Volunteer

donate your time to good dads

Good Dads is always looking for committed volunteers who are passionate about assisting us achieve our mission of "helping kids one dad at a time." Find out more about us on our About page.

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others." - Ghandi

Find your best fit

If you're looking for ways to give back to your community but aren't sure where to begin, you're in the right place! Good Dads has multiple volunteer opportunities for anyone looking to donate their time. All kinds of skills can help fathers, but we are especially interested in connecting with folks in the Ozarks, Kansas City area, Central region and Hannibal area who are passionate about father engagement and promoting healthy families.
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Unfortunately, at this time we are unable to accommodate volunteers who are contributing community service hours as a part of their court orders.

Some of our best volunteers are men who want to be Good Dads themselves! But you certainly don't have to be a dad to make a difference for fathers.

find our opportunities on volunteerozarks!

Web banner for Volunteer Ozarks, a partnership between ky3 and United Way of the Ozarks

What we look for

Retirees, empty-nesters and grandparents make exceptional volunteers.
Educators, counselors, social workers, nonprofit leaders, faith leaders, public servants, nurses and trades workers all have a valuable impact on Good Dads' mission, but anyone who is passionate about positive father engagement has the makings of a stellar volunteer!
We love to work with organized, punctual people who work well in team settings.
Interpersonal and communication skills are important for anyone volunteering with us. Volunteers need to be good listeners, and in some cases, need to be comfortable working with populations who have a history of addiction and/or incarceration.
Volunteers need their own means of transportation.
We wish to expressly call on the men of the area to step up and volunteer with Good Dads. Male volunteers are critically important for Good Dads' programs that expressly target fathers. We hope to send the message that father involvement is imperative to a child's wellbeing, and we can't do that without positive male role models!

Be a Strong Schools Captain

A captain speaks into a microphone in front of dad and their kids and he leads a Strong Schools event in Springfield

Great for early risers! Strong Schools Captains commit to leading the before-school program once a month or more at elementary schools throughout the Ozarks. Retired dads, empty-nesters and grandfathers are ideal for this role. Captains may be trained to teach our Strong Schools course.

help run strong schools events

A dad hugs his daughter from behind. Both smile widely at the camera.

Make a big difference in the lives of elementary school students by becoming a helper at Strong Schools events once a month or more. Helpers manage the check-in table, pass out supplies and/or furnish breakfast and prizes for dads and kids who attend. They assist Captains to make sure the event runs smoothly.

facilitate a good dads class

Good Dads Facilitator Janice Reynolds holds a microphone and points to an out-of-frame participant as she leads the training for Good Dads 2.0 facilitators in summer 2022.

We couldn't do it without our New Pathways facilitators! They work in pairs to lead a weekly, 2-hour class (typically in the evening) for men enrolled in the New Pathways for Good Dads program and maintain a case management file for each participant. In many cases, facilitators are compensated for their time. Each facilitator is required to complete a training session hosted by Good Dads before they can host a class.

mentor dads in the program

A mentor oversees class facilitation for Fundamentals of Fatherhood

New Pathways Mentors may be asked to provide tangible help (furnishing meals, assisting with transportation to/from class, etc.) but their primarily roles are to act as a support system to the men in our classes. They dispense advice to men in the program and may provide some academic assistance. Mentors may help run classes but do not teach the courses. They work collaboratively with New Pathways Facilitators.

community development

Good Dads on Ozarks Live at KOLR10 with Hack4Good

Perfect for big-picture people! Business and community leaders are valuable members of our Board of Directors. Outgoing folks are also well-suited as networking ambassadors for Good Dads to help us spread the word about our programs, classes and partnership opportunities. Sometimes all it takes is the right person and a strong a cup of coffee to make all the difference.

... and more!

A man in a red shirt and black and white baseball hat sits at a table, surrounded by other men at a meeting.

Perhaps your skills are best suited in an area not already mentioned. We want to hear about it! Share your areas of expertise and/or unique ideas for volunteering at the nonprofit in the form below.

make a difference