About the Volunteer Center

The Volunteer Center of Monterey County became a program of United Way Monterey County in 2007.  Our mission is to mobilize community members to volunteer and build the capacity of community organizations to meaningfully engage volunteers.  We carry out this mission by matching volunteers with meaningful opportunities to serve in our community. We partner with hundreds of community-based nonprofits throughout the county to link them with volunteers who have the skills and interests that match their organization’s needs.  Whether you want to become a volunteer or recruit volunteers for your organization, we can help. Current programs and services include:

Programs and Initiatives

Volunteer Matching - Connecting thousands of volunteers annually to more than 300 non-profit organizations, schools and public agencies in Monterey County.  This service matches the areas of interest, skills and time availability of individuals and groups with the needs of the community.  Volunteers can be match in person or by visiting The Volunteer Center website.

CalWORKs Volunteer Program - Collaborating with the Monterey County Department of Social and Employment Services, the CalWORKs program places welfare recipients in community service jobs to build skills and earn work experience in order to gain permanent paid employment.

Volunteer Management Trainings - Delivering workshops and trainings to assist community organizations meaningfully engage volunteers.  Training topics include: recruitment and training; recognition and retention; risk management; and program evaluation.

National Service Initiatives - Promoting national service initiatives by coordinating projects for Make a Difference Day (October) and National Volunteer Week (April).

Community Service Awards - For more than 30 years, the Volunteer Center has hosted an annual volunteer recognition celebration to recognize and honor the efforts of our outstanding community volunteers.

Disaster Response and Emergency Preparedness - Mobilizing the Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC), in coordination with the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services. During a declared disaster, the EVC manages the deployment of spontaneous unaffiliated volunteers.

Contact Us
If you would like to learn more about programs at the Volunteer Center and how we promote the power of volunteerism, community service and civic engagement, please visit us at our volunteer website or call to speak with one of our volunteer coordinators.

 376 Main St. Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: 831 757-3206
Fax: 831 751-9840