge this gap meaningfully.

Health and Wellness Awareness Aid

5. Virtual Walk Fundraiser

Hosting a virtual walk/run fundraiser is a fantastic way to combine employee volunteering activities with health and wellness advocacy. Organizations can organize virtual walk fundraisers to raise awareness and funds for chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease. 

Employees around the globe can join in for a walk/run in their neighborhoods or on a virtual treadmill to raise awareness in their communities. This virtual volunteering opportunity allows employees to promote health and wellness while raising funds and awareness for an important cause.

💡Inspiring Example of Impact
In 2020, American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life events, many of which were held virtually due to the pandemic, collectively raised over $65 million to fund cancer research and patient support services. The largest documented virtual event, Relay For Life of Second Life, engaged 1,433 avatars and raised over $305,000.

6. Virtual Support Groups

Organizing virtual support groups led by employees is a unique way to blend empathy with action. For example, host an HIV awareness and support group where employees with lived experiences or expertise facilitate safe, judgment-free conversations.

These group volunteer activities can address diverse cause areas, from mental health to chronic illnesses, throughout the year, giving employees an ongoing way to support their communities.

What employees can do, and how it helps:

• Employees and their relatives and friends with personal experience or knowledge of HIV can be facilitators for the support group. 
• Employees can address topics related to HIV, including coping mechanisms and treatment options, and raise awareness about common misconceptions. 
• This also provides an avenue for employees to learn more about HIV, increase awareness, and reduce the stigma.
• Virtual meetings through video conferencing or messaging apps provide a safe and private space for individuals living with HIV to share their experiences and receive support from others who understand what they are going through.

These support groups can focus on different cause areas throughout the year to enable continuous impact and learning opportunities for employees.

💡 Did you know?
According to UNAIDS, stigma and discrimination remain major barriers to HIV care, with many people living with HIV avoiding healthcare due to fear of mistreatment. UNAIDS aims for less than 10% of people living with HIV to experience stigma and discrimination in healthcare and community settings by 2027.

You may find this interesting: 8 Nonprofit organizations on the lookout for virtual volunteers.

In-Person Team Building Volunteer Ideas to Bring Teams Closer With Purpose

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
- Helen Keller

There’s something special about rolling up your sleeves together, side by side, to make a real difference in your own neighborhood. When employees work together to solve local challenges, they connect in ways that transcend regular work tasks, creating shared memories and a lasting sense of purpose. In-person group volunteer activities don’t just help communities, they build stronger, more united teams inside your company. 

We’ve rounded up some of the best team-building volunteer ideas that get your people moving, collaborating, and delivering meaningful impact where they live and work. Doing good doesn’t always have to feel serious. Sometimes, a little friendly competition, laughter, and teamwork are exactly what sparks the biggest impact. After all, when helping others feels like fun, everyone wins.

Food Bank and Hunger Relief Aid

‍7. Food Drive Competition 

Turn giving into a game. Organize a friendly food drive competition to collect non-perishable food items for a local food bank or hunger relief organization. Departments or teams can compete to gather the most donations, with prizes (and bragging rights) for the winners. This is not just a fun group volunteer activity—it’s a simple way to spotlight food insecurity in your community and make a tangible difference.

‍8. Employee Volunteering at Food Banks 

Encourage employee volunteering activities where team members work together to sort, pack, and distribute food donations. This strengthens camaraderie while offering employees direct insight into food insecurity challenges in their area. Plus, hands-on team building volunteer ideas like these tend to spark great conversations and even greater teamwork.

Climate and Environmental Crisis

9. Adopt-a-Park Program 

Got a park nearby? Adopt it! Partner with local parks or reserves to clean up, plant trees, and maintain trails. These group volunteer activities give teams a chance to enjoy the outdoors while making their community greener and cleaner. And trust us, trading boardrooms for fresh air does wonders for morale.

💡 Inspiring Example of Impact
In FY 2024, NYC Parks engaged 39,186 volunteers across all programs, and in FY 2023, the Stewardship team alone contributed over 14,000 volunteer hours.

10. Host an Energy Efficiency Drive‍

Empower employees to lead sustainability workshops, conduct office energy audits, and promote eco-friendly habits. These workplace volunteering ideas help employees lead green initiatives both in the office and at home, creating ripple effects throughout the community.

Did you know💡
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, commercial and industrial buildings can waste up to 30% of the energy they consume due to inefficiencies. Conducting energy audits helps identify these inefficiencies and implement improvements that significantly reduce energy waste and costs.

Human Rights and Cultural Inclusion

11. Cultural Exchange Volunteering Activities

Through this employee volunteer activity, companies can strengthen community relations and support human rights. Employees can volunteer to teach language classes, share culinary knowledge, and spotlight cultural traditions to foster awareness and understanding.

‍12. Community Service Projects

From building homes to hosting local fundraisers, company volunteer events that directly support underserved populations offer powerful experiences. Teams can see firsthand how their collective effort improves lives, reinforcing a sense of shared purpose.

💡 Inspiring Example of Impact
Habitat for Humanity’s corporate partnerships engage thousands of employees annually in home builds and repairs, helping thousands of families secure safe, affordable housing across the U.S. For example, Wells Fargo alone mobilized over 3,000 volunteers in 2024 to support more than 280 families.

