Make a Difference with Teen Challenge of Southern California
Want to make a positive impact in the lives of students? One of the most rewarding ways many people have told Teen Challenge of Southern California that they contribute to Teen Challenge is to volunteer. They have a variety of possibilities if you’re interested in giving some of your time. But be careful, once you spend time around the students, you’ll be hooked! There are numerous centers all over Southern California! Visit: https://www.teenchallenge.org/volunteer/
Volunteer at Michelson Found Animals
Better Neighbor Project (BNP) partners with human and animal service organizations to bring Pet Wellness Day events to underserved communities and their pets in and around Los Angeles. These events offer free wellness and hygiene services, spay/neuter resources, humane education, pet food and more! BNP also hosts weekly pet pantries around Los Angeles, distributing free cat and dog food to communities in need.13-15 years old must be accompanied by parent/guardian. 16+ years old are welcomed.
Volunteer at Michelson Found Animals
Better Neighbor Project (BNP) partners with human and animal service organizations to bring Pet Wellness Day events to underserved communities and their pets in and around Los Angeles.These events offer free wellness and hygiene services, spay/neuter
resources, humane education, pet food and more! BNP also hosts weekly pet pantries around Los Angeles,distributing free cat and dog food to communities in need.13-15 years old must be accompanied by parent/guardian. 16+ years old okay. Visit: http://betterneighborla.org
Volunteer at The Fob with Operation Gratitude
Operation Gratitude has tasks appropriate for all levels of ability. Available tasks are based on production needs which may include quality controlling Battalion Buddies, quality controlling and/or bagging Paracord Bracelets, and assembling Greeting Card Brigade packets and handwritten letters. Volunteers ages 13 years and older are welcome to serve at The FOB. Youth who are 13-17 years of age must have a responsible adult with them on the premises at all times, with access to transportation. Due to insurance, liability, and safety concerns. Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/volunteer-at-the-fob/
Volunteer at The Fob with Operation Gratitude
Operation Gratitude has tasks appropriate for all levels of ability. Available tasks are based on production needs which may include quality controlling Battalion Buddies, quality controlling and/or bagging Paracord Bracelets, and assembling Greeting Card Brigade packets and handwritten letters. Volunteers ages 13 years and older are welcome to serve at The FOB. Youth who are 13-17 years of age must have a responsible adult with them on the premises at all times, with access to transportation. Due to insurance, liability, and safety concerns. Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/volunteer-at-the-fob/
Write a Thank you Letter for Operation Gratitude
Writing a letter is a simple and meaningful way for volunteers nationwide to say “Thank You” to all who serve. Your kind words could bring lasting joy to a Care Package recipient. Operation Gratitude includes handwritten letters in every Care Package sent to Deployed Troops, Recruit Graduates, Veterans, Wounded Heroes, and First Responders. In these unprecedented times, heroes need unwavering support. Taking the time to put pen to paper and share your heartfelt thoughts can be what motivates them to keep moving forward in their duties to our nation. Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/volunteer/anywhere/letters/
Craft a Paracord Lanyard for Operation Gratitude
When you craft a paracord lanyard, you are providing a service member or first responder with a tangible and lasting expression of your gratitude and a symbol of the appreciation of grateful Americans everywhere.When your lanyards arrive at their facility, they will attach a carabiner that can be clipped onto almost anything to keep it within reach should an emergency arise. They include lanyards in their Care Packages because they’re both functional and meaningful, as they are handmade by Americans who want to show their appreciation to the Military and first responders. Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/volunteer/anywhere/paracord-lanyards/
Host a Collection Drive for Operation Gratitude
Their signature Care Packages are filled with donated items from grateful Americans and corporations. Show your support for the heroes by organizing a collection drive in your community. The items you collect will help them create the best Care Packages ever. Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/volunteer/anywhere/collection-drives/
Donate Beanie Babies to Operation Gratitude
Each year Operation Gratitude receives thousands of Beanie Babies from grateful Americans across the country, and one goes in every single Care Package Operation Gratitude sends to service members deployed around the world. They made Beanie Babies a signature item in their Care Packages not only because they bring smiles to the faces of deployed troops, but also because they help American forces build goodwill around the world. Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/volunteer/anywhere/beanie-babies/
Donate a Pillowcase to Operation Gratitude
Troops who have bravely sacrificed their comfort so everyone may live freely, are not always deployed with bedding. They need the exceptional sewing skills of the nationwide network of Volunteers to create handmade pillowcases for the troops to sleep on each night. And as a bonus, they can also use them as a laundry bag! Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/volunteer/anywhere/project-pillowcase/
Collect Loose Change for Operation Gratitude
MAKE EVERY PENNY COUNT! COLLECT LOOSE CHANGE TO Say thank you! Looking for a fun and creative way to show your support to the nation’s heroes? Operation Gratitude's Cents for Service project is a great way to get your whole community involved. Collect and donate loose change to help send Care Packages to our military and first responders. Watch those coins add up!! Cha-Ching!! Visit: https://www.operationgratitude.com/cents-for-service/
Plant a Garden with Long Beach Community Table
Are you a master gardener or just love to dig in the dirt? Come help Long Beach Community Table reach their goal of building at least one new urban garden per month at various locations around Long Beach! You can also volunteer to help garden hosts do their weekly harvesting to supply their weekend recipients with fresh, organically grown local produce. To volunteer or host a garden, contact: LBCTGardens@gmail.com. Visit: https://www.longbeachcommunitytable.com/volunteer
