Welcome & Support Day Center Participants at Downtown Women’s Center
The Day Center is the point of entry for women and gender-diverse individuals coming through DWC’s doors: it provides access to three meals a day; clean bathrooms and showers, changes of clothes, an address for individuals to receive mail, case management; and medical services. Day Center volunteers support the Day Center team by welcoming participants; helping distribute donations, mail, toiletry items, and meals; participating in and/or leading enrichment activities; and helping create a safe, welcoming space for the individuals receiving services in their community. Must be 18 or older.
Want to Cook for Others? Provide Breakfast to Residents with the Guest Chef Program at Ascencia
The Guest Chef Program is an incredible way for you to help their efforts, and is a tremendous savings to their operations on a day-to-day basis! Every day at Ascencia's shelter, volunteers prepare and serve hot meals for unhoused families and adults in their Emergency Housing program. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, their "Guest Chefs" give their time and energy, generously donating food and a great deal of compassion with each plate. Their Guest Chef Teams will plan the menu, purchase, and prepare the ingredients, then cook and serve the meal to their shelter residents. Volunteers in their Guest Chef Program commit to preparing meals for approximately 40 shelter residents on a daily basis. Their Guest Chefs maintain a sanitary kitchen environment, complying with health regulations in the handling of food, including washing of hands and wearing gloves before preparing and serving food. You can help by bringing disposable plates, cups, napkins, forks, spoons, and knives. Don't have time to cook and prepare the meal? Many of their Guest Chefs pick up food from local restaurants! For breakfast, Ascencia needs volunteers to prepare morning-friendly meals like eggs, pancakes, bacon, or quiches, along with beverages such as milk or juice. Guest Chefs should plan to arrive around 5:00 am to ensure the meal is ready for the 6:00 am serving time.
Want to Cook for Others? Provide Lunch to Residents with the Guest Chef Program at Ascencia
The Guest Chef Program is an incredible way for you to help their efforts, and is a tremendous savings to their operations on a day-to-day basis! Every day at Ascencia's shelter, volunteers prepare and serve hot meals for unhoused families and adults in their Emergency Housing program. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, their "Guest Chefs" give their time and energy, generously donating food and a great deal of compassion with each plate. Their Guest Chef Teams will plan the menu, purchase, and prepare the ingredients, then cook and serve the meal to their shelter residents. Volunteers in their Guest Chef Program commit to preparing meals for approximately 40 shelter residents on a daily basis. Their Guest Chefs maintain a sanitary kitchen environment, complying with health regulations in the handling of food, including washing of hands and wearing gloves before preparing and serving food. You can help by bringing disposable plates, cups, napkins, forks, spoons, and knives. Don't have time to cook and prepare the meal? Many of their Guest Chefs pick up food from local restaurants! For lunch, volunteers can prepare a hot meal or provide Brown Bag Lunches. Brown Bag Lunches must include a sandwich (with at least 10 vegetarian options), fruit, a snack, and a water bottle. The serving time for lunch is 11:00 am, with on-site cooking teams typically arriving around 10:00 am.
Want to Cook for Others? Provide Breakfast to Residents with the Guest Chef Program at Ascencia
The Guest Chef Program is an incredible way for you to help their efforts, and is a tremendous savings to their operations on a day-to-day basis! Every day at Ascencia's shelter, volunteers prepare and serve hot meals for unhoused families and adults in their Emergency Housing program. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, their "Guest Chefs" give their time and energy, generously donating food and a great deal of compassion with each plate. Their Guest Chef Teams will plan the menu, purchase, and prepare the ingredients, then cook and serve the meal to their shelter residents. Volunteers in their Guest Chef Program commit to preparing meals for approximately 40 shelter residents on a daily basis. Their Guest Chefs maintain a sanitary kitchen environment, complying with health regulations in the handling of food, including washing of hands and wearing gloves before preparing and serving food. You can help by bringing disposable plates, cups, napkins, forks, spoons, and knives. Don't have time to cook and prepare the meal? Many of their Guest Chefs pick up food from local restaurants! For breakfast, Ascencia needs volunteers to prepare morning-friendly meals like eggs, pancakes, bacon, or quiches, along with beverages such as milk or juice. Guest Chefs should plan to arrive around 5:00 am to ensure the meal is ready for the 6:00 am serving time.
Welcome & Support Day Center Participants at Downtown Women’s Center
The Day Center is the point of entry for women and gender-diverse individuals coming through DWC’s doors: it provides access to three meals a day; clean bathrooms and showers, changes of clothes, an address for individuals to receive mail, case management; and medical services. Day Center volunteers support the Day Center team by welcoming participants; helping distribute donations, mail, toiletry items, and meals; participating in and/or leading enrichment activities; and helping create a safe, welcoming space for the individuals receiving services in their community. Must be 18 or older.
