Accepting Your Time with a Non-Profit as Payment!

If you’re willing to take 4 hours out of your busy schedule to volunteer for a worthy cause, we feel you deserve a float!

4 hours +

of your time

Non-Profit =

selected from our approved list below

1 Float

max of 2 floats per month

How to Participate

  1. View our list of NPO partners (located further down on this page).
  2. Reach out to the organization directly to begin volunteering.
  3. Once you have completed at least 4 hours of volunteer work, report your hours using the volunteer form below.
  4. Our volunteer coordinator will issue float credits directly to your Float On account. Please allow up to two weeks for credits to be added. 
  5. You can begin using your float credits to book floats!

Record your hours here to receive floats 

Volunteer FAQ

When will I receive my float credits?

Please allow up to two weeks to receive float credits earned through the volunteer program.

Our volunteer program coordinator manually reviews each form submission and allocates float credits based on the information provided. 

How will I receive my float credits?

If you have never been to Float On before and do not have an account with us: You will receive your first float credit in the form of a gift card. You will be prompted to create an account when you schedule your float.

If you already have a Float On account: you will receive float credits directly to your account. 

 

How many floats can I earn?

Volunteers can earn a maximum of 2 float credits each calendar month. 

  • 4 hours of volunteer work (within one calendar month) = 1 float 
  • 8 or more hours of volunteer work (within one calendar month) = 2 floats  
Do my credits expire?

Float credits earned through our volunteer program will remain usable on your account for 3 years before expiring. 

However, we do cap the number of volunteer float credits stored on each account at 10 – so be sure to use those credits! 

How often should I record my hours?

Please fill out our online form once you have volunteered at least 4 hours. 

You will need to fill out the form every month you volunteer to continue earning floats. 

Can I gift my float credits?

Yes, absolutely! To do this, you have a couple of options: Either book a float for your guest using your own account, or ask our staff to convert your volunteer credit into a gift card. 

Volunteer at One of These Partner Organizations

SOLVE

Website: solveoregon.org
Volunteer Contact: Call Kaleen Boyle at 503-844-9571 ext. 332

Description:

Our Mission Is Simple. Bring Oregonians together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship. SOLVE is a non-profit organization that brings together individuals, business groups, and service and conservation groups through volunteering and education to restore our natural spaces and take good care of this great state of which we are all so proud.

Types of work:

SOLVE projects involve hands-on outdoor work focused on cleaning up litter, removing invasive plants, planting native trees and shrubs and restoration work to improve local natural habitats. Each event on our calendar includes specific details and registration information. All tools are provided, no experience is needed, and most projects are open to all ages!

Cupcake Girls

Website: thecupcakegirls.org
Volunteer Landing page: https://thecupcakegirls.org/volunteer/ 

Description:

The Cupcake Girls is a local nonprofit that provides confidential support to those involved in the sex industry as well as trauma-informed outreach, intensive case management, and referral services to provide prevention, and aftercare to those affected by domestic sex trafficking.
 
Today, we are the only organization in the country to partner with our clients without agenda in building comprehensive, holistic plans to help them pursue their goals and objectives, working to ensure that we’re matching the right solutions to the right individual, at the right time. We provide nonjudgmental support to empower our clients.
 
Some of the services we offer are: medical & dental care, domestic violence & safe house support, counseling, government assistance & welfare, educational assistance, tax support, career coaching, and much more. Visit our website to learn more.

Why Cupcakes?

Why is an organization that specializes in supporting adult entertainers, and connecting them to community resources, named after a baked good? Their name grew its roots when our founder, Joy Hoover, began visiting clubs in Las Vegas, toting a box of pink cupcakes. These pastries were an icebreaker and conversation starter when offered to entertainers. After being repeatedly referenced as “The Cupcake Girls” during a club visit, they adopted it as their organization’s formal name. Cupcakes continue to be a symbol for their organization, and they consistently have a presence during club and brothel visits, adult industry events, as well as at each of their fundraisers.

Types of work:
 
One-Time Volunteer: 
Fill out Google Form if interested in this opportunity:
Help clean the office
Assist with office duties
Set up or tear down events
 
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities
*must fill out application and pass background check
*required 5 hours per month
Events – help plan, set up, and tear down
Community Relations – networking events, college fairs, tabling opportunities
Marketing – press releases, social media, fliers
Resource – virtually organize community resources and partners
Office – admin work, cleaning, preparing
Hospitality – baking cupcakes
Volunteer Care – celebrating volunteers, orientations, paperwork
Outreach – attending club visits once per month
Advocate – working directly with Clients
 

Meals on Wheels People

Website: mowp.org
Contact for Volunteering: Robin Gao – 503-953-8146

Description:

Meals on Wheels People Belmont Center serves hot, nutritious meals at the dining center in SE 46th and Belmont.

