The Los Angeles Day Care Center provides day care services for low-income families around the garment, flower and produce districts. Volunteers are welcome to assist one or mutiple days to help with the various activities around the classroom, office and recess. Volunteers must complete the required Protect the Mission training and have their fingers prints done prior to working at this facility.

Must be 18 or older and have experience working with preschoolers to volunteer

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.

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

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

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.

**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.

Are you a natural problem-solver? Do you want to build relationships with DWC’s residents? Join our Residence Host team!

DWC provides 24-hour/7 day-a-week staffing of our Residence to answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and provide support to our residents. Volunteers help us ensure coverage during our Resident Manager dinner breaks from 5:00pm-7:00pm. This is a great opportunity to put problem-solving skills to work and to meet and build relationships with our amazing residents.

Training and a weekly commitment are required. Individual opportunity

Volunteering at Project Angel Food is a great way for your group to make a direct impact in the community while sharing a sense of compassion for our most fragile neighbors.

If you are looking to foster team-building while being of service and giving back to our community, there are many opportunities to help, such as preparing meals in our kitchen, assisting with special events, or working in our Urban Gardens.

ONE DAY of your help will make a big difference!

We offer opportunities for groups of up to 10 people to participate.  The kitchen is open Sunday through Friday.  Weekday kitchen shifts are from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  Sunday kitchen shifts are from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm.  Other projects can be scheduled through the Volunteer Services Department.

The Los Angeles Day Care Center provides day care services for low-income families around the garment, flower and produce districts. Volunteers are welcome to assist one or mutiple days to help with the various activities around the classroom, office and recess. Volunteers must complete the required Protect the Mission training and have their fingers prints done prior to working at this facility.

Must be 18 or older and have experience working with preschoolers to volunteer

Join us for TM@10 (Thursday Mornings at 10) at Big Sunday headquarters where we’ll host a different service project each week that benefits a worthy cause! Enjoy good food, good company and good deeds; everyone is welcome. Some of the groups we’re helping include My Friend’s Place, Covenant House, and lots of shelters, hospitals, and senior facilities around all over town. For more info or to sign up, contact rob@bigsunday.org.  Click HERE for TM@10’s full schedule.