Local Volunteer Opportunities

The four Issaquah Highlands community organizations have all-volunteer boards and committees with occasional openings for new members.

Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA)

The IHCA is our homeowner association (HOA) in Issaquah Highlands. Learn more about this organization’s role and responsibilities here.

Opportunities

• Board of Directors: The board is made up of resident volunteers. Board district elections are held each year in June. Look for upcoming election announcements in the spring on the Issaquah Highlands blog, in the official weekly e-news and on official social media channels. Learn more about the IHCA Board of Directors.
• Committees: Includes the Architectural Review Committee, Covenant Committee and Finance Committee. Learn more about IHCA committees.
  • Time commitment: Monthly meetings
  • Current openings: None
  • Next steps: Contact Sarah Hoey, IHCA executive director, for more information about future IHCA board and committee positions. Submit an IHCA Committee Application.

Highlands Council

Highlands Council is Issaquah Highlands’ community-building organization. Learn more about this organization’s role and responsibilities here.

Opportunities

• Board of Trustees: The board is made up of members who represent different types of Issaquah Highlands stakeholders, including homeowners, multi-family and retail/commercial. Learn more about the Highlands Council Board of Trustees.
  • Time commitment: Monthly meetings
  • Current openings: Yes – See our Call for Board Members, July 2022
  • Next steps: Contact Lindsey Pinkston, Highlands Council executive director, for more information about Highlands Council board positions.
• Committees: Includes the Communications Committee, Community Safety Committee, Equity Committee, Finance Committee, and Program Committee. Learn more about Highlands Council Committees. 
  • Time commitment: Bi-monthly meetings for most committees
  • Current openings: Yes – all committees are currently open to new members
  • Next steps: Apply online

Highlands Fiber Network

Highlands Fiber Network (HFN) is the community-owned, state-of-the-art fiber optic communication system. Learn more about this organization’s role and responsibilities here.

• Board of Directors: The board is made up of resident volunteers. Learn more about the HFN Board of Directors.
  • Time commitment: Monthly meetings
  • Current openings: None
  • Next steps: Contact Jeremy Fallt, HFN general manager, for more information about future HFN board positions.

All Issaquah Highlands community groups are volunteer-led. Group leaders share their passion and bring people together with common interests. Want to connect with others who share your passion? Highlands Council can help you start a community group.

Time commitment: Varies

Next steps: Complete the form or email Lindsey Pinkston, Highlands Council executive director, to share your ideas.

In partnership with volunteers, Highlands Council puts on many events throughout the year to build community, celebrate cultural events and just have fun!

• Time commitment: Planning meetings start at least two months prior to the event. More frequent meetings occur as the event approaches.
• Current openings: None
• Next steps: If you have an idea for an event, email Lindsey Pinkston, Highlands Council executive director, to share your ideas.

Volunteers make our events happen! From lending a hand at Global Grub & Groove to helping with kids crafts at a family event to bartending at an adult celebration, volunteers are an essential component to almost all our community programming.

• Time commitment: Day-of availability (set-up, event duration, clean-up opportunities available)
• Current opportunities:
  • Global Grub & Goove series: Join us for our annual Global Grub & Groove event celebrating culture and community! We welcome adult and youth (age 12+) volunteers to set up, work the events, and clean up. Please review the available slots below and sign up to volunteer.
    • Juneteenth
    • Indonesian & Malaysian cultures
    • Indian Independence Day
  • Issaquah Highlands LEGO® Expo: Be a part of the first annual LEGO® Expo in Issaquah! We welcome adult and youth (age 12+) volunteers to set up, work the event, and clean up. Please review the available slots here and sign up to volunteer.
• Next steps: Complete the form or contact Lindsey Pinkston, Highlands Council executive director, for more information.

Highlands Council is always looking for volunteer contributing writers, photographers, and graphic designers for our print and digital media. Contributions can be one-off or monthly. Examples of regular volunteer contributions include monthly columns like “Living Green,” “Emergency Preparedness,” and “School Spotlight.” 

• Time commitment: One-off or monthly contributions possible 
• Next steps: Complete the form below or contact Maddie Coats, Highlands Council media editor, for more information.

