For Aurora residents who want to give back to their community this season, the city has more than 40 volunteer opportunities available that benefit the local government’s programs.

Volunteer opportunities include the Snow Busters Program, which pairs volunteers with neighbors in need to help them shovel snow; the Holiday Trash Clean Up Program; and, Aurora Animal Services Foster Parent Program.

All available volunteer positions, of which there are currently 46, are listed in the Aurora’s volunteer portal.

“Our City of Aurora programs would not be nearly as successful without the help of our amazing volunteers,” Aurora’s volunteer program administrator said. “We appreciate the time and efforts our current volunteers have dedicated to the city, and we can always use more volunteers to help us achieve more.”

While volunteering helps the city, it also benefits the volunteers by giving people a chance to explore new interests, meet new people, build confidence, improve and acquire new skills and have fun, according to the city’s volunteering website.

Interested residents can get started by checking out the available opportunities, determining how much time they have, how frequently they would like to volunteer and what they would like to do.

Prospective volunteers can then sign up for their program of interest in the volunteer portal and will be contacted by a city staff person for next steps.

To honor its volunteers, the city presents annual Community Spirit Awards to people, organizations and businesses who demonstrate ongoing leadership, commitment to volunteerism and involvement in the community.

Aurora’s youth can also volunteer for the city through the Aurora Youth Commission, which advises the City Council, the city manager and the director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Space regarding youth interests in the city.

The Commission has a total of 22 members, with 16 between ages 14 and 20, and an additional six members over age 21. Members serve two-year terms and are limited to serving two terms.

There are currently two empty commission member positions.

Beyond Aurora itself, some of the city’s nonprofit partners also have volunteer opportunities available.

Food Bank of the Rockies, SECORE Cares, Aurora Interfaith and Community Services, Salvation Army and Village Exchange Center are partner organizations that are also seeking volunteers.

Notably, Colorado Gives Day, an annual giving initiative on Dec. 5, is fast approaching, with several initiatives supporting city programs asking for donations. These initiatives include Friends of the Aurora Fox, which supports the Aurora Fox Arts Center, and Friends of the Aurora Public Library, which supports programs and services of the Aurora Public Library, the Aurora Museum Foundation and the Aurora Police Foundation.

Interested donors can learn more and make donations at ColoradoGives.org.