Where to Start
-
We are lucky to have so many charities in the Chattanooga area that have opportunities for us to volunteer. Click on the ’Volunteer Categories’ list below to discover all the great local ministries we work with and then checkout our ‘Charities’ page to discover details about the great organizations serving our community.
-
If you are interested in identifying your Spiritual Gifts to help narrow down volunteer areas that are a good fit for you, click on the ‘Spirtual Gifts’ tab to complete a short personal survey and match your gifts to volunteer opportunities
-
1 Peter 4:10 -- Use your gifts to serve others
〰️
Matthew 25:35-40 -- Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me
〰️
Romans 12:10-13 -- Serve the Lord: share with people in need
〰️
James 2:14 -- What good is it if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds
〰️
1 Peter 4:10 -- Use your gifts to serve others 〰️ Matthew 25:35-40 -- Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me 〰️ Romans 12:10-13 -- Serve the Lord: share with people in need 〰️ James 2:14 -- What good is it if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds 〰️
Volunteer Categories
-
Everyone needs food, shelter, and clothing — Far too many of our neighbors and families in Chattanooga struggle each day with homelessness, food insecurity, and the lack of basic necessities. Charities including shelters, food ministries, and thrift stores work tirelessly to provide meals, safe places to stay, clothing, and pathways toward stability—but they depend on volunteers to meet the growing need.
Click the + on the Categories below to see the great local Charities helping to provide these basic needs and check-out volunteer opportunities you can help with by clicking on the > next to name of Charity. -
-
-
-
Many children, seniors, and families in Chattanooga face challenges that leave them isolated, overwhelmed, or without the support they need to become stable and independent. From kids in unstable situations to elderly neighbors living alone, to families navigating crisis … Our local charities work hard to provide safety, stability, and care—but they rely on volunteers to make that support personal and consistent.
Click on the + below to see the categories of local Charities helping provide for our Vulnerable Kids, Families, and Elderly. Check-out volunteer opportunities you can help with by clicking on the > next to name of Charity. -
-
-
-
Our Chattanooga Community has Rehabilitation, Rebuilding, and Recovery needs … our neighbors rebuilding their lives after crisis—whether from unsafe environments, addiction, health challenges, or exploitation. Many families need practical support, safe environments, and pathways to long‑term stability. Local charities provide critical services, but they rely on volunteers to help restore safety, dignity, and hope.
Click on the + below to see the categories of local Charities helping provide for our neighbors’ health and safety needs and check-out volunteer opportunities you can help with by clicking on the > next to name of Charity. -
-
-
Volunteer Resources
Act your AGE (Abilities, Gifts, Experiences)
-
God has given all Christians Spiritual Gifts to utilize for helping others. Click the link below ‘Spirtual Gifts’ for a short personal survey to match your gifts to volunteer opportunities.
-
We are all equipped with unique abilities and skills. Some are natural talents we're born with, while others are developed through school, work, hobbies, and everyday responsibilities. The skills you've developed through your career, education, hobbies, family life, and personal interests can become powerful tools for helping others. Whether you're good with people, numbers, tools, technology, teaching, or creativity, your abilities can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
Explore the examples below to discover how your Abilities and Skills can be used to serve our community. -
We all have experiences that shape who we are. The lessons we've learned through life's victories and struggles can help guide, encourage, and support others facing similar circumstances.
Explore the examples below to see how your experiences can be used to make a difference in our community.
Click on your specific Spiritual Gifts to see how to utilize for Volunteering Categories and then Click Local Charity > Links to see Volunteer Opportunities
Spiritual Gifts
Match your gifts to Volunteer Opportunities
-
The gift of administration is the divine ability to organize tasks and people. This gift is a great match to help organize an event, coordinating with other volunteers, assist with operations or logistics.
Volunteer Examples: Creating schedules for a shelter or event; organize intake processes; manage sign-ups for a serve day; build workflows for charity donation process, organize Thrift Store.
Local Charities to Consider:
> CHATT Foundation (Community Kitchen)
> Room in the Inn
> Habitat for Humanity
> Lifespring Community Health -
The gift of apostleship is the divine ability to pioneer new ministries through planting, overseeing, and training. This gift is a great match to help with a charity’s new programs
Volunteer Examples: Help start a new charity bible study. Help build community partnerships, launch an outreach initiative.
Local Charities to consider:
> Hope for the Inner City
> FCA Chattanooga
> Salvation Army
> Transform Ministries -
The gift of craftsmanship is the divine ability to plan, build, and work with your hands. This is a great match to help a charity with design and build projects.