Also Read: Guide to Maximizing Your Impact with Corporate Volunteering Programs.

In-Office Volunteer Ideas to Spark Purpose Right From Your Workplace

You don’t have to leave the office to make a meaningful impact. Sometimes, the most rewarding volunteering activities for employees happen right within your workplace walls. In-office volunteer ideas are a fantastic way to weave purpose into the everyday, strengthening bonds, sparking creativity, and giving back together without the need for travel or complex logistics. Whether you’ve got remote employees coming into the office for the day or want a low-barrier activity for busy teams, here are some easy and impactful office volunteer ideas to consider.

1. Care Package Assembly Stations

Set up stations in the office for employees to assemble care packages for veterans, shelters, or children in need. It’s simple, hands-on, and gives everyone a tangible way to make a difference.

2. In-Office Donation Drives

Host drives for essentials like food, books, winter coats, or school supplies. You can even gamify it with department challenges to boost participation and make it fun.

3. Letter-Writing Campaigns

Encourage employees to write letters of encouragement to seniors, frontline workers, or deployed military personnel. A heartfelt note goes a long way and can be done over coffee breaks.

4. Skill-Based Workshops for Good

Offer an in-office workshop where employees share their skills—from résumé writing for underserved job seekers to financial literacy tips for local nonprofits.

The beauty of in-office volunteer ideas lies in their flexibility and inclusivity. These volunteering activities for employees invite everyone to participate, no matter how packed their schedules are, turning your workplace into a hub for social impact.

Checklist for Executing Impactful Corporate Volunteer Event Ideas

Hosting a successful corporate volunteer event takes more than just good intentions, it takes thoughtful planning, collaboration, and clear communication. Whether you're organizing small group volunteer ideas for a team or a large-scale corporate volunteer event, here’s a practical checklist to make sure your efforts deliver meaningful results and lasting engagement.

• Step 1: Define the Purpose of the Project‍
  
  • Align the project with your company’s CSR goals.
    
    For example, if your CSR goals focus on education equity, you could organize a mentorship program for underserved students. If environmental sustainability is a target cause, a tree-planting drive or a recycling initiative might be a great fit. Or, if your company champions community wellbeing, a food donation campaign or disaster relief support can align perfectly.
    
    Goodera partners with over 50,000 global, vetted nonprofits to help organizations give back locally or globally—whatever your CSR focus.
  • Identify the skills and resources needed to execute the project.
  • Recruit skilled, passionate volunteers to bring your group volunteer ideas to life.
  • Set clear goals, timelines, and milestones.
    

•  Step 2: Train and Assign Responsibilities
  
  • Provide training and support so volunteers feel confident and prepared.
  • Assign clear roles and responsibilities to ensure smooth collaboration.
    
    
• Step 3: Create Buzz to Drive Participation
  
  • ‍Promote the event internally through emails, team meetings, and social channels to drive more registrations and motivate employees to participate. You can also create digital collateral like banners and GIFs that can be run on your organization’s website, or have physical collateral like standees and kiosks set in your office campus.
  • Along with planning, logistics and host and NPO mapping, Goodera can also create digital and physical marketing collateral with functionalities to drive and capture registrations.
    ‍
• ‍Step 4: Logistics Planning‍
  
  • Make sure all the details are covered, from timelines and venues to supplies and tech, so your event flows effortlessly and volunteers can stay focused on making an impact.
  • Handle procurement of materials and arrange shipping to the event site on time.
  • Coordinate end logistics to ensure all volunteered resources and donations reach the respective nonprofits safely and without damage.

Goodera can help you take the stress out of planning by handling everything from logistics and procurement to coordinating with hosts and nonprofit partners, building custom-branded marketing collateral for employee participation, and more. All you need to do is focus on doing good with your team.

• Step 5: Reflect and Evaluate
  After your corporate volunteer event, schedule time to reflect and evaluate.
  Ask: What went well? What could we improve? What did we learn?
  Use this feedback to enhance future group volunteer activities.‍
• Step 6: Follow-Up With Community Partners
  Stay in touch with your nonprofit or community partners post-event.
  Express gratitude, assess the impact, and explore future opportunities to collaborate.‍
• Step 7: Recognize and Appreciate
  Acknowledge employees who stepped up.
  Consider awards, shout-outs, or incentives for those who made a standout impact.‍
• Step 8: Communicate and Share the Story
  Leverage social media, newsletters, and other channels to share highlights from your corporate volunteer event.
  Stories, photos, and impact numbers like the number of employee volunteers engaged, the number of lives impacted, etc., showcase your organization’s commitment to social responsibility and inspire others to get involved.
  
  

Pro tip: For a detailed, step-by-step guide to plan your first volunteering event at work, check out our Guide to Planning and Executing Your Volunteering Program.

Bringing Your Teams Together for Purposeful Impact 

Whether it’s virtual, in-person, or right in the office, there’s no shortage of creative ways to weave purpose into your team’s journey. These team building volunteer ideas don’t just benefit communities; they help employees build stronger connections, discover shared passions, and feel pride in the company they’re part of.

As you plan your next group volunteer activities, remember: the best impact happens when doing good feels natural, fun, and meaningful. So go ahead—start small, think big, and empower your teams to make a difference together.