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Volunteering · Cobb County, Georgia

Volunteer opportunities for teens in Cobb County.

Where high school students in Marietta, Kennesaw and the rest of Cobb County can volunteer, with each place’s age rules and when the hospital programs take applications.

By Lokesh Pampatti, founder of Clarity Prep · Updated October 18, 2026

This list covers Marietta, Kennesaw, Smyrna, Austell, Acworth and the rest of Cobb County. We read every age rule on the organization’s own site, last checked October 18, 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the link before you go. Pick your age to see what you can do now.

9 places on this list.

Food banks and meals

  • Atlanta Community Food Bank8+ with an adult

    The Community Food Center on Austell Road in Marietta, plus the Hunger Action Center on North Desert Drive

    Ages
    Ages 8 and up at most ongoing projects. Anyone under 18 volunteers with an adult chaperone who works the whole shift with them. Special events can have different rules.
    What you do
    Sort and pack food that goes to pantries across metro Atlanta.
    How to start
    Sign up for a shift online, then email the food bank to add the teen to the registration.
  • MUST Ministries10+ with an adult

    Marietta

    Ages
    Ages 10 to 17 can serve at some opportunities with a parent or guardian on campus, and under 16 needs approval from MUST staff first. Some locations don’t take minors, and shelter roles are 21 and up.
    What you do
    Help with programs for neighbors in need, like the summer lunch program and the Christmas toy shop.
    How to start
    Sign up through MUST’s Volunteer Hub and attend a new volunteer orientation, held each month.

Hospitals and health

  • Wellstar Kennestone, VolunTeensOn your own at 16+

    Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, Marietta

    Ages
    High school students ages 16 to 18.
    What you do
    A June-to-July summer program: one two-hour shift a week for six of the eight weeks, with a chance to keep going during the school year.
    How to start
    Apply online, then send immunization records and a form signed by your school counselor by February 28. Interviews are in March.
    Apply
    February 1 to 15
  • Wellstar Cobb, VolunTeensOn your own at 16+

    Wellstar Cobb Medical Center, Austell

    Ages
    High school students ages 16 to 18 who are interested in a health care career.
    What you do
    A summer program with one four-hour weekday shift a week (June 4 to July 29 in 2026).
    How to start
    Apply online, then send immunization records and a school records release signed by your counselor. Selected students get a 15-minute interview.
    Apply
    Deadline was March 31 for summer 2026; check the page in early 2027

Parks, rivers and trees

  • Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield ParkParent approval form

    Kennesaw

    Ages
    All ages. Volunteers under 18 turn in a parental approval form.
    What you do
    Trail workdays with the Kennesaw Mountain Trail Club on the second Saturday of each month, the spring Park Day, greeting visitors and group projects.
    How to start
    Apply for an opening on volunteer.gov or email the park. Groups call the park to set up a project.
  • Sweep the Hooch (Chattahoochee Riverkeeper)10+ with an adult

    Sites along the Chattahoochee in three regions, including metro Atlanta

    Ages
    Walkers and waders 10 and up, solo paddlers 15 and up. Kids must be supervised by an adult who stays on site. Tandem paddlers 10 and up go with an adult 21 or older.
    What you do
    A one-morning river cleanup, Saturday, March 20, 2027.
    How to start
    Registration opens in February 2027. Everyone registers on their own and picks a site; sites fill up.
    Apply
    Registration opens February 2027

Libraries

  • Cobb County Public LibraryOn your own at 15+

    Branches across Cobb County

    Ages
    Ages 15 and up. Volunteers 17 and older also need a background check.
    What you do
    Help at a library branch.
    How to start
    Fill out the library’s volunteer application, then contact the branch you want to work at to see if it has openings.

Building homes

  • Habitat for Humanity Northwest Metro Atlanta14+ landscaping, 16+ building

    Build sites in Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties

    Ages
    Ages 14 and up for landscaping, and 16 and up on an active construction site. Everyone under 18 needs a signed parent permission form.
    What you do
    Help build homes and do landscaping alongside the families who will live in them.
    How to start
    Pick an upcoming date on the affiliate’s individual volunteer page and bring the signed parent permission form.

Find more projects

  • Hands On AtlantaAges vary by project

    Projects across metro Atlanta

    Ages
    Age rules vary by project. Some are family-friendly; others require volunteers to be 16 or 18. Each listing shows its rules before you register.
    What you do
    One searchable calendar of volunteer projects with local nonprofits.
    How to start
    Search the project calendar, open a listing to check its age rule, and register.

When the teen programs take applications

The most sought-after teen programs take applications once a year, months before they start. Put these on your calendar.

More Georgia guides

How to make it count

  • Pick one or two places and stay. A year at one food bank says more than ten one-day events. Ask for more responsibility as you go, like training new volunteers or running a drive.
  • Keep a log from day one: the date, hours, what you did, and a supervisor’s name and email. Schools, clubs and scholarships ask for it, and it is hard to rebuild later.
  • Ask your school what counts. National Honor Society, Beta Club and similar clubs set their own hour rules, and some only accept certain kinds of service.
  • Write about what changed. On the Common App you get 150 characters per activity. Lead with what you did and what came of it, not the hour count. See how many volunteer hours you need for college.

Know a place in Cobb County that takes teen volunteers and should be here? Email sessions@joinclarityprep.com with a link to its volunteer page.

Questions

Where can a 13-year-old volunteer in Cobb County?

With a parent or another adult along: Atlanta Community Food Bank, MUST Ministries and Sweep the Hooch.

Can teens volunteer at a hospital in Cobb County?

Yes, through summer teen programs that start at age 16: Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Cobb. They are competitive, usually ask for vaccine records and a counselor form or interview, and take applications in February and March for that summer.

Do colleges care where I volunteer?

They care more about what you did and how long you stuck with it than about the place or the hour count. 68% of colleges consider volunteer work, and 18% rate it important or very important, according to their own Common Data Sets.

Want help turning service into a stronger application?

Clarity Prep pairs high school students with a mentor who has been through it, plus an app that keeps the plan, the college list and every essay in one place. You get a weekly call and a check-in every Monday.

Get startedBook a free call