Volunteer Examples:Setup Event, help build a home, Maintenance needs
Local Charities to consider:
> Habitat for Humanity
> Widows Harvest
> Chattanooga Area Food Bank
> Room in the Inn
> Chambliss Center
> TN Baptist Children’s Home
> Bethlehem Center -
The gift of discernment is the divine ability to spiritually identify truth, to distinguish between right and wrong motives. This gift is a great fit to help a person navigate tough choices or recognizing unhealthy influences.
Volunteer Examples: Serve in counseling or recovery charities, volunteer with youth.
Local Charities to consider:
> Bethel Bible Village
> Adult & Teen Challenge
> Transform Ministries
> Loves Arm -
The gift of evangelism is the divine ability to help lead others to Christ. This gift is a great fit for volunteer opportunities that you can share your faith.
Volunteer Examples: Participate in community outreach programs at homeless, prison, hospital and treatment centers.
Local Charities to Consider:
> Adult & Teen Challenge
> CHATT Foundation (Community Kitchen)
> Union Gospel Mission
> Transform Ministries
> Shepherd’s Arms Rescue Mission -
The gift of exhortation is the divine ability to strengthen, comfort or urge others to action. This gift is a great match to volunteering opportunities to encourage single moms, elderly and the sick, others who are struggling with addiction.
Volunteer Examples: Write notes to hospital patient or inmates that have no family, encourage charity staff and folks going through a job loss.
Local Charities to consider:
> Hope for Inner City
> Adult & Teen Challenge
> Transform Ministries
> Northside Neighborhood House
> Ronald McDonald House
> Loves Arm
> Shepherd’s Arms Rescue Mission -
The gift of faith is the divine ability to believe in God for unseen supernatural results in every arena of life. This is a great match to volunteering opportunities that you can inspire others to trust in God during tough circumstances and challenges.
Volunteer Example: Support people in homeless or addiction crisis; Pray with individuals at hospitals.
Local Charities to consider:
> Adult & Teen Challenge
> Ronald McDonald House
> Hope for the Inner City
> CHATT Foundation (Community Kitchen)
> Choices
> Child Evangelism Fellowship
-
The gift of giving is the divine ability to give time or financially for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom of God on earth. This gift is a great match to those volunteering opportunities that need support for a mission.
Volunteer Example: Sponsoring meals, beds, or emergency housing for families in crisis. Donating supplies for school drives, hygiene kits, or food pantries
Local Charities to Consider:
> CHATT Foundation (Community Kitchen)
> Habitat for Humanity
> Chattanooga Area Food Bank -
The gift of healing is the divine ability to act as an intermediary in faith, prayer, and by the laying-on of hands for the healing of physical, mental and spiritual sickness. This gift is a great match for volunteering opportunities to pray for or provide care for sick individuals.
Volunteer Example: Serve or visit with patients in Hospital
Local Charities to Consider:
> Volunteers in Medicine
> Choices
> LifeSpring Community Health -
The gift of helps is the divine ability to work in a supportive role for the accomplishment of tasks. This gift is a great match for volunteer opportunities to help meet basic needs of others, serve behind the scenes, or transportation.
Volunteer Example: Sort food, pack boxes, distribute meals to families in need. Stock food pantries help organize Thrift Store, serve a meal, help with kiddos.
Local Charities to Consider:
> Bethel Bible Village
> Chattanooga Area Food Bank
> Room in the Inn
> Rescue Mission
> Union Gospel Mission
> House of Refuge
> Isaiah 117 House
> TN Baptist Children’s Home
> YCAP
> Lifespring Community Health
> Northside Neighborhood House -
The gift of hospitality is the divine ability to create warm, welcoming environments for others in places such as your home, charity or church. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities that involve welcoming guests into a new environment like a …
Volunteer Examples:
Welcome centers, guest services, family housing support, meal hosting, event greeting
Local Charities to Consider:
> Isaiah 117 House
> Safe Families for Children
> Ronald McDonald House
> Shepherd’s Arms Rescue Mission -
The gift of intercession is the divine ability to stand in the gap in prayer for someone, something, or someplace, believing for profound results. This is gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities that need prayer for their guest, mission, & staff.
