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.
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles is looking for volunteers for their monthly screenings! NFMLA is a non-profit dedicated to supporting emerging indie talent by screening a diverse body of shorts and features each month.
Volunteers are needed for a Friday and Saturday once a month to help with set-up, reception, red carpet, ticketing, and breakdown. The evening is broken into 2 shifts, so when volunteers are not working, they can hang out and enjoy the event! To find out how to help, please contact Marissa@nfmla.org.
Don’t miss the LA Arboretum’s “What's Happening in Gardening” Series!
8 Thursdays, September 15-November 3
9:30am-12pm; $140 for the series; $25 per class
These classes are designed to help you keep up with garden news, trends, tips and pests. Each class begins with an open discussion and plant giveaway, followed by a lecture or hands-on workshop from one of the following speakers:
Sept. 15: Jose & Carrie Hernandez, CJ’s Organic Farm
CJ's Organic Farm grows heirloom vegetables, fruits, and herbs for year-round weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) baskets. They also sell organically grown heirloom vegetables and herb starts for your garden at the CJ’s Organic Farm booth at the Villa Park Farmers’ Market in Pasadena on Tuesday mornings.
Sept. 22: Nancy Bird, Rocks for Your Garden
Nancy Bird, rock expert and owner of NancyRocks, will show beautiful colorful rocks that will compliment your garden. She also will explain the Bureau of Land Management rules and permitting procedures for collecting rocks for free!
Sept. 29: Jill Morganelli, New Gardens & Garden Renovations at the Arboretum
Join Jill Morganelli, the Arboretum’s Horticultural Supervisor, for a discussion about the improvements being made in the gardens to enhance the Arboretum experience for visitors.
Oct. 6: Harold Koopowitz, Fall Blooming Daffodils
Harold Koopowitz currently is first vice president of the American Daffodil Society and editor emeritus for the Orchid Digest, which he edited for 10 years. He is well known internationally for breeding both slipper orchids and miniature daffodils. He is Professor Emeritus of biology in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Irvine. He will be signing copies of his new novel, Diamonds and Disas: The Further Adventures of George and Matilda.
Oct. 13: Joe Brosius, Magic Growers
As production manager at Magic Growers, Joe Brosius is responsible for propagating and growing all plant material products. He also is a partner in the nursery and a past president of the L.A. chapter of California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers (CANGC). Joe received his degree in ornamental horticulture from Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo.
Oct. 20: Christine Anthony, Cook Now from Your Garden & Plant Now in Your Garden
A seasonal look at the edibles you're harvesting now and what to do with them, followed by a discussion of what is best to plant now for your meals in the months to come. Christine Anthony, the Renee's Garden Seeds rep to the Arboretum and a UCCE Master Gardener, will share practical tips learned from life long experience in the garden and the kitchen. Please be prepared to share your recipe ideas and gardening tips with one and all.
Oct. 27: Nicholas Staddon, The New American Garden
Nicholas Staddon travels the United States and the world in search of new trends and great plants for American gardens. In his lively and informative presentation, he’ll discuss some of the issues facing American gardeners today: invasive plants, the water situation, the plight of the pollinators, and what the solutions might be. Nicholas also will share some of his very best plant suggestions for our region.
Nov. 3: Leigh Adams: Permaculture: A Gardener’s Perspective
Interpretive horticulturalist and creator of the Crescent Garden, Leigh Adams will give us an overview of her experience working with Permaculture. She will then lead us on a private tour of the garden she created “behind the scenes” at the Arboretum.
Looking for a way to give back to our veterans? Join So Cal Quilts of Valor for their Sew Day as they make quilts for our nation’s heroes!
This volunteer activity is FREE. If you want to bring a sewing machine or a project to work on, you may; OR you can use one of the classroom machines to sew quilts using Quilts of Valor’s kits to be given to military veterans when finished. If you don't sew, but want to help, they need help with ironing, trimming threads, sorting fabric, etc. For more info, please contact Barbara Winkler at 562-925-7673 or email info@socalqov.org.
To see photos quilts the organization has made and the many recipients who have received these items, please visit www.socalqov.org. So far this year (in only 5 months), Quilts of Valor has presented 309 quilts to veterans of all ages, including almost 100 from WWII!
Join our friends at So Cal Quilts of Valor for their Sew Days held every Thursday (except on holidays). Volunteers are needed to help construct quilts to be awarded to veterans to thank them for their service and/or help them in their healing. For more info, please visit www.socalqov.org. They especially need long-arm quilters to complete the process. Please contact Barbara Winkler for more info or to sign up today!
Join Piece by Piece for cocktails and light hors d'oeuvres while viewing an exhibition of incredible mosaic art and a special performance by Urban Voices – A Skid Row Choir. Learn more about the artists of Skid Row and South Los Angeles who are changing their world, one piece at a time.
For more info, please visit http://www.piecebypiece.org/gala1/.
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!
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles is looking for volunteers for their monthly screenings! NFMLA is a non-profit dedicated to supporting emerging indie talent by screening a diverse body of shorts and features each month.