Prepare & Serve Delicious Meals at Downtown Women’s Center
DWC’s Kitchen served over 260,000 meals in 2020 alone: their incredible Kitchen team serves three nutritious meals seven days a week and offers an important space for women and gender-diverse individuals 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 delicious meals to participants. Kitchen volunteering is a great fit for volunteers who like working in a team while also interacting with DWC participants. Volunteers must be 18 or older.
Want to Cook for Others? Provide Lunch to Residents with the Guest Chef Program at Ascencia
The Guest Chef Program is an incredible way for you to help their efforts, and is a tremendous savings to their operations on a day-to-day basis! Every day at Ascencia's shelter, volunteers prepare and serve hot meals for unhoused families and adults in their Emergency Housing program. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, their "Guest Chefs" give their time and energy, generously donating food and a great deal of compassion with each plate. Their Guest Chef Teams will plan the menu, purchase, and prepare the ingredients, then cook and serve the meal to their shelter residents. Volunteers in their Guest Chef Program commit to preparing meals for approximately 40 shelter residents on a daily basis. Their Guest Chefs maintain a sanitary kitchen environment, complying with health regulations in the handling of food, including washing of hands and wearing gloves before preparing and serving food. You can help by bringing disposable plates, cups, napkins, forks, spoons, and knives. Don't have time to cook and prepare the meal? Many of their Guest Chefs pick up food from local restaurants! For lunch, volunteers can prepare a hot meal or provide Brown Bag Lunches. Brown Bag Lunches must include a sandwich (with at least 10 vegetarian options), fruit, a snack, and a water bottle. The serving time for lunch is 11:00 am, with on-site cooking teams typically arriving around 10:00 am.
Welcome & Support Day Center Participants at Downtown Women’s Center
The Day Center is the point of entry for women and gender-diverse individuals coming through DWC’s doors: it provides access to three meals a day; clean bathrooms and showers, changes of clothes, an address for individuals to receive mail, case management; and medical services. Day Center volunteers support the Day Center team by welcoming participants; helping distribute donations, mail, toiletry items, and meals; participating in and/or leading enrichment activities; and helping create a safe, welcoming space for the individuals receiving services in their community. Must be 18 or older.
Prepare & Serve Delicious Meals at Downtown Women’s Center
DWC’s Kitchen served over 260,000 meals in 2020 alone: their incredible Kitchen team serves three nutritious meals seven days a week and offers an important space for women and gender-diverse individuals 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 delicious meals to participants. Kitchen volunteering is a great fit for volunteers who like working in a team while also interacting with DWC participants. Volunteers must be 18 or older.
Want to Cook for Others? Provide Dinner to Residents with the Guest Chef Program at Ascencia
The Guest Chef Program is an incredible way for you to help their efforts, and is a tremendous savings to their operations on a day-to-day basis! Every day at Ascencia's shelter, volunteers prepare and serve hot meals for unhoused families and adults in their Emergency Housing program. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, their "Guest Chefs" give their time and energy, generously donating food and a great deal of compassion with each plate. Their Guest Chef Teams will plan the menu, purchase, and prepare the ingredients, then cook and serve the meal to their shelter residents. Volunteers in their Guest Chef Program commit to preparing meals for approximately 40 shelter residents on a daily basis. Their Guest Chefs maintain a sanitary kitchen environment, complying with health regulations in the handling of food, including washing of hands and wearing gloves before preparing and serving food. You can help by bringing disposable plates, cups, napkins, forks, spoons, and knives. Don't have time to cook and prepare the meal? Many of their Guest Chefs pick up food from local restaurants! For dinner, Guest Chefs are requested to prepare hot, lower-sodium meals for dinner that are rich in protein and/or healthy vegetables, such as stews, chili, pasta, or meatloaf, and must include a vegetarian option. Beverages like water, iced tea, or juice should also be provided. Dinner is served at 6:00 pm, meaning teams should aim to arrive around 5:00 pm to begin meal preparation.
Support Inner City Muslims through Islah LA
Islah LA is a leading community of Muslims in the South LA Inner City. Their purpose is to revive, renew, and restore the South LA community, which has been plagued by systematic problems for generations, such as cycles of poverty, incarceration, broken homes, and lack of educational opportunity.
Help End Hunger & Homelessness with Rescue Mission Alliance San Fernando Valley
You can help end hunger and homelessness in the San Fernando Valley by giving a financial gift of any size to the Rescue Mission Alliance San Fernando Valley. Your gift will help provide meals, clean clothing, vocational training, shelter, and life-changing services to their homeless neighbors.