Here in the Issaquah Highlands Community, we are very fortunate to be home to 10 Little Free Libraries. These little libraries are placed in various parks around the Highlands, and they provide families the opportunity to find free new books to enjoy. It’s also a great way to share books, meet neighbors and contribute to a sense of community.

To help support and promote our Little Libraries, we are asking you/your family to be part of our Adopt-a-Little Free Library Program. To be part in our program we would request that volunteers take care of one library for a year (June-July).

Taking care of the Little Library would mean the following:

• Visiting your Little Free Library about once/week to check for a variety of books, requesting books as needed and removing inappropriate material
• Delivering overflow books to Blakely Hall for distribution to other libraries in the community
• Reporting any damage or maintenance needed
• Assigning a back-up family (or staff member) to take care of the library during any extended vacations

Next steps: Complete the form below or contact Lindsey Pinkston, Highlands Council executive director, for more information.

• Bloodworks Northwest: Donating blood is an essential and encouraged activity critical to sustaining community healthcare, especially during emergencies. Learn how you can help here.
• Blood Donation Pop-Up Events: Your one-hour donation appointment is a safe and essential action to support local hospitals and patients. Bloodworks Northwest conducts the pop-up donor center at Blakely Hall in accordance with social distancing guidelines. No walk-ins, guests or children under age 16 are permitted onsite. See available dates and make your appointment here.
• Catholic Community Services Meals Program: Needs include paper plates, plastic or paper cups, plastic cutlery, to-go boxes, volunteers. To donate or volunteer, contact: Griffin Cole, 425-679-0342.
• Eastside Baby Corner: Needs include volunteers, financial support, diapers (especially sizes 4, 5, and 6), powdered infant formula, diaper wipes and used laptops. Item donations can be directly shipped to EBC through their Giving Catalog or dropped off at the Issaquah hub during normal donation hours.
• Eastside Friends of Seniors: Needs volunteers for the following…
  • Driving: Friendly volunteer drivers needed to take local seniors to medical appointments. Provide door-to-door service from seniors’ homes to medical appointments in your own vehicle. Must be comfortable navigating to new locations and contacting seniors on the phone. A twice-monthly commitment of 1-2 hours is preferred. Must be over the age of 21 with a vehicle to apply. Apply online.
  • Checking in by phone: Volunteers needed to call Eastside Friends of Seniors clients to check their welfare and provide an essential social connection. This will likely mean giving them a call periodically, perhaps once or twice a week. Eastside Friends of Seniors will provide you with a set of talking points. Email Lisa to learn more and sign-up.
  • Grocery shopping and delivery: Get groceries and deliver them to seniors’ homes. You request a list from the client, do the shopping for them, and take it to their home. Email Lisa to learn more and sign-up.
• Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank: Needs include financial contributions, $25 grocery store gift cards, grocery store delivery of emergency items and volunteers. Learn how you can help here.
• The Issaquah/Sammamish Food Project: Needs neighborhood coordinators and non-perishable food items collected every other month from your doorstep in a green tote bag (provided). Supports the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank. Learn more about the Issaquah Sammamish Food Project.
• Issaquah Community Meals Program: Issaquah Community Meals offers “to go” food at the Community Hall from noon-1 p.m. every Thursday and 4-6 p.m. on weekends. The team is looking for volunteers to cook, provide hospitality or donate supplies/food/drinks on a one-time or ongoing basis. Email or call 425-351-0064.

• City of Issaquah Boards and Commissions: Issaquah needs you! If you’re looking for a fun and interesting way to make a difference, consider applying to serve on a city board or commission. Recruitment occurs each January. Learn more.
• Issaquah School District VOICE Mentor Program: Are you interested in helping a student succeed in school and in life? ISD’s award-winning VOICE Mentor Program is looking for mentors for the new school year! Volunteers of Issaquah Changing Education (VOICE) is an in-school program that pairs caring community members with students who have been identified as benefiting from an extra support. VOICE volunteers work with students as one-on-one mentors for 30 – 60 minutes per week throughout the school year. Learn more here.
• Swedish Patient & Family Advisory Council: Swedish Issaquah seeks new patient and family advisors to be part of the Swedish Patient Family Advisory Council, working alongside Swedish caregivers and leadership to enhance the patient experience. Learn more and apply here.