Volunteers are needed for a Friday and Saturday once a month to help with set-up, reception, red carpet, ticketing, and breakdown. The evening is broken into 2 shifts, so when volunteers are not working, they can hang out and enjoy the event! To find out how to help, please contact Marissa@nfmla.org.
The Fulfillment Fund is a college access organization with a 39-year history of helping disadvantaged students graduate from high school and access college. One of its key services is mentoring. Recognized as one of the best in the state, the Fulfillment Fund’s Mentor Program provides guidance from adult role models to students whose life circumstances challenge their opportunities for success. Each year the Fulfillment Fund Mentor Program shapes the lives of hundreds of young people. While there are many opportunities to volunteer with the organization, mentoring provides a direct avenue to create a meaningful impact by making a nominal investment of time. The Mentor Program provides the necessary structure for success in a mentor/mentee relationship; staff support, extensive training and amazing volunteers all play a role in the program’s success. The Fulfillment Fund is looking for mentors with the following:
- Minimum of 24 years of age
-
Able to commit to meeting with their stud
ent once per month on their own schedule
- Willing to commit to a mentoring relationship for a minimum of two years
- Able to pass a criminal background check
- Interested in helping a student achieve higher education
For more info and to complete the application form, visit http://www.fulfillment.org/mentor. Please email Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement Manager Betsy Ann Mudd at bmudd@fulfillment.org with any further questions.
COOK WITH NORTH AMERICA’S HOTTEST CELEBRITY CHEFS AT THE SUSAN G. KOMEN CULINARY SHOWDOWN TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER
Celebrate Your Inner Foodie While Fundraising; To Be Held October 22 at Loews Hollywood Hotel
Culinary Showdown is a first-time ever event in the United States, an extraordinary challenge giving culinary enthusiasts the opportunity to fundraise for a chance to cook alongside celebrity chefs in the type of team cooking challenge normally reserved for TV. It will be held in Los Angeles by Susan G. Komen Los Angeles County.
The Susan G. Komen Los Angeles Culinary Showdown features an all-star lineup of five Celebrity Chefs, including one of America’s Top 10 Pastry Chefs, Elizabeth Falkner*, and the owner of New York City's Red Rooster Harlem restaurant. Falkner is a huge fan of cooking competitions and has appeared on more than 30 television competition shows either as a competitor or as a judge. Falkner is a multiple award winning chef and James Beard Nominee and author of two cookbooks, Demolition Desserts, and Cooking Off The Clock. The Culinary Showdown will be hosted by John O'Hurley, best known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and who was host of the game show Family Feud and judge on Iron Chef America.
Susan G. Komen is proud to announce event co-chairs Christine Avanti-Fischer who is a best-selling author of Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salads and Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food, Certified Nutritionist, TV personality and lifestyle expert and her husband, Jonathon Fischer, co-founder (with Christine) and chairman of the Jonathon D. Fischer Foundation, a non-profit with the mission of helping people around the world.
By participating in the Susan G. Komen Los Angeles Inaugural Culinary Showdown, you will also be supporting the fight against breast cancer that affects 1 in 8 women in their lifetime.
All proceeds go to Susan G. Komen Los Angeles County, supporting the organization's work to ensure all women in the Los Angeles community have timely access to affordable breast health care. Participants who raise the minimum of $1,000 will be treated to a gourmet meal as the celebrity chefs and their teams, comprised of the top fundraisers, take center stage to take part in the thrilling culinary battle.
The showdown starts with Celebrity Chefs School where contestants will be coached on everything from ingredient selection to proper plating. Trade secrets on food preparation, knife techniques, methodology and more will be revealed by top cooking masters – integral for when things heat up in the kitchen during the Culinary Showdown.
The 50 highest fundraisers will be rewarded with the opportunity to put their culinary talents to the test live on stage in tandem with a celebrity chef, as they face off in the Culinary Showdown, a Chopped-style competition at the gala October 22 at Loews Hollywood Hotel. Five teams of 10 will compete under pressure to create three unique dishes, applying the skills mastered during Celebrity Chefs School. Participants will cook each course on the clock, and will be judged by an expert panel on taste and presentation.
To learn more and register, go to www.sgklaculinaryshowdown.org
About Susan G. Komen Los Angeles County
Komen Los Angeles County is the local source for funding programs that provide breast health services, breast cancer education and outreach in their LA county service area. Komen Los Angeles donates 75 percent of net funds raised to vital local breast health services, and dedicates the remaining 25 percent to national research to find the cure. Since 1998, Komen LA County has raised over $11 million for local programs and national research grants. Komen Los Angeles has one clear mission: to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering others, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. http://komenlacounty.org
Website Weekend is a weekend-long hackathon where teams of digital professionals, including designers, developers, copy writers, and more, are paired up with local nonprofit organizations. Over the course of the weekend, the teams will work closely with representatives from the nonprofit organizations to design, develop and launch new websites for the nonprofits. We need help from experienced web developers and designers, user experience professionals, copy writers, digital marketers, and more. We also need help with general volunteer tasks: handling checkins, cleanup, making sure lunch and breakfast are served, and that everyone has everything they need to be comfortable and productive. For more info, please visit http://websiteweekend.la/.