Volunteer as a Kitchen Assistant with Project Angel Food
Project Angel Food’s kitchen is 80% volunteer-driven. You don’t need to be great cook, all you need to do is simply take direction from their professionally trained chefs. You’ll join compassionate people in chopping vegetables, stirring sauces, mixing batter, baking cookies, and packaging the meals. They have shifts Sunday through Friday from 8:15 am to 12 pm. For the safety of all volunteers, staff and clients, all volunteers must have received a COVID-19 vaccination and be 14 years of age or older. Volunteers aged 14 or 15 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Volunteers aged 16 or 17 years must have a parent or guardian sign a liability waiver form.
Volunteer as a Kitchen Assistant with Project Angel Food
Project Angel Food’s kitchen is 80% volunteer-driven. You don’t need to be great cook, all you need to do is simply take direction from their professionally trained chefs. You’ll join compassionate people in chopping vegetables, stirring sauces, mixing batter, baking cookies, and packaging the meals. They have shifts Sunday through Friday from 12:45 to 4pm. For the safety of all volunteers, staff and clients, all volunteers must have received a COVID-19 vaccination and be 14 years of age or older. Volunteers aged 14 or 15 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Volunteers aged 16 or 17 years must have a parent or guardian sign a liability waiver form.
Volunteer as a Kitchen Assistant with Project Angel Food
Project Angel Food’s kitchen is 80% volunteer-driven. You don’t need to be great cook, all you need to do is simply take direction from their professionally trained chefs. You’ll join compassionate people in chopping vegetables, stirring sauces, mixing batter, baking cookies, and packaging the meals. They have shifts Sunday through Friday from 3 to 5:30pm. For the safety of all volunteers, staff and clients, all volunteers must have received a COVID-19 vaccination and be 14 years of age or older. Volunteers aged 14 or 15 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Volunteers aged 16 or 17 years must have a parent or guardian sign a liability waiver form.
Prepare and Serve Dinner Meals with Union Rescue Mission at Angeles House
Help prepare and serve dinner at Union Rescue Missions Angeles House (South LA)! Angeles House is their new campus that opened in April 2022. Angeles House is the home of about 86 families in South Los Angeles. Help them prepare and serve breakfast meals, to those that are sheltered within their facility. You must be at least 14 years to volunteer in the kitchen. Volunteers under the age of 18 are required to have an adult chaperone present. The chaperone also must be registered.
Prepare and Serve Dinner Meals with Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens Family Center
Help prepare and serve dinner meals to those at the Hope Gardens Family Center in Sylmar. Hope Gardens Family Center provides 3 hot meals per day to all guests. Volunteers are needed to help prepare and set-up for each meal, serve, as well as assist in the clean-up process. Meal serve volunteers are required to be at least 14 years of age. Volunteers under the age of 18 are required to have an adult chaperon present. The chaperone also must be registered.
Help PATH and Become a Food Rescue Driver
Food rescue drivers help their staff team to combat food insecurity by helping to bring much needed food resources directly to the communities that they serve. PATH partners with local food rescue agencies, grocery stores, and restaurants to rescue excess food and then distribute it to individuals and families that are food insecure. Food Recue Drivers commit to a regularly scheduled food rescue shift, where they are assigned a day and time to pick up food donations for drop-off at a local PATH site. Volunteer Drivers are expected to use their own vehicle, or a PATH van, to pick up food donated from local community partners. This position is ideal for individuals who would like to help support individuals and families impacted by homelessness, and at the same time help reduce food waste. If you are interested in volunteering in this position, please send inquiries to PATHVolunteers@epath.org
Spend Your Thursday Morning Volunteering at the Vida Sana Farmers Market with Pico Union Project
Join Pico Union Project for their weekly Thursday Farmers Market featuring fresh produce, prepared food, and health services for hundreds of Pico Union Community families. Volunteers join at 9:00 to sort and distributing items and end the day with a festive lunch. Please note, volunteers must be 18 years of age or older, or accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Donate to Support Project Angel Food
Project Angel Food prepares and delivers healthy meals to feed people impacted by serious illness, bringing comfort and hope every day. Please consider helping this organization in their mission by donating. Every $10 you give will directly provide a delicious, life-saving meal to someone struggling with a serious illness and burdened by malnutrition. Their volunteers and staff cook and deliver nutritious food prepared with love, free of charge, to those in need throughout Los Angeles County, acting out of a sense of urgency because hunger and illness do not wait. Help support Project Angel Food's work today! Your donation will ensure that someone who is seriously ill will not go hungry.
