Group Volunteer Opportunities

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Little Hands Virginia! Little Hands Virginia is the diaper bank for Central Virginia. We provide diapers to partner agencies serving families experiencing financial hardship — helping ensure babies are clean, healthy, and cared for.

We love welcoming volunteer groups! Group volunteer shifts are a meaningful, hands-on way to support our work and help prepare diapers for distribution.

What Group Volunteers Do
Most group volunteer shifts are for diaper bundling, one of our most important warehouse activities. During diaper bundling shifts, volunteers:

• Repackage donated diapers from diaper drives and community partners
• Bundle diapers into packs of 25 using cling wrap

Another group volunteer opportunity is for diaper bank order filling. During these shifts, bundled diapers are boxed and prepared for pick up by our partner network. This shift is only available in the second half of each month.

Occasionally, groups may assist with other projects. If we have a different project available for your group, we will communicate this before confirming your shift. We’re also open to hearing your ideas if there’s a specific way your group would like to help!

Your group’s support enables diapers to be distributed quickly and efficiently into the community.

Group Size Requirements
To ensure a safe and productive volunteer experience, group volunteer shifts are available for:

• Groups of 5–49 volunteers (For groups 50+, please contact us for custom scheduling and capacity planning before filling out the interest form below.)
• Diaper bank order filling is only available for groups of 12 or fewer, and is not an option for youth groups.

We ask that each group provides:

• 1 adult group leader as the primary point of contact.
• 1 additional chaperone per 10 youth volunteers (under 18), and 1 chaperone per 5 youth volunteers if the children are in elementary school.

Scheduling & Confirmation
To schedule a group volunteer shift:
1. Fill out the Group Volunteer Interest Form.
2. Our Program Director will be in touch within 7 days to confirm date/time availability.
3. If applicable, we will send an invoice or donation link, or drive info, for the Group Volunteer Support Contribution (see details below).

Group Volunteer FAQ

What will our group do during a volunteer shift?
When your group arrives, we will do a brief introduction about our organization and give a tour of the warehouse if you are interested. We will then provide instructions for your group’s volunteer opportunity: diaper bundling or diaper bank order filling (details above). Occasionally groups volunteer in other ways, and we will communicate this ahead of confirming your volunteer shift. We are open to your ideas too! Finally, we will close out the time with clean up and a group picture. If your group is interested in having a meeting or lunch in our space before or after your shift time that must be communicated and approved by our program director in advance.

Can children volunteer?
Volunteer opportunities vary depending on the activity and staffing. Youth groups ages 5 and up are welcome with adult supervision. Groups must provide 1 adult leader plus 1 additional chaperone per 10 youth volunteers. If children are elementary school aged, we recommend 1 adult per 5 children. If you tell us your group’s age range, we’ll confirm what’s appropriate for your shift.

How long is a volunteer shift?
Most group volunteer shifts are two hours, including an introduction and tour as well as clean up.

How many diapers will our group bundle?
This depends on group size and pace, but most groups bundle thousands of diapers during a shift. Once your date is confirmed, we can estimate your group’s likely output. Some groups enjoy setting a goal (for example, “Let’s bundle 10,000 diapers!”) or creating a friendly competition.

How far in advance should we schedule?
We recommend reaching out at least 4 weeks in advance (8 weeks is preferred), especially for corporate groups or large teams, since peak dates will fill quickly.

How do we schedule a group volunteer shift?
Submit the Group Volunteer Interest Form (linked above). Our team will confirm availability and logistics.

Where do group volunteering shifts take place?
Group volunteer shifts take place at our Richmond warehouse. Free, on-site parking is directly in front of the building. Please wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes. We recommend layers, as the warehouse temperature can vary. All supplies are provided – just bring your energy!

Can volunteers bring food or drinks?
Water and light snacks are available for all volunteers. Groups are also welcome to bring their own food if desired.

Our group is interested in doing a volunteer project at our office or another site. Is this possible?
If volunteering somewhere other than our warehouse, groups are required to provide the diapers. We can help you approximate how many diapers to purchase per volunteer. We can also help facilitate the purchase of diapers wholesale if your group is large enough.

Following the off-site volunteer event, your group is responsible for bringing the packaged diapers to our warehouse at a time coordinated with our program team.

We can provide the supplies needed for your event, or you can choose to purchase them (we will provide a detailed shopping list).

We will provide instructions, and if available we will have a staff person present at the beginning of the event to do an introduction, give live instructions, and answer any questions. It is our preference to have a Little Hand staff person present at the start of your event to ensure diaper bundling is done correctly.

Will volunteers need to sign a waiver?
Yes. We are a working warehouse, so all volunteers will be asked to complete a waiver on-site prior to their shift. If your group would like to fill out the waiver in advance we will provide it via email.

Can large groups split into multiple shifts?
In some cases, yes, however it is not guaranteed and depends on the schedule for the day. Please note this in your interest form and we will discuss options during scheduling.

What is your cancellation policy?
We ask for at least 7 days’ notice if you need to reschedule. This helps us plan staffing and inventory, especially for diaper bank order filling. If your contribution has already been made, it can be applied to a future volunteer date or retained as a donation supporting diaper distribution.

Why does Little Hands Virginia charge a group volunteer fee for large groups?
We refer to this as a Group Volunteer Support Contribution, not a “fee.” Hosting large volunteer groups creates real costs. Diaper bundling requires significant inventory and supplies, and in many cases we must purchase diapers specifically to host large group volunteer shifts. Your contribution helps ensure we can economically provide diapers to the children we serve through our program.

This policy helps us:

• Keep volunteer shifts feasible and well-organized
• Maintain consistent diaper inventory for distribution
• Cover bundling supplies like cling wrap, boxes, and labels
• Provide staff support for shift setup, training, and facilitation

Is the contribution tax-deductible?
Yes. Little Hands Virginia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The Group Volunteer Support Contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and a receipt will be provided.

Can our group volunteer without making the contribution?
For groups of 25+, the contribution is required in order to host the shift sustainably. However, groups may substitute the contribution through an in-kind diaper drive, or another type of in-kind drive approved by our program director. We do make exceptions for existing corporate donors and certain nonprofits and community groups.

Who do we contact with questions?
Margaret Long
Program Director
margaret@littlehandva.org