The cost of each meal is $7.39 and diners over the age of 60 can contribute what they can afford.

For seniors who cannot get out, call 503-953-8111 to see if home-delivered meals are the right option.

Type of Work:

Meal delivery: It takes 1.5 hours to complete a route. You can do it weekly or be on-call.

Kitchen helper: Food preparation, serve lunch, and cleaning up.

Village Gardens

To volunteer email: vgardens@janusyouth.org

Description:

Village Gardens exists because everyone has a right to live in safe and thriving neighborhoods with access to good food. Village Gardens leverages food to build power alongside youth and adult Community Leaders in New Columbia, Oregon’s largest affordable housing neighborhood.  Village Gardens initiatives include community gardens cared for by over 70 households, a community orchard with over 50 fruit trees, a youth leadership program and a neighborhood grocery store where Good Food is affordable and accessible. Volunteers help with monthly garden and orchard work parties, support the market by displaying produce and maintaining a clean and welcoming store, and help in the office with storytelling and design work.

We also host a monthly volunteer orientation to support new volunteers. This is a great opportunity for volunteers to learn about our programs, volunteer opportunities and the context of our work and partnership with the community. We host an orientation on the 4th Wednesday of each month (You can register at this link)

Depave

Website: depave.org
Volunteer Landing page: http://depave.org/work/greenspaces/

Description:

We implement projects and advocate for urban green spaces that reduce stormwater pollution and improve water quality; foster native habitats; cool our cities and mitigate the impacts of climate change; and create neighborhood spaces that are safe, engaging and beautiful. The changes we catalyze create thriving living spaces that inspire environmental and human connection.

Types of work:
Depave Crew Leaders
Depave Ambassadors
Depave Green Thumbs

Friends of Trees

Website: friendsoftrees.org
Volunteer Events page: friendsoftrees.org/calendar/calendar-portland-vancouver
Email for Volunteering: volunteer@friendsoftrees.org

Description:

Today, Friends of Trees is a nationally recognized, regional leader in improving the urban tree canopy and restoring sensitive natural areas—through programs delivered by thousands of volunteers. Friends of Trees greens our region while building community.

Types of work:
Tree Callers
Neighborhood Coordinators
Saturday Planting Volunteers

 

Friends of the Columbia River Gorge

Website: gorgefriends.org
Volunteer Landing page: gorgefriends.org/ways-to-give/volunteer-with-friends-of-the-columbia-gorge.html
Email for Volunteering: Maegan Jossy, Outreach Manager – maegan@gorgefriends.org

Description:

Friends of the Columbia Gorge is the only non-profit organization dedicated entirely to ensuring that the beautiful and wild Columbia Gorge remains a place apart, an unspoiled treasure for generations to come.

Types of work:

Join a stewardship work party
Lead or shepherd a hike or outing
Help out with office projects
Supervise an information table at a community event
Participate in a hearing, rally or phone bank

Urban Nature Partners

Website: http://urban-nature-partners.org/
Volunteer information page: http://urban-nature-partners.org/for-mentorssenior-partners/
Email for Volunteering: urbannaturepartnerspdx@gmail.com

Description:

Urban Nature Partners PDX empowers youth from underserved Portland neighborhoods beginning in 4th grade through building long term mentoring relationships and providing access to meaningful outdoor experiences. Our program provides a tiered set of experiences designed to build comfort and belonging, outdoor knowledge and competencies, and leadership potential as youth grow. Our foundation is weekly one-on-one mentor-youth outings in neighborhood green spaces. These are then complemented by family inclusive group outings,  scholarships to nature based camps, and leadership opportunities guided by their interests and strengths.

Types of work:

Outdoor Mentor for a youth

Administrative Committee

Program Intern

Event Coordinator

Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East

Website: http://habitatportlandmetro.org
Volunteer Events Page: http://pdxhabitat.volunteerhub.com
Volunteer Contact: Marianne McClure, Manager of Volunteer Programs— marianne@habitatportlandmetro.org

Description:

At Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East, our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. We revitalize neighborhoods, build affordable and sustainable homes, and empower families through successful homeownership in the Portland area. By providing a hand up, not a handout, our program prepares and empowers those we serve.

Types of work:

Building dreams takes lots of behind-the-scenes work and we need volunteers year-round. Most of our volunteer opportunities are on the construction site, where volunteers can do anything from framing and raising walls to interior finish work like painting. No experience is necessary—we provide task-specific training each day! Come lend a hand, learn a new skill, and help make the dream of homeownership a reality for a local family.