Volunteer Examples:
Prayer ministry, prayer teams, hospital prayer, recovery support, pregnancy center prayer, spiritual care
Local Charities to Consider:
> Choices
> TN Baptist Children’s Home
> Lifespring Community Health
> Her Song
> Child Evangelism Fellowship
> Shepherd’s Arms Rescue Mission -
The gift of knowledge is the divine ability to bring truth to a situation by supernatural revelation. This is often accompanied by a word from God. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities to help others with understanding and sharing helpful information. Sharing biblical insights to help others understand the truth
Volunteer Examples: Teach budgeting classes at a community center; Help charities organize data, systems, or training materials for job readiness programs; Lead a workshop (financial coaching, job skills, parenting).
Local Charities to Consider:
> Hope for the Inner City
> Room in the Inn
> Momentum
> FCA Chattanooga
> Bethlehem Center
> Child Evangelism Fellowship -
The gift of leadership is the divine ability to influence people at their level while directing and focusing them on the big picture, vision, or idea. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities mentoring kids or guiding a service project.
Volunteer Example: Help organize a community-wide service project; Lead volunteer team; launch a new community outreach program; Equip other volunteers for community engagement, Coaching Kids
Local Charities to consider:
> Chattanooga Foundation (Community Kitchen)
> FCA Chattanooga
> Habitat for Humanity
-
The gift of mercy is the divine ability to feel empathy and to care for those who are hurting in any way. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities that involve comforting someone who’s hurting, lonely, or in a crisis.
Volunteer Example: serving a meal at homeless shelter learning people’s names & stories; sitting with a single Mom as she waits for Charity to process her, visiting seniors in assisted-living who have no family, talk with foster care families or survivors of human trafficking.
Local Charities to Consider:
> Volunteers in Medicine
> Safe Families for Children
> Family Promise of Great Chattanooga
> Rescue Mission
> Isaiah 117 House
> Choices -
The gift of miracles is the divine ability to alter the natural outcomes of life in a supernatural way through prayer, faith, and divine direction. This gift is a great match when believing and praying boldly for God’s power to breakthrough impossible situations
Volunteer Examples: Participate in outreach events focused on prayer; Join crisis response teams where needs are urgent; Serve in ministries working in extreme poverty
Local Charities to Consider:
- Widows Harvest
- Her Song
- Loves Arm -
The gift of pastor/shepherd is the divine ability to care for the personal needs of others by nurturing and mending life issues. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities that need caring people to check on others well-being.
Volunteer Example: checking in regularly with families receiving benevolence support, help with a small group for addiction recovery, walking with a foster family through a difficult season, visiting with widows.
Local Charity to Consider:
> Hope for the Inner City
> Widows Harvest
> FCA Chattanooga
> Shepherds Arms Rescue Mission -
The gift of prophecy is the divine ability to communicate God's truth and heart in a way that calls people to a right relationship with God. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities that need help with speaking the truth with love, especially when others need clarity and conviction.
Volunteer Examples: Encourage and counsel individuals in difficult life seasons; Speak into youth mentorship programs: Help guide parents with discernment and clarity.
Local Charities to Consider:
> Choices
> Momentum
> Her Song -
The gift of serving is the divine ability to do small or great tasks in working for the overall good of the body of Christ. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities that need help with events, organizing donations, food pantry and community projects.
Volunteer Example: Sort donations, pack boxes, distribute meals to families in need, stock food pantries
Local Charities to Consider:
> Chattanooga Area Food Bank
> Rescue Mission
> Union Gospel Mission
> House of Refuge
> Isaiah 117 House
> Bethlehem Center
> Salvation Army -
The gift of teaching is the divine ability to study and learn from the Scriptures primarily to bring understanding and knowledge. This gift is a great fit for volunteer opportunities to tutor or coach others life skills.
