Volunteer appreciation gifts

Volunteer appreciation gifts by budget and group size

Good volunteer appreciation gifts are modest, the same for everyone who served, and come with a note that names what they did. Real chocolate gifts from $22 each, a shared gift for a crew, or a thank-you event on video.

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How much to spend per volunteer

Match the gift to what each person gave, and keep it the same for everyone in the same group. Volunteers notice fairness more than price.

Volunteer gift budgets by group
Who	Budget	Why
Every helper at a one-day event	Under $25 each	A small box handed out on the day, the same for everyone.
Weekly or monthly regulars	$25 to $40 each	People who give hours every week get a real gift once a year.
Volunteer leaders and coordinators	$40 to $100 each	The few who recruit, schedule and train everyone else.
A site, shift or committee	One shared gift, $80 to $100	A tower or a large box opened together at the next meeting.

What one gift per volunteer costs

Headcount times the gift, before shipping and branding.

Total gift cost by number of volunteers and gift
Volunteers	Quogue Luxury Gift Box (X-Small), $22	Signature Truffle Collection, $32	Quogue Luxury Gift Box (Small), $36
25 volunteers	$550	$800	$900
50 volunteers	$1,100	$1,600	$1,800
100 volunteers	$2,200	$3,200	$3,600
250 volunteers	$5,500	$8,000	$9,000

Ordering for 100 or more? See bulk gifts, or for the smallest budgets, gifts under $25.

One gift each, or one gift the group shares

Volunteer groups come in two shapes: people who serve alone and people who serve as a crew. The gift should follow the shape.

A gift for each volunteer
Best when you can hand it over in person at a shift or an event, or when volunteers serve alone and rarely meet. Everyone gets the same gift, so nobody compares.
One gift the group shares
Best for a team that serves together every week: a kitchen crew, a front desk shift, a committee. One tower on the table at the next meeting, with a card everyone signs.
Both, for a big program
A small box for every helper on the day, plus a shared gift for each site lead to open with their team.
An hour together instead
When the group is spread across sites or towns, a hosted thank-you event on video gives them something no box can: time with each other.

Volunteer appreciation gifts by budget

Real gifts and real prices, before shipping and branding. Every one is chocolate, so ask about allergies on your sign-up form.

Under $40: a gift for every volunteer

The range most programs use, so every helper gets the same thing, from the first-timer to the ten-year regular.

$40 to $100: volunteer leaders and shared gifts

For the coordinators who hold the program together, or one gift a whole site shares.

Every gift opens our partner store, where you can order online. Sending to a long list or adding your logo? Get a free quote with volume pricing instead.

National Volunteer Week and when to order

Two dates most volunteer programs plan their thank-you around, and the last day to order for each.

Points of Light holds National Volunteer Week each April, as it has since 1974; check its page for the 2027 dates before you pick yours. The United Nations marks International Volunteer Day on December 5 every year, a Saturday in 2026.

Last order dates for volunteer gifts
For	Unbranded gifts, order by	Branded or 100+ gifts, order by
International Volunteer Day, Saturday, December 5, 2026Gifts in hand by Friday, December 4.	Friday, November 20, 2026	Friday, November 6, 2026
National Volunteer Week, April 2027Gifts in hand by Thursday, April 1, before any April date.	Thursday, March 18, 2027	Thursday, March 4, 2027

Unbranded gifts need 2 to 3 weeks; branded orders and anything over 100 gifts need 4 to 6. For gifts with your logo, see custom logo gifts.

A thank-you event as the gift

For volunteers spread across sites and towns, an hour together can mean more than a box. A live host runs about an hour on video, and you only send the link.

Each card shows the live price; a hosted game is one package for up to 25 guests. Hosted games book about 2 weeks ahead. A kit workshop needs a home address for every guest and books about 3 weeks ahead for US addresses, or about 5 weeks with guests in Canada or abroad. More in team building kits and virtual trivia; for a staff and volunteer event on a small budget, see team building for nonprofits.

What to write in the card

Name what they did, in hours or moments, then say thank you. Copy one and make it theirs.

For thank-you gifts beyond volunteers, from a launch team to a mentor, see thank you gifts for work.

You gave us 40 Saturdays this year. The pantry ran because you showed up. Thank you.
The gala worked because you were at the door at 5 pm. Thank you for every hour.
New volunteers ask for you by name. Thank you for making them feel at home.
You turned a list of names into a team. Thank you for leading it this year.
Every family we served this season met you first. Thank you.

Volunteer appreciation gift questions

What are good volunteer appreciation gifts?

Something small, easy to enjoy and the same for everyone in the group, with a note that names what the person gave. A chocolate box under $40 works for most volunteers; a shared gift suits a crew that serves together, and a hosted thank-you event suits volunteers spread across sites.

How much should you spend on a gift for a volunteer?

Under $25 each for helpers at a one-day event, $25 to $40 for weekly or monthly regulars, and $40 to $100 for the volunteer leaders who run the program. For a whole crew, one shared gift of $80 to $100. Our gifts run from $22.

When is National Volunteer Week?

Points of Light holds National Volunteer Week each April and has since 1974. Check its page for the 2027 dates. For gifts in hand by Thursday, April 1, 2027, order unbranded gifts by March 18 and branded gifts by March 4, 2027.

Is it better to give each volunteer a gift or one gift to the group?

Give each person a gift when volunteers serve alone or you can hand gifts out at an event. Give one shared gift when a crew serves together every week, like a kitchen team or a front desk shift. Big programs often do both.

What can we do for volunteers instead of a gift?

Bring them together. A hosted virtual game is one package for up to 25 guests and only needs a video link, so it works for volunteers in different towns. A kit workshop ships supplies to each home. Hosted games book about 2 weeks ahead and kits about 3 weeks for US addresses.

What should a volunteer thank-you note say?

Name what they gave in hours or moments, then say thank you. For example: "You gave us 40 Saturdays this year. The pantry ran because you showed up. Thank you." One specific line beats a paragraph of praise.

Can you ship volunteer gifts to many home addresses?

Yes. Send a spreadsheet of names and addresses and each gift is packed and shipped individually, in the US and internationally, with your note inside. Timing and regional shipping charges depend on the destination list.

Thanking a big volunteer list?

Tell us how many volunteers, your budget per person and your date. We'll suggest a gift or a thank-you event and send a price within 24 hours.

Get a free quoteSee gifts by budget