Repair PDX

Website: http://repairpdx.org/
Volunteer Contact: Lauren — repairpdx@gmail.com

Description:

The mission of Repair PDX is to spread repair culture. Our goal is to value the materials we have around us, and help others do the same. We do that by bringing volunteers who like to fix things together with folks who need items fixed. Our organization hosts FREE monthly repair events called “Repair Cafes, which are festive events where volunteers fix items for at no cost, as well as teach participants how to fix their own items. We partner with several venues around the Portland metro area in order to reach many different communities and we welcome anyone who loves to tinker, fix, build, repair, sew, mend, register folks and help coordinate our events!

Types of work:

Registration Table
Small Appliance/Electronics Fixer
Small Engine Fixer
Tool/Knife Sharpening
Sewing/Mending
Bike Repair
Jewelry Repair
Other Types of Repair Not Mentioned

Rose City Rollers

Website: rosecityrollers.com
Contact volunteer@rosecityrollers.com, or for on-site volunteering contact boutvolunteers@rosecityrollers.com

Description:

The Rose City Rollers are Portland, Oregon’s all-female flat track roller derby league. The Rose City Rollers mission is to serve women and girls who want to play the team sport of roller derby, connect with an inclusive community, and realize their power both on skates and off.

As pioneers in the rebirth of roller derby, RCR continues to foster its growth. The league’s goals are to serve our community by empowering women and girls, providing entertainment for our fans and supporting charitable causes. (We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, formed in 2004, and a founding member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) . . . and that’s just the beginning.

We have recently started a great program for our young skaters between ages 7 and 18. Families can borrow the equipment needed to skate and play roller derby, so the financial burden is no longer a barrier to low-income youth in Portland!

Our volunteer work is fairly easily separated in to on-site and off.

Types of work:

On-Site:
 
Helping at games doing things like ushering, selling tickets at the front entrance, helping keep fire lanes clear, etc.
Learning to officiate – there are both on and off skates options, but it’s a great direction for people that like rules and process
 
Off-Site:
 
We often call these “no pants gigs,” meaning they’re done from home, typically online. They can look a lot of different ways depending on interest, but can include:
Social media support
Writing/Editing
Tech support – do you know Wild Apricot or Sharepoint and want to share skills?
Project Management
Fundraising expertise
Data entry
And more based on interest, skills, or things you want to learn as a volunteer!

The Portland Animal Welfare Team (PAW Team)

Website: www.pawteam.org
Contact nicole@pawteam.org or visit www.pawteam.org/get-involved.

Description:

The Portland Animal Welfare Team (PAW Team) is a non-profit organization saves lives, alleviates suffering, and keeps pets and people together by providing free veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing houselessness or extreme poverty. Volunteers are the heart and soul of PAW Team. Without crucial help from our community of volunteers, we would not be able to provide vet care for the many pets that come through our doors each week. In 2018 alone, PAW Team provided veterinary care to over 1,600 pets in need in the Portland area.

There are many ways for volunteers to get involved at PAW Team, for those with both medical and non-medical backgrounds. We host monthly volunteer orientations (about 1 to 1.5 hours) where prospective volunteers learn about PAW Team’s history, our mission, and the variety of roles that volunteers can take on. To RSVP for an orientation, contact nicole@pawteam.org or visit www.pawteam.org/get-involved.

Medical Volunteering:
Actively certified veterinarians, CVTs, veterinary assistants, and those with animal-holding experience are always needed to for PAW Team weekday clinics and quarterly Sunday drop-in clinics.

Non-Medical Volunteering:

Supply Bank 
We have a food and supply bank open to our clients Tuesday through Thursday from 10am-3pm. Volunteers are responsible for distributing food and supplies to our clients. This is a great way to get to know our clients one-on-one and directly help the community.

Office Help + Clinic Check-in 
For those comfortable on a computer, we need volunteers checking clients in for appointments, making reminder calls for upcoming appointments, and assisting with a variety of on-going data entry projects.

Photography and Client Stories
Pictures are the best way to tell PAW Team’s story and we need as many pictures as we can get. We are also always in need or written stories about our clients and their pets. These volunteers spend some time with our clients while they wait for their clinic appointment and ask them a few questions about their pets and how they got to PAW Team.

Transportation 
Our clients often struggle with reliable transportation. Therefore, we offer some transportation to/from appointments. Transportation is for pets only (not the people). Appointments are normally pick-up/drop-off without needing to stay for the duration of the appointment.

Cascadia Wild

Website: cascadiawild.org
Contact info@cascdiawild.org or visit http://www.cascadiawild.org/wolverine-tracking-project.html

Description:

The mission of Cascadia Wild is to connect people of all ages with the natural world, combining modern ecology with ancient practices of living with the earth. We do this by teaching naturalist skills, creating meaningful interactions with local natural areas, and providing stewardship opportunities for serving the wildlife, forests, and land of the Pacific Northwest. 
 