Volunteer Behind the Scenes with Long Beach Community Table
Do you prefer volunteering behind the scenes to support nonprofit operations or community outreach? Please email Long Beach Community Table with your area of expertise, whether it is back office support such as filing, bookkeeping, organizing or cleaning, or communication-related activities, like social media, email campaigns, volunteer management, video production, or event tabling. Email your abilities to: LBCTCommunications@gmail.com. Visit: https://www.longbeachcommunitytable.com/volunteer
Clean Your Local Community Fridges with LA Community Fridges
LA Community Fridges needs your help! Sign up for a cleaning shift at your local fridge! Feel free to sign up for one or many. Thank you! Visit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kLk7zxLMN-lk_REqi7rL27PpuOL_NvXSr_rHSkizeys/edit
Start a Local Community Fridge with LA Community Fridges
Want to start a community fridge? LA Community Fridges has got your back! LA Community Fridges has a guideline on how to start a community fridge in your neighborhood. Visit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10pGxwoZ4QB7sJg5mwbMvpohrjwDbZ4mnsY7WVT_GLRE/edit#heading=h.gseszftyw6ju
Volunteer in Various Ways to Support LA Family Housing
LA Family Housing offers a variety of ways for you to get personally involved in their efforts to end homelessness. Whether you’re behind-the-scenes or in-person, all individual opportunities empower you to be part of the solution. From hosting game nights to prepping kid's parties to holding a yoga class, there are plenty of ways to get involved! Visit: https://lafh.org/volunteer
Help Distribute Food with Heart of Compassion Distribution
Be a lighthouse of volunteers fighting poverty and restoring hope with Heart of Compassion Distribution! Food distribution volunteers needed every Tuesday and Wednesday 9-11a.m. to help load groceries into recipient vehicles. Volunteers must be 13 years or older. Groups and individuals are welcome to volunteer with them. No experience necessary. Visit: https://letsvolunteerla.org/listing-item/heart-of-compassion-distribution/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvrOpBhBdEiwAR58-3Hdwxosh1_UDG1j1vUtI_00lxUIADyrGIsj-jm-qLOEyrpT-ox815hoCGZgQAvD_BwE
Help Serve Meals at the Community Dinner with Hollywood Food Coalition
Hollywood Food Coalition’s Community Dinner is their signature and longest-running program. They serve nightly to anyone in need of a hot, nutritious meal. Their consistency builds trust with their guests, which helps connect them with further service. Visit: https://hofoco.org/about-our-community-dinner/
Become a Certified Advocate with the East Los Angeles Women’s Center
Volunteer-advocates provide crisis intervention, advocacy, education, and referrals to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, and those impacted by homelessness. They answer crisis calls on ELAWC’s 24 hour Crisis Hotline and respond in person to hospitals, police stations, and the court to provide one-on-one support to survivors and significant others. Visit: https://www.elawc.org/volunteer
Donate Items Towards Grandma’s House of Hope’s Thanksgiving Food Drive
Help Grandma's House of Hope with their Thanksgiving Food Drive! Donate much needed food and items to help make Thanksgiving special for other folks! Contact them for an appointment to drop off your donation. Visit: https://www.grandmashouseofhope.org/get-involved
Featured Projects
Relax and Make Art at Big Sunday’s Sun Days on Tuesdays
Big Sunday,
joshua@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
Come decorate Mosaic Suns with us! For the past few months, people enjoyed joining us to make beautiful, cheerful and unique mosaic suns to brighten up nonprofits around town. These cool projects are the brainchild of our old friend Cathy Weiss and will be led by Cathy and our own Big Sunday staff, Josh. We can use your help! You don’t need to be artistic – just sincere. Visit: https://bigsunday.org/get-involved/tuesdayartdays/
Make A Difference at Big Sunday’s AW@10 Event
Big Sunday,
jake@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
We’d love to have you join us for our Accessible Wednesday morning program, AW@10! Previously held biweekly as “2W@10,” these special events are held from 10:00am – 11:30am each Wednesday where we do fun activities to help local nonprofits. And what’s extra special about these Wednesday events? Our guests of honor are wonderful and fun volunteers with some developmental challenges who want to give back and help others, in groups and as individuals. The accessible activities we’ll do on Wednesdays are specifically designed with these guests in mind, so that everyone can participate and have fun volunteering – because we believe very strongly that absolutely everyone has something to give. People of ALL ability levels are invited to join us on Wednesdays! All we ask is that you show up ready to be part of a community of helpful people! Visit: https://bigsunday.org/get-involved/aw10/
Make A Difference at Big Sunday’s TM@10 Event
Big Sunday,
nicolo@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
TM@10 (Thursday Morning @ 10) is not only one of our favorite programs, but it’s one of our most popular, too! We meet every Thursday morning, from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM. And we host hands-on projects to help local nonprofits. At TM@10 we’ve assembled birthday gifts for folks in shelters; written letters to soldiers stationed overseas; packed backpacks for ex-gang members starting college; made quilts for preemies; and about 1000 other things. Even better – and in classic Big Sunday fashion – it’s a great way for people to meet new people, work together, and enjoy some laughs while helping someone else. Visit: https://bigsunday.org/get-involved/tm10/
Stuff Thanksgiving Meal Kits with Big Sunday
Big Sunday,
nicolo@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
Each year we collect and pack big bags full of Thanksgiving dinner for thousands of people! We need folks to donate food, as well as pack everythingup and distribute it. And yes, everyone is invited to join together for a community breakfast, too! A true festival of gratitude. We also need folks to lead food collections in their community! And this year’s event will be back at the amazing Baldwin Elementary School! Visit: https://bigsunday.org/get-involved/thanksgiving2023/