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.

Big Sunday Event Giving Opportunity! One-time Volunteer Opportunity Ongoing Volunteer Opportunity
Sep
21
Sat
I Have a Dream Foundation
Sep 21 all-day

 Your volunteer work at “I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles (IHADLA) will make a difference in the lives of underprivileged youth in Los Angeles. Volunteers tutor, coach, read to our students (“Dreamers”), chaperone field trips, provide positive role modeling, and act as an all-around support. The staff will supervise all volunteers during the after-school program. 

The IHADLA staff will hold an orientation session at the program site for prospective volunteers. Other than that, the only requirement is that volunteers arrive on time! To apply, please click on the “Apply Now” button to fill out an application, and we will contact you shortly.

Help Plant Trees in East Long Beach @ Patrick Henry Elementary School
Sep 21 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Want to make a difference for the environment?  Come help plant 100 new street trees in Long Beach near Patrick Henry Elementary School!  

 

Patrick Henry Elementary School

Neighborhood Tree Planting

 

Saturday, September 21, 2019

9 a.m. – noon

Meeting Location:

 

Patrick Henry Elementary School

3720 Canehill Avenue

Long Beach, CA 90808

 

 

Up to 100 trees will be planted in the neighborhood bounded by:

 

North – Conant Street

South – Monlaco Road

West – Palo Verde Avenue
East – Woodruff Avenue

 

The 90808 Tree Planting Association and Patrick Henry Elementary School are committed to help plant, water and care for these trees for their first year. 

 

Would your group like to be a volunteer partner for this event? 

 

Volunteers of all ages are welcome at this event to help plant and water these young trees.  No experience is needed, we will train you.  

Southern California Children’s Museum’s Touch-a-Truck Month @ Southern California Children's Museum
Sep 21 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Our signature event is BACK! This year, the trucks will take over our parking lot for all FOUR Saturdays in September! Fun for the entire family, Touch-A-Truck is a hands-on learning experience for children to explore a variety of large trucks, heavy machinery, recreation vehicles, emergency vehicles, & more!!

Ages 0-12

TICKETS
$15 family of 4 or $5 each (kids under one FREE)

BUY TICKETS HERE!

NO HORN hour from 9 – 10AM to accommodate guests with noise sensitivities.

FINE PRINT
Separate tickets required for each day. Door tickets subject to capacity. Prepaid ticket holders please enter through parking lot entrance off Los Robles. Ticket includes all-day open play at Southern California Children’s Museum. Trucks/vehicles may vary by day. Play passes are not valid for this event. Vehicles may vary by day.

Storytime with Mr. Steve @ Vroman's Bookstore
Sep 21 @ 10:00 am – 10:30 am

Vroman's favorite storytime guy, Mr. Steve, shares books with little ones every Wednesday and Saturday morning in the kids' section of the store.

Ages 2 – 7

Sep
23
Mon
Inner-City Arts @ Inner-City Arts
Sep 23 @ 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
STUDIO VOLUNTEERISM

Studio volunteers work alongside teaching artists to support K-12 students as they explore their own creativity in one of our seven studios: Visual Arts, Ceramics, Creativity Lab, Media Arts, Drama, Dance, and Music. Studio volunteerism requires a once-per-week, two-hour commitment for the duration of a session: 3 – 10 weeks total, depending on the program. In order to be eligible for studio volunteerism, you must participate in a one-on-one interview and orientation. Additionally, all studio volunteers are required to sign a background check consent prior to serving in the studios with students.

LEARNING AND ACHIEVING THROUGH THE ARTS (LATA) serves elementary and middle school students from the Los Angeles Unified School District and local charter schools. Twice a week, for seven- or eight-week sessions, students and their classroom teachers are brought to the Inner-City Arts campus for experiential instruction in the visual and performing arts during the school day. LATA studio volunteers support by assisting teaching artists with studio set-up and transitions, motivating students to engage in the creative process, and sometimes participating in projects and exercises alongside students. LATA studio volunteers support periods 1 -3 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and periods 1-2 on Tuesday and Thursday in the following volunteer shifts:

Period 1: 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Period 2:10:15 am – 12:15 pm

Period 3: 12:15 pm – 2:15 pm

THE VISUAL, MEDIA AND PERFORMING ARTS INSTITUTES offer self-select, after-school and weekend workshops to middle and high school students, once weekly across ten weeks during Fall and Spring sessions and twice weekly across five weeks over summer. Institutes volunteers support teaching artists and students by lending their expertise in a specific medium and assisting teaching artists with studio set-up and transitions. Volunteer shifts vary from workshop to workshop.

