Empower Change: Volunteer at AcademySTAY
At AcademySTAY, we believe every volunteer brings us one step closer to transforming the lives of young adults transitioning from foster care.
Welcome to AcademySTAY's Volunteer Hub. Are you ready to make a real impact in your community? At AcademySTAY, we empower young adults transitioning from foster care by providing safe housing, educational resources, and opportunities for personal growth. When you volunteer with us, you're not only sharing your time; you're helping create stability for a young person building an independent life.
How Your Volunteering Makes an Impact
Every hour you contribute helps change lives. As a volunteer, you’ll:
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Support Transformative Programs: Directly assist in programs that empower students to pursue education and career opportunities.
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Build a Brighter Future: Help students build the skills, confidence, and connections that carry them into independence.
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Inspire Hope: Your involvement sends a powerful message that our community cares and stands together.
Imagine the difference you can make—one life at a time.
Benefits & Features for Our Volunteers
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Grow and Learn: Gain new skills and expand your network. Our volunteer roles are designed to boost both personal and professional development.
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Make a Tangible Impact: Experience the rewarding feeling of directly contributing to the success of young adults building independent lives.
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Flexible Opportunities: Whether you have a few hours a week or more, we offer various roles tailored to fit your schedule and interests.
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Be Part of a Collaborative Community: Join a diverse team of passionate volunteers, dedicated staff, and community partners all working together to create positive change.
At AcademySTAY, we believe in nurturing strengths and empowering you to shine.
Volunteer Roles & Opportunities
We offer a range of volunteer positions to suit your interests and skills, including:
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Teaching Life Skills Classes: Lead workshops on healthy relationships, job interview prep, financial literacy, or cooking basics. Our students are eager to learn from trusted adults who can share real-world skills they'll need for independence. Whether you're a professional chef or just passionate about teaching, we'll provide the framework, you bring the expertise.
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Organizing our Clothes Closet: Help maintain our on-site clothing resource where students can "shop" for professional attire, seasonal clothing, and everyday essentials. This behind-the-scenes role includes sorting donations, organizing by size, and creating an inviting space that helps our students build confidence through clothing choices.
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Gardening: Join our garden volunteers to create a peaceful outdoor space where students can connect, unwind, and grow fresh herbs and vegetables. From spring planting days to ongoing maintenance, gardening offers therapeutic benefits while teaching sustainable living skills to our young adults.
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Cooking: Share your culinary skills by teaching cooking classes or helping with meal prep workshops. Many of our students are learning to cook for the first time, and your guidance helps them develop both practical skills and confidence in creating nutritious, budget-friendly meals.
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Transporting: Provide reliable transportation for students getting to job interviews, medical appointments, or educational opportunities. This flexible volunteer role helps remove a major barrier to independence while offering meaningful one-on-one connection time with our young adults.
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Mentorship and Tutoring: Guide students through educational challenges and career planning while providing consistent support and encouragement. Our mentors become trusted adults who believe in our students' potential and help them navigate everything from college applications to workplace expectations.
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Community Outreach: Assist in organizing events and workshops that promote skill-building and personal development. Help us connect with community partners, coordinate resource fairs, or support special events like our annual prom that create lasting memories and community connections.
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Administrative Support: Help streamline operations and support our dedicated staff behind the scenes. From data entry to event coordination, your organizational skills free up our team to focus directly on student support and program delivery.
Getting started is easy! Simply complete our online volunteer application on this page, attend a brief training session, and you’ll be on your way to making a meaningful difference.
Jim Anderson has opened doors for me that I couldn't have seen without him. He's connected me with VPs, CEOs, and industry professionals that would be hard to get even if I was a professional. Not only has he been a career mentor, but he's extended his services to us personally. Meaning he reaches out and takes time to plan events outside of career-related topics. It means a lot that someone took a chance on me, disregarding my past and only working with the positive. He's shown me that life isn't about linear projection but learning how to be nice to yourself while not giving up.
— Johnny, AcademySTAY student
Mentor Jim Anderson helps AcademySTAY student Deja map out her next career step.
Jim Anderson (center) with Johnny and other students he mentors.
Get Started
Ready to get started? Choose the path that fits you below.
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Sign Up for Volunteer Training
Every volunteer attends one short training session before starting. It's how we make sure you feel prepared and our students get consistent, trusted support. For roles that involve driving students or one-on-one time, we'll complete a little additional paperwork at training. Pick a session that works for you.
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Volunteer at All In for the Future
On Thursday, October 1, we're hosting All In for the Future, our charity poker night at Creekside Pavilion at Haggin Oaks in Sacramento. Pulling off a night like this takes a great crew: check-in, silent auction, table support, setup and teardown, and more. If you'd like to be part of it, sign up for a role below.
Volunteer training class is not required to help with this event.