We run a community science project, called the Wolverine Tracking Project, in which volunteers carry out surveys for wolverine and other rare carnivores around Mt Hood. Participants get to learn about our local wildlife while helping contribute to the conservation of these rare species. Volunteers are needed to monitor wildlife cameras, look for tracks (footprints) in the snow, and hike trails searching for scat which can provide genetic samples. Trainings for the summer season take place in May and June, trainings for the winter season take place in October and November.

Interested in volunteering?

Step 1: Read our website to learn more about the project and decide
which type of survey you are interested in helping out with:
http://www.cascadiawild.org/wolverine-tracking-project.html
Step 2: Sign up for the appropriate training session or email us your interest.

Q Center

Website: pdxqcenter.org/volunteer-1

Description:

We work to provide safe spaces, community building and empowerment for the positive transformation of LGBTQ2SIA+ communities and allies in the Pacific Northwest.As the largest LGBTQ+ community center in the Pacific Northwest, Q Center proudly serves the LGBTQ2SIA+ communities of Portland Metro and Southwest Washington. Our drop-in and event space on North Mississippi Avenue is a frequent first stop for new arrivals in Portland, and for longtime residents who are newly out or questioning their sexual or gender identity. Q Center also serves as an information hub for friends, partners, community, and family members of LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals. We pride ourselves on our collaborative approach and seek out ways to share resources with other nonprofits and public institutions locally and statewide.

Volunteers need to attend a new volunteer orientation before they are able to volunteer with us.
 
Go to our website for more information about becoming a volunteer!

The City Repair Project

Website: https://cityrepair.org/
Contact: volunteer@cityrepair.org or visit  https://cityrepair.org/volunteer-intern

Description:

 
City Repair facilitates artistic and ecologically-oriented placemaking through projects that honor the interconnection of human communities and the natural world. City Repair has accomplished many projects through a mostly volunteer staff and thousands of volunteer citizen activists. We provide support, resources, and opportunities to help diverse communities reclaim the culture, power, and joy that we all deserve. 
 
Volunteers can support on many levels, from a once a month hands on workparty such as gardening or construction, or help with weekly administrative tasks such as event planning, donation requests, and other direct services for the communities we support.

IPRC

Website: https://www.iprc.org/

Description:

The mission of the Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC) is to provide affordable access to space, tools, and resources for creating independently published media and artwork, and to build community identity through the creation of writing and visual art. Countless individuals have discovered their voices through making art at the IPRC and in our programs, and have reached and inspired others in the community by publishing and sharing their work. Each member is an integral part of making the IPRC the welcoming and collaborative community it is.
 
Types of Work:
*This is a recurring volunteer opportunity. All volunteers work 3 hour shifts once a week.
 
Front Desk Volunteer Responsibilities:
-give studio tours
-member check in
-new member registration and intake
-print payment processing 
-assist with copiers and other equipment
-inform members of open hours, workshops, and events
 
As a volunteer, each person acts as an advocate for the IPRC and welcomes everyone in that enters the space. Volunteering at the IPRC is a wonderful way to build community and meet fellow creatives! All volunteers receive free Studio Membership and one free workshop every 3 months.
 
To apply to become a volunteer please fill out an application at https://www.iprc.org/volunteer/
Volunteer hours are subject to schedule availability.

Portland Fruit Tree Project

Website: https://www.portlandfruit.org

Description:

Portland Fruit Tree Project increases equitable access to healthful food and strengthens communities by empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown produce.
 
How to Get Involved
 
Volunteers with PFTP harvest fruit, tend fruit trees, and help move our mission through food equity, marketing, fundraising, and project management roles. Interest and ideas are always welcome at info@portlandfruit.org
 

More About our Volunteer Program

Why are we doing this?

One thing we’ve always believed at Float On is that if someone really wants to come in and float with us, they should be able to do it even if they can’t afford our prices. But we can’t just go giving away free floats to everyone willy nilly.

How does the program work?

We asked our team to come up with a list of their favorite non-profit organizations where people in the Portland area can volunteer. If you are interested in volunteering at one of these organizations, contact them through the info provided below, and let them know you are with the Float On Volunteer program.

Each time you volunteer 4 hours of work for one these organizations, fill out the form below. We will then verify your hours with your volunteer coordinator, and put a free 90 minute float credit on your account. You’ll receive an email notification when we have added the credit to your account, you can then call into the shop or log into your Float On account and schedule your session.

Which organizations qualify?

For starters, we’re partnering with local 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that we personally support and believe do quality work in our lovely community. We’re always looking for new organizations to partner with. If you’re looking for an increase of wonderful, floaty volunteers, we will soon let you know how to be a part of our program. In the meantime, the above organizations will confirm your time with us in order to provide you with a float.

Would you like us to partner with your organization?

Obviously, we can’t accept everyone, but we do hold monthly team meetings and are always looking to build fun, new partnerships.

Fill out the information below and when we’re ready to expand this program, we’ll contact you!

3 + 7 =