ARTISTS IN THE MIDDLE (AIM) is Inner-City Arts' summer programming for incoming 6th – 8th grade students, during which students have the opportunity to hone their skills in four different art forms during one of two three-week sessions. AIM studio volunteers support by assisting teaching artists with studio set-up and transitions, motivating students to engage in the creative process, and sometimes participating in projects and exercises alongside students. AIM studio volunteers support periods 1 -2 Monday – Friday in the following volunteer shifts:

Period 1: 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Period 2:10:15 am – 12:15 pm

Sep
24
Tue
Nothin’ but Sand @ Different L.A. County beach each month. Check RSVP page for specific dates/locations
Sep 24 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Our monthly all-ages beach cleanup bonanza, 10 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of every month except December.

Beach cleanups are a great experience for you and your family, friends and co-workers to get involved in the community and environment. All you need to do is show up…and bring reusable supplies, if possible! We provide the supplies, all you need to do is register, sign a waiver, and show up! Visit Heal the Bay’s Eventbrite page for details about the location for this month’s Nothin’ But Sand beach cleanup.

This is a rain or shine event. Cleanups are only cancelled for lightning or thunderstorms. We will still hold the cleanup in light and steady rain. In this case, please come prepared with a rain jacket, appropriate shoes, and an umbrella.

Fight Hunger at Tuesday’s Farmers Market in Culver City
Sep 24 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Quick Overview: We are working to fight hunger and food waste in Southern California, and we'd love to have you join us.

Mission or Broader Program Description: Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people in need, and inspiring others to do the same.

Impact: You will be collecting beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables that would otherwise get thrown away, and donating 100% to local food banks, pantries, and shelters.

Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities: Join the Volunteer Glean Team to help us collect donations of fresh produce from vendors at your local farmers market and box, sort, and weigh the produce. Volunteers should be comfortable carrying boxes of produce that may weigh up to 40 pounds, but don't need to worry about bringing equipment or transporting the food. Wear comfortable work clothing and close-toed shoes, and bring water to drink. ​​​​​​​

Requirements: Volunteers must be at least 12 years old, and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.​​​​​​​
* Volunteers under the age of 18 will need to bring and have signed by a parent/guardian a Volunteer Agreement & Release for Minors. The form can be found on L.A. Works website Q&A section.


**All volunteers must register through the Food Forward website. Sign up here: www.foodforward.org/volunteer.** 

After expressing interest, the opportunity leader will contact you to confirm your participation and provide directions for this opportunity.

Sep
25
Wed
The Center in Hollywood @ The Center in Hollywood
Sep 25 all-day

Regular volunteers commit to serving at The Center 1+ days a week in the capacity of participating in or leading groups, attending coffee hour, cleaning, or assisting with office work. Weekly shifts range from 1.5-8 hours per shift.

As an example one of our regular volunteers, Tim, leads a group called “Timspirations” in which he shows an array of inspiration videos from across the web. He then leads the group in a discussion on their reflections and anecdotes about the clips.

Habitat Restoration at the Audubon Center at Debs Park!
Sep 25 @ 8:00 am – 11:00 am

Quick Overview: Help beautify and restore the natural flora and fauna of Debs Park. We ask you to join us in removing undesirable weeds and watering our native restoration areas. With your help, we can make Northeast LA a bird friendly community. 

