Make and Donate Sacked Lunches at North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry Every Monday and Every Friday
Prepare and deliver sack lunches. Lunches should include: a sandwich (PB & J, turkey, or ham and/or cheese) a piece of fruit (oranges are best) chips and/or cookies (small bag) a drink (water or juice box) and a napkin. Energy bars or a box of raisins are also good. Brown or white paper sack bags and please label OUTSIDE with the type of sandwich. Sack lunches need to be delivered to the food pantry between 7:00am and 7:15am on the date for which you have signed up.
Be Part of the Pet Food Kit Team at North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry Every Monday and Every Friday
The Pet Food Kit Team makes pet food kits for hungry dogs and cats at home and delivers them to the First Christian Church. Sign up to help out.
Assemble Essential Cleaning Home Kits for DWC Residents Offsite Monday – Friday
Clean Home Kits provide DWC residents with essential cleaning supplies as they move from homelessness into housing. Your thoughtful contribution will help these women create a safe space that they can call home. You can review our Clean Home Kit guidelines here.: https://downtownwomenscenter.org/help-from-home-kits/ We accept scheduled Toiletry Kits Monday Ð Friday between 8:00am to 1:00pm.
Assemble Essential Toiletry Kits for DWC Participants Offsite Monday – Friday
Toiletry Kits are essential to the women we serve at DWC. Our Day Center provides daily access to showers for women experiencing homelessness, making Toiletry Kits an everyday need for the women we serve. You can review our Toiletry Kit guidelines here: https://downtownwomenscenter.org/help-from-home-kits/ We accept scheduled Toiletry Kits Monday Ð Friday between 8:00am to 1:00pm.
Help Distribute Food at NVCS – North Hills (Agency Site)- Friday Shift
North Valley Caring Services provides food to more than 2000 families and individuals in need. They are currently holding drive-thru distributions on Thursdays and Fridays. Duties vary based on need, but typically include packing boxes with groceries, loading groceries onto vehicles as they drive-thru, traffic control, pantry set-up and break down. Volunteers. Must be 18+ to participate. No court ordered volunteers.
Assemble Food Packages for Families Facing Food Insecurities! Every First Friday Shift 1 – INDUSTRY BUILDING
Since 1973, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has worked to mobilize resources in the community to alleviate hunger. We will be assembling food packages for over 29,000 families, older adults, and children who face food insecurity in Los Angeles County. (The food packages consist of food items like canned fruit, canned vegetables, rice, cereal and other non-perishable food items.) Please refer to volunteer guidelines and dress code on sign-up. Volunteers must be 18+ to participate.
Purchase, Assemble and Donate Hygiene Kits Offsite Monday – Friday
We help over 11,000 people a year and most of them are in need of basics like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc. So we go through a lot of hygiene kits! Your donation of these kits helps these folks to not only stay clean and healthy, but also to uphold their dignity. Create hygiene kits for our participants transitioning out of homelessness. Purchase the items yourself or host a drive, then assemble the items into kits. Please click on this link to view the items we would love for you to put into the hygiene kits. https://lafh.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/6A00000396MT/a/RP000000XfMB/U3ZUVzuY_OiFrAQluQXHXbAm4JicJHEUtH34GPzlUFk. Once your kits are assembled, a drop-off time must be scheduled between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday through Friday.
Help prepare bags of food for distribution (Agency Site)- Friday Shift 1
Family Health Care Resources is a non-profit organization helping underserved families and individuals obtain free or low costs medical services in the community. Family Health Care Resources is also providing community members in need of food with canned and fresh food staples through their food pantry program. Volunteers are needed to help unload food and prepare bags of food for distribution. Volunteers. Must be 18+ to participate.
Help at Downtown Women’s Center Onsite Kitchen Morning Shift on Fridays
DWC's Kitchen served over 260,000 meals in 2020 alone: our incredible Kitchen team serves three nutritious meals seven days a week and offers an important space for women to connect and to share a meal with each other. Kitchen volunteers help with meal preparation (e.g. chopping and measuring); help keep the kitchen clean and organized (e.g. wiping counters, organizing the food pantry and cabinets); and serve our delicious meals to participants. Kitchen volunteering is a great fit for volunteers who like working in a team while also interacting with DWC participants.
Help prepare bags of food for distribution (Agency Site)- Friday Shift 2
Family Health Care Resources is a non-profit organization helping underserved families and individuals obtain free or low costs medical services in the community. Family Health Care Resources is also providing community members in need of food with canned and fresh food staples through their food pantry program. Volunteers are needed to help unload food and prepare bags of food for distribution. Volunteers. Must be 18+ to participate.
