Big Sunday happily welcomes you to Our Really Big Community Calendar.
We try to include all kinds of volunteering and helping opportunities for all kinds of interests, talents, passions, and ages! As you’ll see, these include volunteering opportunities (one-time and long-term) as well as the chance to support a nonprofit by attending fundraising events. Plus, of course, we include all of Big Sunday’s homegrown events, too! Whoever you are, and whatever you do, there is someone out there who could use your help.
If you have questions about our calendar, or would like to add a listing, please contact calendar@bigsunday.org or submit your event/opportunity via the button below.
Women writers and directors in the entertainment industry constantly encounter roadblocks when attempting to advance their careers – even when they are just as talented and capable as their male counterparts. Women actors have a similar problem simply because the number of female roles is significantly less than for men. Friend of Big Sunday Amy Lloyd and her business partner Christina Gray have combined efforts to combat this issue with a special IndieGogo campaign for their production company “Chicks Who Make Flicks.” This organization is working to do its part to increase visibility and provide more opportunities for women. The production company creates films made by women, films that tell great woman’s stories, films that capture the voices of women from all over the world and at every stage of their life. Their goal is to create an environment that supports, encourages, and celebrates talented female filmmakers. For more info on how you can support this great cause, please visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/chicks-who-make-flicks-a-film-production-company#.
Imagine LA works with volunteers and vulnerable families to break the cycle of homelessness, poverty, and neglect; and help every member thrive!
Their Family Mentorship Program matches a team of volunteer mentors from committed organizations to work directly with a family for 1-2 years. Imagine LA matches every family member with a one-to-one mentor; plus every family gets a Budget Mentor; and other volunteers help with tutoring, career development, childcare, healthcare, meal-planning and more. Imagine LA works.
Today, kids are excelling in school, parents are on career tracks, saving, maintaining budgets, and everyone remains in stable housing.
The Family Mentorship Program is a transformative experience for Families and Mentors alike. For families escaping the cycle of poverty, a mentor like you can make the difference between surviving and thriving.
All you need to do is take the first step –– please contact Outreach & Communications Manager, Tara Ignont at tara@imaginela.org or 323-944-0210 x412 for a Mentorship Application today!
NOTE: This is an ongoing, daily (M-F) volunteer opportunity!
Come meet the STAR volunteer readers Isaac and Savannah at John C. Fremont Library! Children are invited to read stories together and learn how to earn a free book. Books come alive for kids when they share the fun of reading with STAR library volunteers. For more info, please contact Children's Librarian Megan Katz at 323-962-3521.
The Festival of Books began in 1996 with a simple goal: Bring together the people who create books and the people who love to read them. The Festival was an immediate success and has become Southern California's major literary event, now in its 21st year! The 2016 Festival will be held on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10 at the University of Southern California and they would love to have you join this special event as a volunteer.
Last year over 156,000 people attended the Festival, which featured more than a hundred ticketed author events, children’s storytelling, poetry readings, book signings and more than 400 exhibitor booths. The Festival’s success has been due in part to the generous participation of volunteers who welcomed attendees, assisted with registration, staffed author events, supervised book signings and much more.
Time Commitment: Volunteers sign up for one or more 3-4 hour shifts on one or both days.
Requirements:
- The majority of volunteer activities require being on your feet for most of your shift.
- Please wear comfortable shoes and khaki or beige pants or shorts.
- Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.
- **You cannot bring children under the age of 18 with you during your shift.
Benefits: Volunteers will receive free parking, shuttle service from the parking lot and lunch. T-shirts will be provided for volunteers to wear and keep after the event.
*Please sign up as soon as possible as space fills up quickly and the final deadline for pre-registering as a volunteer is March 28, 2016.
For more information and to register, please visit http://www.troutco.com/fob.
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Are you an animal lover? If so, don’t miss the chance to volunteer with Ahead With Horses every Saturday (unless otherwise noted) at their Shadow Hills facility.
Please note AWH is CLOSED the following Saturdays: 2/13/16; 3/26/16; 5/28/16; 7/2/16; 9/3/16; 11/26/16; 12/24/16 and 12/31/16.
Volunteers will assist in providing our developmental therapy to children with disabilities.
Duties include: Leading horses, spotting (walking along side the horse), grooming, cleaning tack, weeding, raking, etc.
