History of Volunteer Memphis

Volunteer Memphis was founded originally in 1975 as The Volunteer Center of Memphis by the Junior League of Memphis & the National Council of Jewish Women. In 2000, we became Volunteer Memphis and then merged with HandsOn Memphis and then evolved into Volunteer Mid-South in 2009.
In 2015, we became an action initiative of Leadership Memphis, where our 40-year history and expertise in building capacity for volunteerism and creating changemakers in our community is aligned effectively with efforts to prepare and mobilize leaders to work together for the good of the whole community.

Volunteer Memphis builds capacity for effective volunteering and connecting people with opportunities to serve throughout Memphis and Shelby County. The organization helps individuals, families, corporate teams, and community groups strengthen Memphis and the Mid-South through service at more than 300 nonprofit organizations and schools. Our volunteers are at work every day of the year, tutoring and mentoring children, helping individuals and families make pathways out of poverty, improving our Memphis and Shelby County environment, and more.

Volunteer Memphis is an affiliate of the Hands-On Network, an association of 250 volunteer service organizations across 16 counties, and an action Initiative of Leadership Memphis.

What We Do

• Mobilize volunteers to make a difference in their communities.
• Assist community organizations and businesses in developing successful employee engagement programs that offer meaningful, effective volunteer opportunities.
• Promote the power of volunteerism and community service throughout the Mid-South.
• Play a critical role in fostering a strong network among nonprofit, public, and business sector organizations and ordinary citizens, united by the overarching goal of improving local communities.

How We Do It

Volunteers

Volunteers make all of this possible. Gifts of time, treasure and talent make our community a better place to live, work and play. From mentoring to serving food in a shelter, wherever your interests lie, there are volunteer jobs to match. Partnering with hundreds of nonprofit organizations, opportunities are accessible to volunteers of all ages looking for on-going commitments or one-time jobs.

More than just a place to find a place to volunteer, Volunteer Memphis also serves nonprofits and businesses:

Nonprofits

Access our vast array of recruitment and volunteer management resources, and training services to support your work with volunteers.

Businesses

Share resources with our network of business leaders, stay ahead of trends and find the help you need to make a positive impact in the community. And by joining the Corporate Volunteer Council, you’ll have access to additional support, benefits and services to develop and maintain an outstanding community engagement/employee volunteer program.

Financial Contributions

As a nonprofit organization, Volunteer Memphis relies on the community’s generosity in helping us continue our work. Find out how you can leverage your money by making a financial contribution or find out how you can support our work!