Help at Downtown Women’s Center Onsite Kitchen Afternoon Shift on Fridays
DWC's Kitchen served over 260,000 meals in 2020 alone: our incredible Kitchen team serves three nutritious meals seven days a week and offers an important space for women to connect and to share a meal with each other. Kitchen volunteers help with meal preparation (e.g. chopping and measuring); help keep the kitchen clean and organized (e.g. wiping counters, organizing the food pantry and cabinets); and serve our delicious meals to participants. Kitchen volunteering is a great fit for volunteers who like working in a team while also interacting with DWC participants.
Prepare Delicious To-Go Snack Packs for DWC Participants Offsite
Snack Packs are essential to the women we serve at DWC. They allow us to ensure that participants have a nutritious snack or meal to take with them before leaving the Day Center each afternoon. You can review our Snack Pack guidelines here https://downtownwomenscenter.org/help-from-home-kits/ Please reach out to with details of your snack pack building event and to schedule your delivery.
Prep and Deliver Delicious Sandwiches for Folks in Need Offsite Monday
LAFH needs you to make Sandwiches! Volunteers are needed to make sandwiches for LAFH's outreach efforts. Volunteers would purchase the necessary ingredients to assemble sandwiches at their living place and deliver them to LAFH. Preferred sandwiches include Peanut butter and jelly, Ham and cheese, and turkey. Please be aware that if you are participating in this volunteer opportunity to fulfill volunteering hours, every 20 sandwiches equals 1 hour of volunteering. In making these sandwiches, you are aiding our outreach team to build trust and bridge connections to further assistance. Your contributions will help our unhoused neighbors leave with a full stomach and an even fuller heart. Must be able to purchase the ingredients for sandwich preparation as LAFH does not provide them. Must assemble the sandwiches at your place of residence or other location. LAFH facilities are not available for this opportunity. Deliver sandwiches to our LAFH office during specified operating hours; we do not offer donation pickups. Must be individually wrapped.
Drive with the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry Transportation Team Every Friday
North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry distributes more than 1,300+ bags of food monthly as the number of people coming to the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry has significantly increased. The Transportation Team transports the loaded grocery bags from the packing site at Temple Beth Hillel to the food distribution site at First Christian Church. The entire process of transporting 150 to 200 pre-packed bags takes about one hour. Bags are transported in Pantry owned vehicles. You must drive yourself between Temple Beth Hillel and First Christian Church.
Join the Packing Team with North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry Every Friday
North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry distributes more than 1,300+ bags of food monthly as the number of people coming to the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry has significantly increased. The Packing Team fills the bags and sorts them in the basement of Temple Beth Hillel. Sign up to help out.
Help Whip Up Some Dinner for Vets at PATH Everyday
PATH provides meals to their residents in interim housing. When groups sign up to provide meals, it helps PATH focus its resources on providing housing and support services for their residents. Their male veterans in West LA love to have home-cooked meals from volunteers. Shifts are currently available at their West LA site. They understand not everyone is comfortable with on-site volunteering. If you want to support the male veterans, ask them about sponsoring a meal through a meal delivery service or catering!
Serve Delicious 4-Course Meals to our Unhoused Neighbors at Friday Night Dinner
Serve a delicious 4-course meal to our unhoused neighbors. New Friends will brief you on the courses that will be served that evening, which usually consist of soup or salad, an appetizer, a main course & a dessert, plus a drink of choice ( coffee, water, lemonade). Your presence and volunteering will help meet an immediate & urgent need for a meal and share care and connection. Being friendly and ready to serve are the main requirements! All ages are welcome. Teams with members younger than 16 will participate with their guardians, during the shift.
Welcome and Serve at Hope the Missions Donors Dinner
We are looking for 4 volunteers to assist with our special donors dinner. We need support with greeting, welcoming, and serving our donors during this event. If you're interested in helping out, please let me know here. Your involvement will greatly enhance the experience for our guests. Volunteers 13+ are needed.
Help distribute food with africActive (Agency Site)- Saturday Shift
africActive is a non profit organization providing food and essentials to more than 200 families and individuals every Saturday from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. With music and comradery, we love our community! Volunteers are needed to help with any of the following - set-up/take-down site, unload truck, box bag groceries, and help distribute food and essentials to the community. Must be 18+ to volunteer. No court ordered volunteers.
