OUR VOLUNTEER
Join us in making a difference through art
Volunteering at Hand-Drawn Hearts is a unique opportunity to directly and positively impact the lives of children, seniors, and families in our vibrant community. By giving your time, your talent, and your heart, you are helping to create a vital space where creativity can flourish and where every person, regardless of their circumstances, feels valued, heard, and inspired. Our volunteers are an absolutely essential part of our team, providing the extra layer of support and encouragement that makes our programs so successful and our environment so welcoming. Whether you are a professional artist yourself or simply someone who believes in the power of community and the importance of the arts, you will find that volunteering with us is a deeply rewarding, fulfilling, and transformative experience. You will have the chance to see firsthand the pure joy and skyrocketing confidence that art can bring to a child’s life, and you will become an integral part of a passionate, caring network of people dedicated to making the world a more beautiful and empathetic place for everyone. Furthermore, volunteering with us offers personal growth and the chance to learn new skills. You’ll gain experience in a nonprofit setting, learn about art education, and build your own creative confidence. Our volunteers often tell us that they get just as much out of the sessions as the students do. The studio environment is peaceful and inspiring, providing a great way to de-stress while giving back. You’ll also be part of our internal community, invited to special volunteer-only workshops and social events. It’s a way to meet like-minded people who share your values and your passion for making a difference. We believe that volunteering is one of the highest forms of community engagement, and we are dedicated to making sure our volunteers feel as supported and inspired as our students.
Ways to Help
Finding the perfect role for your skills and interests
We offer a wide and diverse variety of volunteer opportunities that cater to many different skills, interests, and schedules. If you have a background in the arts or education, you might choose to assist our lead instructors directly in the classroom, providing essential one-on-one guidance to students or helping to prepare specialized materials for our daily lessons. For those who prefer a more behind-the-scenes, organizational role, we always have a need for help with administrative tasks, marketing, event planning, and community outreach. We also welcome volunteers to help with our high-impact public art projects and community mural paintings, providing a chance to work on a large scale and to contribute directly to the beautification and identity of our neighborhood. No matter what your specific skills or interests may be, we will work closely with you to find a volunteer role that is both personally meaningful to you and deeply beneficial to our overarching mission. We also have specialized roles for those with skills in photography, social media, or woodworking (for frame making and studio maintenance). Perhaps you’re a retired professional who can offer mentorship to our teen students, or a college student looking for experience in the nonprofit sector. We even have “Remote Volunteer” opportunities for those who can help with research, writing, or graphic design from home. Our goal is to make volunteering as accessible as possible, so we offer flexible shifts that can fit into any lifestyle. During your initial orientation, we’ll talk about what you enjoy doing and how those passions can best support the kids at Hand-Drawn Hearts. We want your volunteer experience to be the highlight of your week, so we’re committed to finding the perfect “fit” for you.
Impact of Volunteering
How your time changes the lives of our students
The impact of our volunteers is felt in every single corner of our organization and in the heart of every student we serve. Your presence in the classroom allows for more personalized, high-quality attention for our students, helping them to master new technical skills and to feel fully supported and seen in their creative journey. Your help at our public events ensures that they run smoothly, professionally, and that our message of care and creativity reaches as many people as possible. By volunteering your time, you are also helping us to keep our programs accessible and affordable for all families, as your vital contributions help to significantly reduce our operational costs. More importantly, your dedication serves as a powerful inspiration to our students, showing them that their wider community cares about their growth, their voices, and their creative potential. Every hour you give is a testament to the power of kindness and the fundamental importance of supporting the arts in a healthy society. Your impact also extends to the atmosphere of the studio. Volunteers bring a fresh perspective and an extra layer of warmth that makes Hand-Drawn Hearts feel like a true family. For some of our students, a volunteer might be the only adult who takes the time to sit and talk with them about their ideas. This kind of mentorship is invaluable for building self-esteem. Your work also allows our lead instructors to focus more on the quality of the curriculum, knowing that the logistical details are in good hands. The ripple effect of your service is seen when our students start volunteering themselves, carrying on the tradition of giving back. You are not just helping us run classes; you are helping us build a culture of generosity and mutual support that will benefit Seabrook for years to come.
Our Volunteer Commitment
Our promise to those who give their time
At Hand-Drawn Hearts, we value our volunteers as essential, equal partners in our mission, and we take our commitment to you very seriously. We are dedicated to providing you with a consistently positive, supportive, and well-organized volunteer experience, including clear, professional training, regular and transparent communication, and ample opportunities for personal growth and community recognition. We believe that your time is a precious, irreplaceable gift, and we strive to ensure that your volunteer work is both highly productive and personally enjoyable. We provide a thorough initial orientation to help you get started with confidence and ongoing support from our staff to ensure you always feel equipped for your role. We also host regular, festive volunteer appreciation events to celebrate your incredible contributions and to further strengthen the bonds of our creative family. When you volunteer with us, you are not just helping an organization; you are becoming a vital, honored part of the Hand-Drawn Hearts family. Our commitment also means we are always open to your feedback. We want to know how we can make your experience better and how we can better utilize your unique skills. We provide letters of recommendation for our student volunteers and certificates of service for all our participants. We also offer “Volunteer Perks,” such as discounts on our workshops and early access to our gallery shows. We believe that a well-supported volunteer is a happy volunteer, and we go the extra mile to make sure you feel like the valuable asset you are. Your safety and comfort are also paramount, and we maintain a workplace that is respectful, inclusive, and professional. We are honored that you chose to spend your time with us, and we promise to honor that choice by making your time at Hand-Drawn Hearts meaningful and memorable.
