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.

Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities

VOLUNTEER COACHES (BASKETBALL, SOCCER & INDOOR FLAG FOOTBALL)

We are looking for energetic and enthusiastic volunteer coaches who are interested in teaching youth sports. Our program goal is to create a positive environment that promotes self-confidence and self-esteem through the experiences we provide. The program is dedicated to providing all youth with the highest quality of recreation and educational experiences for boys and girls ages 6 to 12 years-old.

This is a great place to gain experience working with children, improve communication and people skills. High school and college students can volunteer to receive service learning for their school.

VOLUNTEER TUTORS

Help keep kids on track in school! We need tutors for K-7 students in all subjects including writing skills, reading, math and science. All learning materials, both printed and digital, are provided. Tutoring hours are Monday–Friday, 3–7PM.

MONITORS AND GREETERS

Volunteers can work any time during operational hours. Volunteers will assist customer service attendants, walk around program areas, greet members, answer questions, and make sure child safety guidelines are being followed. The Salvation Army wants to provide a safe environment for our community.

INFORMATION DESK

Volunteers can work any time during operational hours. Volunteers will assist customers and guests by directing them to their class or answering questions.

SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICE

Volunteers will assist in various duties in our Social Services Office.

Our Homeless Service Center connects homeless individuals and families with services, housing and case management. We provide laundry facilities, showers, mail boxes and assistance with registering to receive hot meals at Bread & Roses Cafe.

Volunteer duties include: Assisting homeless clients with making appointments for services (laundry, showers, meals, etc.), sorting mail, and providing other assistance as needed.

Requirements include being able to stand for long periods of time, alphabetize mail, greet clients, etc

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.

We are always happy to have people interested in volunteering! 

We have a short orientation every Saturday morning at 8:45am in Shadow Hills. (Rain will normally cancel and we are closed for major 3-day holiday weekends.) 

Volunteers must be at least 12 to volunteer. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must accompany you to sign some paperwork. Closed-toe shoes (should be comfortable because there is a lot of walking), a shirt with sleeves (T-shirts are fine; No tank tops) and long pants are required. If planning to stay for the entire day (till approx. 2 – 2:30pm) then bringing water and a sack lunch/snack is recommended.  Other days and times available for volunteering will be given at the orientation.

We normally have volunteers assist the instructor with the children and horses, which includes, leading horses and spotting, which is walking alongside the horse to ensure child’s safety and position changes on the horse. Other activities might include: grooming horses, cleaning tack, gardening (raking, weeding, etc.), mailings, etc.

Second Chances Leadership Program was designed to build and develop the self-confidence, life and leadership skills of youth through interactive learning, in-class discussions, presentations, panels, workshops, and exploratory field-trips. Upon conclusion, participants will be able to demonstrate their understanding and knowledge of a leader’s core essentials through a service learning project, weekly homework and journaling assignments, discussions, presentations, and a culmination project.

Our youth will become ‘Ambassadors’ allowing them to become well versed in the theoretical and practical application of a leader’s core essentials and be capable of utilizing them within their home, school, and community. This allows them to personally develop through leadership programs and have access to tools and resources that not only helps such youth to apply to college, but also prepares them to succeed in life.

The Leadership Program consists of 5 modules that are 8 weeks in length. The modules expands our youth knowledge base by providing significant exposure to real-life work experiences, hands-on activities that challenge their decision making process, and intense cross-cultural volunteer projects both locally and abroad.

The Aquarium of the Pacific is working together with the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority to help restore a local wetland in Long Beach.

The Aquarium hosts a monthly habitat restoration event at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. This is your opportunity to visit and learn about our local wetlands, help the environment, and support the Aquarium of the Pacific.

The Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Program is working to restore 66 acres of wetlands owned by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority. These wetlands occupy habitat in two cities, Long Beach and Seal Beach, and two counties, Los Angeles and Orange. The program’s ongoing restorative activities have included removing non-native plants, collecting seeds from rare plants for later use, and collecting trash.

Restoration will focus on non-native weed removal and rare native plant conservation. These events will be led by trained naturalists and local educators, offering a great opportunity for local citizens to learn more about the Los Cerritos Wetlands, while getting hands-on involvement with the restoration.

Age: The entire family is welcome to participate. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Cost: Free. No registration required.

Meeting Place: Participants will be met and greeted by Los Cerritos Wetlands staff at the corner of Pacific Coast Hwy and 1st. Street in Seal Beach. Arriving around 10:15 a.m. is recommended.

Length: 2 hours, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Please Bring: The wetlands are wildlands, so please dress accordingly. Closed-toe shoes are required. Hat and sunscreen are recommended. Drinking water will be provided, but this is a plastic water bottle-free event. Please bring a reusable water bottle.

Participants eligible to win a free ticket to the Aquarium and other prizes!

For more information, please visit the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority.

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