Featured Projects
Help Make Holiday Meal Baskets for the PATH Community
PATH (People Assisting the Homeless),
PATHvolunteers@epath.org,
(323) 644-2200
Help PATH meet their goal to assemble and distribute over 800 Holiday Meal Baskets to those in need. Help make sure that everyone in the community – housed and unhoused – can enjoy a special meal! By donating items to the food drive, you will help provide enough food to assemble “Holiday Meal Boxes” to help PATH teams enrich the holiday experience of members of the community. The relationships you help build with food donations can be vital in helping neighbors feel secure and supported. Email PATH at PATHVolunteers@epath.org to schedule a date/time to drop-off or shop the Amazon Link: https://a.co/hBgLUY7 and food will be delivered directly to PATH.
Give to the Crime Survivors Resource Center’s Thanksgiving Drive
Crime Survivors Resource Center,
info@crime survivors.org,
(844) 853-4673
Help make Thanksgiving Day a festive occation for families in need. Your donatoin will help Crime Survivors Resource Center purchase grocery store gift cards for all the fixins needed by families. There are many ways to help including sponsoring a family and hosting a corportate challange.
Host a Thanksgiving Food Drive For Families at Union Station Homeless Services
Union Station Homeless Services,
volunteer@unionstationhs.org,
(626) 240-0720
Make a difference this Thanksgiving and host a food drive in your community! Collect items like stuffing, mashed potatoes, Velveeta cheese, and more. USHS kindly request all items be dropped off one of the locations listed on their website no later than November 18th.
Help Host a Thanksgiving Celebration at PATH
PATH (People Assisting the Homeless),
PATHvolunteers@epath.org,
(323) 644-2200
Participate in an on-site volunteer activity to celebrate Thanksgiving with PATH residents. They are looking for individuals and/or groups who can donate some or all of the following items and help organize PATH Thanksgiving celebrations: Bring a Thanksgiving meal to serve to PATH residents ($1500-$3000), Bring Thanksgiving-inspired desserts (approx. $250-$275), Bring/play group games (Bingo, Uno, Trivia), Organize a raffle-prize giveaway. Date/Time: TBD based on site and group/individual availability. You can take a special role in making this Thanksgiving special for many members of the PATH Community. Please sign-up and reach out to learn more about this holiday opportunity! Email them at: PATHVolunteers@epath.org
Help Donate Turkeys For Families at Union Station Homeless Services
Union Station Homeless Services,
volunteer@unionstationhs.org,
(626) 240-0720
Help USHS collect 750 frozen turkeys for families in need this Thanksgiving! Drop off days will be Nov. 17th and 18th.
Take Photographs for A Place Called Home’s Thanksgiving Event
A Place Called Home,
volunteer@apch.org,
(323) 232-7653
Volunteer will serve as event photographer to capture photos in shot list provided by A Place Called Home. Volunteer will provide 6-8 edited select shots to APCH within 48 hours after the event, and will provide full take edited shots to APCH within 5 business days after the event. APCH will credit photography as desired in publications.
Help Setup, Facilitate and Breakdown A Place Called Homes Thanksgiving Distribution & Dinner Event
A Place Called Home,
volunteer@apch.org,
(323) 232-7653
Volunteers will support all aspects of event setup, facilitation and breakdown alongside the A Place Called Hometeam to help create a welcoming, festive environment as APCH welcomes hundreds of South Central families and neighbors to the APCH campus for their annual Thanksgiving event. In addition to celebrating community, this event provides hundreds of turkeys and grocery bags with all the Thanksgiving fixings for members of their South Central community. Please Note: Role may include moving, bending, walking, light-medium lifting and extended periods of standing. Please let the APCH team know if there is anything they can do to make this project more comfortable for you.
Join Us for Big Sunday’s Annual Thanksgiving Stuffing Event!
Big Sunday,
info@bigsunday.org,
3235499944
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 everything up 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!
Host a Winter Holiday Celebration at PATH
PATH (People Assisting the Homeless),
PATHvolunteers@epath.org,
(323) 644-2200
ueroHelp make the holiday season bright for PATH residents by hosting a Winter Holiday celebration at one of their sites! They are encouraging the community to get involved in celebrating this holiday season with those at PATH residences who may need an extra support and encouragement during this especially trying time. By hosting a holiday celebration, you have the opportunity to: Sponsor a meal/snack to provide for community celebration,Bring cookies and decorate them in holiday-inspired themes (approx. $250-$275), Bring Holiday decorations and decorate common room of PATH building, Host a holiday movie night and bring popcorn and treats for guests, Bring group games (Bingo, card games, trivia, etc.) to play with residents, Organize a raffle-prize giveaway. Date/Time: December 1st – December 12th – TBD based on site and group/individual availability. Please email them at PATHVolunteers@epath.org for available dates and locations if you are interested in bringing the holiday spirit to the community and ensuring that everyone – housed or unhoused – can enjoy a festive and cheerful holiday. Kids Welcome: Varys by site.