Mission or Broader Program Description: The Audubon Center’s mission is to inspire people to experience, understand and care for the local natural world. The nature-based education and community programs at Debs Park are designed to engage children and their families in the outdoor world, and to give them a personal stake in its protection by making environmental issues relevant to their lives. The Center is operated by Audubon California, a state field program of National Audubon Society, and is a vital part of Audubon’s national outreach initiative to engage Latino audiences. The Center, which is surrounded by predominately Latino neighborhoods, is a unique gathering place and dynamic focal point for outdoor recreation, environmental education and conservation action.

Impact: We are a field program of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest conservation organizations in the country. We are situated in the largest piece of public open space in the lower Los Angeles River Watershed. The Center is a vital and unique gathering place for the Northeast LA community. Our mission is to inspire people to experience, understand, and care for the local natural world. 

Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities: Join us in and around our native plant nursery where we propagate plants and maintain habitat restoration sites. Activities include watering, weeding, mulching, berm building and repair,  seed collection, processing and sowing, potting, and planting. Learn about native plants and local bird species as you restore important native habitat within more than 17 acres around the center. Put your hands in some soil and bird while you build habitat! We need you, but more importantly, our neighBIRDS need you! 

Requirements: Be sure to bring lots of water, sun protection, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty! Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gardening gloves, however we will have plenty available to borrow as well. Remember to wear closed-toe shoes and dress in layers. Please fill out the downloadable waiver below and bring it with you to your first day.

* Any volunteer under the age of 18 will need to bring and have signed by a parent/guardian a Volunteer Agreement & Release for Minors. The form can be found on L.A. Works website Q&A section.
 

Full opportunity address and directions will be sent to you by e-mail after you sign up.

Inner-City Arts @ Inner-City Arts
Sep 25 @ 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
STUDIO VOLUNTEERISM

Studio volunteers work alongside teaching artists to support K-12 students as they explore their own creativity in one of our seven studios: Visual Arts, Ceramics, Creativity Lab, Media Arts, Drama, Dance, and Music. Studio volunteerism requires a once-per-week, two-hour commitment for the duration of a session: 3 – 10 weeks total, depending on the program. In order to be eligible for studio volunteerism, you must participate in a one-on-one interview and orientation. Additionally, all studio volunteers are required to sign a background check consent prior to serving in the studios with students.

LEARNING AND ACHIEVING THROUGH THE ARTS (LATA) serves elementary and middle school students from the Los Angeles Unified School District and local charter schools. Twice a week, for seven- or eight-week sessions, students and their classroom teachers are brought to the Inner-City Arts campus for experiential instruction in the visual and performing arts during the school day. LATA studio volunteers support by assisting teaching artists with studio set-up and transitions, motivating students to engage in the creative process, and sometimes participating in projects and exercises alongside students. LATA studio volunteers support periods 1 -3 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and periods 1-2 on Tuesday and Thursday in the following volunteer shifts:

Period 1: 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Period 2:10:15 am – 12:15 pm

Period 3: 12:15 pm – 2:15 pm

THE VISUAL, MEDIA AND PERFORMING ARTS INSTITUTES offer self-select, after-school and weekend workshops to middle and high school students, once weekly across ten weeks during Fall and Spring sessions and twice weekly across five weeks over summer. Institutes volunteers support teaching artists and students by lending their expertise in a specific medium and assisting teaching artists with studio set-up and transitions. Volunteer shifts vary from workshop to workshop.

ARTISTS IN THE MIDDLE (AIM) is Inner-City Arts' summer programming for incoming 6th – 8th grade students, during which students have the opportunity to hone their skills in four different art forms during one of two three-week sessions. AIM studio volunteers support by assisting teaching artists with studio set-up and transitions, motivating students to engage in the creative process, and sometimes participating in projects and exercises alongside students. AIM studio volunteers support periods 1 -2 Monday – Friday in the following volunteer shifts:

Period 1: 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Period 2:10:15 am – 12:15 pm

How it Works

You can SEARCH by scrolling through the Months or by selecting different Categories or Tag functions. For a totally different view, try the Posterboard or Stream options! Feel free to submit an item for the calendar by clicking the “Submit Your Event / Opportunity” button above at the right-hand side of the page. Questions? Email calendar@bigsunday.org.