On the last Saturday of each month, children as young as eight can walk into Think Wild's wildlife hospital in Bend, Oregon, and help prepare meals for injured hawks and orphaned deer, building something far more valuable than just a safer habitat for animals—they're building a generation of conservationists. Think Wild, Central Oregon's nonprofit wildlife hospital and conservation center, has launched a series of new youth and family volunteer programs designed to pull younger members of the high desert community into hands-on work that protects native wildlife and restores the land they share with animals.
For a small nonprofit, community support isn't a luxury—it's the backbone of everything. Think Wild's new initiatives recognize that the most powerful form of engagement happens when families and young people get their hands dirty alongside professionals who care for the creatures caught between civilization and wilderness. The opportunities range from preparing patient diets and building enrichment structures to tending pollinator gardens and maintaining enclosures—work that teaches kids the real mechanics of conservation while the organization gains the volunteer hours it desperately needs.
The programs are tailored thoughtfully to age and availability. Youth ages 8 to 13 meet on the last Saturday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. throughout the year. The older cohort—teens ages 14 to 17—can join either the second Wednesday of each month from 2:30 to 4 p.m. during spring and summer, or the last Saturday sessions from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. year-round. These aren't token appearances; they're genuine working partnerships where young people contribute to measurable conservation outcomes.
But Think Wild isn't asking families to make a military commitment. The organization recognizes that real-world schedules are messy. Off-site opportunities let youth represent Think Wild at community events and fundraisers, sharing educational resources and stories about local wildlife. Some projects can even be completed at home. Families interested in deeper engagement can build native bird and bat boxes with guidance from Think Wild's plans, or—if they're willing to be part of something more dramatic—teenagers accompanied by a parent can assist with the rescue and transport of injured or orphaned wildlife directly to the hospital.
For families drawn to habitat restoration work on a larger scale, Think Wild partners with Beaver Works Oregon on projects throughout Eastern and Central Oregon. One upcoming event invites families to build beaver dam analogs in the Ochoco National Forest on July 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. These hand-built structures, crafted from sticks and natural materials, mimic real beaver dams and help restore watershed health across the region. It's the kind of outdoor work that roots children in understanding how ecosystems actually function, not as abstract science but as something they've helped repair with their own hands.
The application process is simple: interested youth and families can fill out a volunteer form or email volunteer@thinkwildco.org to start. In a landscape where young people often feel anxious about environmental futures, Think Wild offers something concrete—a way to show up, help real animals, and be part of the solution.