Volunteer Example: Teach literacy or GED classes; Help with Bible studies in prisons or shelters
Local Charities to Consider:
> Room in the Inn
> Chambliss Center
> TN Baptist Children’s Home
> FCA Chattanooga
> YCAP
> Bethlehem Center
> Northside Neighborhood House
> Child Evangelism Fellowship
> Salvation Army -
The gift of wisdom is the divine ability to understand and to bring clarity to situations and circumstances often through applying the truths of Scripture in a practical way. This gift is a great match to volunteer opportunities with counselors and social workers
Volunteer Example: Help with job readiness programs, financial coaching, and education support. Advise or mentor families navigating long-term situations
Local Charities to Consider:
> Ronald McDonald House of Chattanooga
> Transform Ministries
> The Bethlehem Center
-
We are all equipped with unique abilities and skills. Some are natural talents we're born with, while others are developed through school, work, hobbies, and everyday responsibilities. The skills you've developed through your career, education, hobbies, family life, and personal interests can become powerful tools for helping others. Whether you're good with people, numbers, tools, technology, teaching, or creativity, your abilities can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
Explore the examples below to discover how your Abilities and Skills can be used to serve our community and advance God's Kingdom. -
Examples:
Accounting / Finance / Bookkeeping
Human Resources
Project Management
Administrative & Data Entry Support
Event Coordination
Operations Management
Technology / Social Media
Sales / Marketing
Volunteer Applications:
Charity administration
Volunteer coordination
Event planning & production
Website support / Digital outreach
Storytelling
Charity marketing & campaigns
-
Examples:
Carpentry
Plumbing
Electrical / HVAC
Painting
Landscaping
Construction
Volunteer Applications:
Home repairs
Building projects
Facility maintenance
-
Examples:
Physician
Nursing
EMT
Physical Therapy
Counseling
Pharmacy
Nutrition
Medical Administration
Volunteer Applications:
Community clinics
Health screenings
Patient support
Wellness education
-
Examples:
Teaching & Training
Tutoring
Coaching
Public Speaking
Literacy Support
Volunteer Applications:
Student mentoring
Tutoring programs
Parenting classes
Life-skills training
-
Examples:
Attorney
CPA
Financial Advisor
Insurance Professional
Real Estate
Compliance & Risk Management
Volunteer Applications:
Pro bono services
Financial coaching
Board governance
-
Examples:
Cooking
Baking
Catering
Customer Service
Event Hosting
Guest Services
Volunteer Applications:
Meal preparation
Community events
Shelter hospitality
Family support programs
-
Examples:
Parenting
Budgeting
Meal Planning
Sewing
Organizing
Gardening
Childcare
Home Management
Volunteer Applications:
Foster care support
Family mentoring
Food ministries
Children's programs
Community gardens
-
Examples:
Graphic Design
Photography
Videography
Writing
Fitness Training
Hiking/Outdoor Skills
Golf/Tennis/Soccer/BBall
Volunteer Applications:
Storytelling
Charity marketing
Events
Youth sports coaching
Sports camps and clinics
Recreation activities for underserved youth
Outdoor adventure programs
Charity fundraising races and events
Health and wellness education
Senior fitness and recreation programs
-
Every person has a story. Whether you've experienced success, hardship, loss, recovery, parenting challenges, career transitions, or personal growth, your story may be exactly what someone else needs to hear. The experiences that have shaped your life—The joyful, challenging, painful, or transformative—can become a source of encouragement, wisdom, and hope for others. Often, the people best equipped to help are those who have walked a similar path.
Explore the examples below to discover how your life experiences can make a meaningful impact through volunteering. -
Examples:
Marriage Enrichment
Blended Family
Parenting
Foster Parenting
Adoption
Single Parenting
Empty Nesters
Grandparenting
Volunteer Applications:
Family mentoring
Parenting classes
Foster family support
Adoption support
Marriage mentoring
Children's ministry
-
Examples:
Loss of Spouse
Miscarriage / Loss of Child
Serious Illness
Cancer Journey
Caregiver for Aging Parents
End-of-Life Care
Volunteer Applications:
Grief support groups
Family support
Hospital visitation
Caregiver encouragement
Patient advocacy
Compassion ministries
-
Examples:
Addiction Recovery
Alcohol Recovery
Mental Health Recovery
Financial Recovery
Marriage Restoration
Overcoming Abuse
Trauma Recovery
Volunteer Applications:
Recovery mentoring
Support groups
Peer coaching
Crisis support
Re-entry mentoring
-
Examples:
Unemployment
Career Change
Bankruptcy Recovery
Job Loss
Volunteer Applications:
Job readiness programs
Financial coaching
Career mentoring
Resume assistance
-
Examples:
Food Insecurity
Homelessness
Housing Instability
Financial Hardship
Public Assistance Experience
Volunteer Applications:
Resource navigation
Mentoring families
Food ministries
Community outreach
Advocacy programs
-
Examples:
Veteran
Active Military
Police Officer
Firefighter
EMT
Emergency Response
Volunteer Applications:
Mentoring youth
Crisis response
Leadership development
-
Examples:
Living with Disability
Caring for Someone with Disabilities
Chronic Illness
Mental Health Challenges
Special Needs Parenting
Volunteer Applications:
Family support
Peer mentoring
Advocacy
Respite care
Accessibility initiatives