For my speech class, I have to give a speech on a community service organization. In order to do so, I need to volunteer somewhere.
Anyways, I need help choosing a charity, community service organization, etc. I want to chose something that will be fun, and I also want it to be unique.
So who can help?
One last thing, it needs to be based or have a chapter in my area. I am in Campbell, CA.
Sadly, nearly every community has a soup kitchen and/or homeless shelter. It may not be fun, but your time will certainly be appreciated there.
Not that community service should be fun (nor oppressive), there is something my wife and I have done.
There’s a shelter in Alexandria for homeless families. One thing not many people think about is that the kids have to be taken care of while the parents are looking for work or are working. Then when they get back to the shelter, they have to take care of them. They don’t get a break. A couple times a month, members from our church go to the shelter to watch the kids in the playrooms while the parents can spend time alone. And it can be on the fun side watching these kids. Even though their families are down on their luck, the kids are still optimistic and fun-loving.
The first time we did it, my wife was about 7 months pregnant. The first little boy that came up to the playroom started asking us questions: were we married? did we have kids? My wife told him that we had a baby on the way. He did a double-take at my wife tummy, then started asking why she wasn’t home resting and what if the baby came that night! It was so sweet that he was so concerned for her welfare. 
Contact the local United Way or other umbrella organization - they can probably put you in touch with different charitable organizations that need help.
Check your local newspaper - our local section here prints a list of charities and non-profit organizations (once per week) and the different jobs/activities they need help for. (For example - office work - typing and filing are not the most glamorous of jobs, but trust me, I damn well appreciate the volunteers who choose to spend time at my office and help with the day-to-day trivial stuff so I can get other matters taken care of.)
Contact a local animal rehabilitator - many of them can use help feeding animals or cleaning cages (trust me, it can get overwhelming somedays).
Check with local environmental organizations - river, pond and beach clean-ups can be tough, but the warm-fuzzy stays with you for quite awhile (the mud on your shoes goes away too, eventually).
Contact local churches or synagogues (even one outside your own beliefs).
Contact the Red Cross - get CPR/first aid certification. [Shameless plug, but you never know when you may have to use it.]
Heck, be your own volunteer organization - contact the local nursing home and read the newspaper to a senior citizen who cannot see well, talk to someone who has no visitors. (Just make sure you can keep up a long-term committment). Volunteer at a local elementary school (probably requires a background check) as a teacher’s assistant - tutor a child in math or reading.
And when you are done with the class, keep on volunteering somewhere. There is always something new to learn and something you can teach, even if it’s to a new volunteer at your charity/organization.
And it may not be readily apparent, but someone, somewhere, will be grateful for your time and effort.
If you are interested in something on the unique side, see if there are any animal rescue organizations in your area. A friend of mine works for a few hours a week taking care of wounded raptor birds, like owls, hawks, eagles, etc.
MR
This puts me in mind of a stupid lead-in to a TV news story I heard last year: “Should volunteerism be mandatory?”
I volunteer at my local rape crisis center, answering phones and going out on crisis calls. Most of the time, the work is not difficult; so long as you’re a compassionate person, you can do it. Most rape crisis centers also desperately need people willing to help.
And yeah, I’m male, and RCCs need male volunteers.
Betcha the folks in IMHO can help.
Is there a Radical Women chapter in your town? They are always looking for help, and chances are you’ll be the only one in class helping out THAT organization.
Since you are in CA, try the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They grant the wishes of terminally ill kids, and I can’t think of a better charity.
Enjoy, it will be more than worth it!