Volunteers must be at least 12 years old and if under 18, an adult must come to sign a liability release form at their first session.
Dress code: must wear closed-toe shoes, long pants and a shirt with sleeves (t-shirt is fine; no tank tops). If planning on staying the entire day (which is not mandatory), please bring water and a sack lunch.
Questions? Please call Michelle at 818-767-6373.
Audubon California’s 4000-acre Starr Ranch Sanctuary in southeast Orange County is pleased to invite you to join them as a volunteer "Weed Warrior." Weeds can alter habitats and have negative effects on wildlife. Volunteers help remove periwinkle, English ivy, and English plantain using non-chemical methods.
No experience necessary. Training and tools provided. Please wear clothes that can get dirty, long pants, close-toed shoes and layers for changing weather. Bring snacks and a picnic lunch, if you wish. A personal water bottle, a hat and sunscreen are strongly recommended.
Adults and children ages 8 and older are welcome. Children must be accompanied by adults. This opportunity fulfills community service requirements. Please take a look at their volunteer days from January 2016 through May 2016. Find the dates that work for you. Reserve your place by clicking this link http://goo.gl/forms/5AQCO3GsGm or by sending your name, available dates, number in party, source you found the opportunity from, and phone number to Sandy at sdesimone@audubon.org.
2016 Saturday Volunteer Days
9 am – 12:30 pm each date (*except April)
- January 9 & 23
- February 6 & 27
- March 19 & 26
- *April 9, 16, & 23 (1:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
- May 14 & 21
If you can’t find a date that works for you and would still like to volunteer, it is possible to volunteer with the organization any day during the week, Monday – Friday. Please reply with a suggested date to Sandy at sdesimone@audubon.org and she will get back to you.
Join Family Rescue Center for their weekly Saturday distribution of organic food donated from the Calabasas Farmer's Market. They need happy, helpful volunteers to sort the fruits and vegetables and to hand them out at their center. Four to six volunteers per Saturday is preferable; teens and older, please.
To volunteer, please email your name, phone number, and preferred contact method (phone, text, email) to Julie Domingo at jewelsd2005@yahoo.com. Please state how often you can volunteer — once a month or whatever works for you!
The Festival of Books began in 1996 with a simple goal: Bring together the people who create books and the people who love to read them. The Festival was an immediate success and has become Southern California's major literary event, now in its 21st year! The 2016 Festival will be held on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10 at the University of Southern California and they would love to have you join this special event as a volunteer.
Last year over 156,000 people attended the Festival, which featured more than a hundred ticketed author events, children’s storytelling, poetry readings, book signings and more than 400 exhibitor booths. The Festival’s success has been due in part to the generous participation of volunteers who welcomed attendees, assisted with registration, staffed author events, supervised book signings and much more.
Time Commitment: Volunteers sign up for one or more 3-4 hour shifts on one or both days.
Requirements:
- The majority of volunteer activities require being on your feet for most of your shift.
- Please wear comfortable shoes and khaki or beige pants or shorts.
- Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.
- **You cannot bring children under the age of 18 with you during your shift.
Benefits: Volunteers will receive free parking, shuttle service from the parking lot and lunch. T-shirts will be provided for volunteers to wear and keep after the event.
*Please sign up as soon as possible as space fills up quickly and the final deadline for pre-registering as a volunteer is March 28, 2016.
For more information and to register, please visit http://www.troutco.com/fob.
Big Sunday’s harbor cruises are awesome! We host a big group of underserved and deserving folks on a special cruise through San Pedro Harbor. Many of these nice people have never been on a boat before! We need volunteers to host, be friendly, hand our donuts (of course!), enjoy one another and enjoy the ride. We call it the “We’re All in the Same Boat Project” and everyone has exactly one job: To meet one new person. For more info or to sign up today, please contact info@bigsunday.org. 
The leading cause of homelessness is poverty. Don't miss a social justice panel sponsored by the Tikkun Olam committee of Kehillat Israel Congregation as they explore “Poverty in America” with guest speakers Sasha Abramsky, author of "The American Way of Poverty: How the Other Half Still Lives" and Jessica Bartholow from the Western Center on Law & Poverty. Admission is free, but please RSVP to info@ourki.org