Help at Downtown Women’s Center Onsite Kitchen Early Morning Shift on Saturdays
DWC's Kitchen served over 260,000 meals in 2020 alone: our incredible Kitchen team serves three nutritious meals seven days a week and offers an important space for women to connect and to share a meal with each other. Kitchen volunteers help with meal preparation (e.g. chopping and measuring); help keep the kitchen clean and organized (e.g. wiping counters, organizing the food pantry and cabinets); and serve our delicious meals to participants. Kitchen volunteering is a great fit for volunteers who like working in a team while also interacting with DWC participants.
Featured Projects
Host a Collection for Big Sunday’s 13th Annual Stuffing Event
Big Sunday,
berenice@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
Collections are happening all around town Ð in schools, faith groups and offices! This is a great way for students to receive community service hours. You can collect items and drop off at our offices by Friday, Nov 22 at 1pm, please.
Donate Clothes and Hygiene Essentials to Project Ropa
Project Ropa,
info@projectropa.org,
(310) 400-7114
By donating, you directly support Project Ropa’s programs and enable them to continue making a difference in the lives of those in need. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps to restore hope and dignity. They gladly accept in-kind donations of hygiene products, adult size clothing, shoes and accessories. Please review list of items they’re looking for and fill out their donation form to schedule a donation drop off or pick up.
Drop off Cold Weather Items & Snacks for Skid Row
Covenant House California,
mfarrell@covca.org,
(323) 461-3131
Covenant House California (CHC) is a non-profit youth shelter that provides sanctuary and support for youth experiencing homelessness, ages 18-24. We believe that no young person deserves to be homeless; that every young person in California deserves shelter, food, clothing, education and most importantly, to be loved.We are in need of Donations needed for Skid Row including warm socks, beanies, gloves, and a blanket and granola bars. Drop off items to Covenant House anytime up to December 8.
Assist with Kitchen Duties and Prepping Meals – Monday Dinner Shift
LA Family Housing,
Volunteer@LAFH.org,
Volunteering in the kitchen can be a great way to give back to your community. Whether you’re helping to prepare meals for those in need, or assisting with kitchen duties such as food serving, bussing, or greeting, your time and effort can make a significant impact on those transitioning away from homelessness. Please keep in mind that you will be asked to also tend to the dining area where you will interact with the participants that LAFH serves. Provide quality service by serving nourishing meals for those who may not otherwise have access to them. You can also help to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where people can gather and connect over a warm meal. Dress code: Pants, closed-toed shoes, and clean shirt. All volunteers will be wearing a hairnet and gloves. Volunteers need to be 18 plus.
Join Hollywood Wednesday Farmers Market Glean with Food Forward
Food Forward,
volunteer@foodforward.org,
(818) 764-1022
Recover produce, fight hunger, and build community at your local farmers market! We “glean”—meaning we collect fresh, surplus produce that would otherwise go to waste–and donate 100% to local hunger relief organizations. Join the Volunteer Glean Team to help collect fruit and vegetable donations from vendors at the farmers market, and then box, sort, and weigh the donations. Volunteers should be comfortable carrying boxes of produce that may weigh up to 40 pounds, but can register to volunteer with someone who can help them lift if 40 pounds is too heavy. Volunteers don’t need to worry about bringing equipment or transporting the food. This opportunity is open to volunteers 12 years old and older, though children under 16 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please check the Volunteer FAQ page on their website to learn more about what to expect at volunteer events.
Get Your Hands Dirty at Garden School Foundation’s Community Garden Day
Garden School Foundation,
join-us@gardenschoolfoundation.org,
(802) 779-2889
Garden School Foundation provides in-depth garden-based education to youth at Title I schools in Los Angeles, strengthening connections between food justice, environmental stewardship, and community health. By using the full transformative potential of school gardens as teaching sites, we nurture a healthy and mindful generation of children who care for their bodies, their communities, and the earth. We currently serve ten Title I elementary schools, reaching over 3,200 students and their families each year. As a GSF volunteer, you’ll play a indispensable role in maintaining our historic school garden at an elementary school in West Adams. Your work will help us maintain a space that is both educational and beautiful, and will positively impact both the environment and student growth. Join us to learn new skills, connect with nature, and enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding day with our local community. Together you’ll work alongside GSF staff and school families to weed the garden, refresh mulch pathways, harvest veggies from our production farm, build new raised beds, and more! After a morning of hard work and good vibes, we’ll share a light lunch together (provided by our partners at Sprouts) under the fig trees. Volunteers should wear close-toe shoes and loose, comfy clothes that are school-appropriate. Complimentary t-shirts will also be provided. We encourage volunteers to bring their own water bottles and sun protection.