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Inspiration July 3, 2018
Looking to give back?
You’re a good human being. You have a good heart. But finding volunteer opportunities to put it to good use can be difficult. Volunteer opportunities can be hard to find. Here are 50 organizations where you can start looking if you are ready to volunteer in Los Angeles.
L.A. Works is all about connecting volunteers to non-profits. They have volunteer opportunities in adult education, family services, arts, health and more. You can even receive training to start and lead your own volunteer project. If you are looking for the catch-all place of volunteer work in L.A., check out their site.
Homelessness is a big issue in Los Angeles. There are about 55,000 homeless people in the city, according to a report from the L.A. Times. The Midnight Mission tries to combat that by helping the homeless through a 12 step recovery program and providing them with education, counseling and workforce training, among other services.
Volunteer opportunities include helping prepare and serve meals, sorting clothing donations, making care packages for the homeless, clean up and tutoring.
Another great place to volunteer is VELA. They coordinate and plan events for community building. Some of their events include Remembering Our Veterans, Easter at the Park and the Turkey Gobble Gobble. They also run programs, such as farmers’ markets, a workers’ program, healthy cooking classes and a mural campaign. If you are interested in helping with these programs, check out their volunteer opportunities by visiting their website.
Reading to Kids partners with volunteers to read to kids during events on the second Saturday of every month across Los Angeles elementary schools. During the visit, parents receive training on how to read to their kids and encourage a love of reading. Book donations are also distributed to these kids and their families to ensure low-income families have reading materials at home. Volunteer opportunities and sign-ups are listed on their site. Spaces do fill up, so if you are interested, make sure to sign up in advance.
The Los Angeles Food Bank distributes food to more than 800 sites in Los Angeles County. As you can imagine that requires more than a few pairs of hands. So if you’re willing to lend yours, sign up on their site as a volunteer.
The Los Angeles Mission is a Christian organization that provides emergency services free of charge. The organization also provides recovery services and career fairs to those in need. In addition, they distribute food, clothing and vehicle donations to the area.
According to their site, they need people to pray for their organization, as well as people willing to volunteer their time. The volunteer schedule is flexible; you can specify your volunteer commitment from one-time to monthly to weekly.
CoachArt provides arts and sports programming for children with chronic illness and their families. Volunteers work one-on-one with kids in their homes, as well as in groups and at special events. Volunteer opportunities include teaching cooking, painting, guitar, piano, singing, as well as coaching baseball, basketball, tennis and more! Sign up here.
Like the name implies, at the heart of this organization is the kitchen. That goes for all aspects of L.A. Kitchen’s programs. They reclaim food that would otherwise get thrown out. The L.A. Kitchen also provides culinary programs to help unemployed men and women find jobs in the cooking industry. The organization also prepares and distributes fresh, healthy meals to those in need. Individuals, families and seniors can all participate in preparing these meals. Check out their site for more volunteer opportunities and information on how you can help.
Volunteers at Food on Foot distribute food and clothing to those in need. The program also helps find work opportunities for the homeless to help them get back on their feet. If that sounds good to you, see how you can help here.
Children don’t always have a parent looking out for their best interests. CASA looks out for them. The organization helps children who are in abusive or neglected situations. Judges assign CASA cases, and the workers at CASA help the children, whether that be in advocating for them in court or by helping them find placements, healthcare, education or other needs. While this is an important position, it does require a lot of effort, which is why volunteers must be over 21 and go through extensive training. However, if you are willing to help, sign up here.
Another organization trying to meet the needs of L.A.’s homeless is PATH. They do this by creating food and care packages. Volunteers can help in those areas as cooks, care package makers or through administrative duties.
Another way you can volunteer is by maintaining L.A.’s green spaces. You can help keep the park beautiful by volunteering at the Audubon Center. You can help with gardening, trash pickup, educational programs, administrative duties and more. If you love nature and want to help, check out their site.
Care about supporting the arts? You can support with your time by helping usher and greet guests for shows. You might be volunteering, but you also get a reward out of it. Every moment you put towards volunteering there helps you work up to earning a free show! Give your time and show your support for the arts by volunteering here.
School on Wheels takes on education for homeless children. Homeless children are in unstable situations, which negatively impacts their education. School on Wheels want to change that. They help through weekly tutoring, distribution of school supplies, help with school records, scholarships and other issues related to homelessness. There are several ways you can volunteer as a tutor, including online, so check their site for ways you can help.
The Red Cross always has plenty of volunteer opportunities, from disaster relief to help with blood drives. They also have international services which help connect immigrants to their families. Check their site for opportunities suited for you.
Habitat for Humanity “offer[s] a hand up not a handout,” as they say on their site. They sell their homes to partners who then sell them at a fair price with affordable loans. Those who are buying the home put in work to build their home alongside the volunteers. If this sounds like something you can get behind, you don’t need building experience so volunteer here.
Fred Jordan Missions is another Christian organization that serves the homeless, specifically on Skid Row. You might be familiar with this area with tents lined up one after the other on the sidewalks. Fred Jordan is right in the middle of it. If you want to help with this devastating problem, visit their site for more information on their volunteer opportunities.
This organization is a crisis intervention and suicide prevention program for LGBTQ+ teens and young adults. Volunteers can take part in a texting and calling program that offers support to those struggling with coming out, depression or other issues. They can also answer lifeline calls, help with administrative duties or volunteer at special events. Other opportunities are also available. Check their site to sign up.
The goal of this program is to empower youth and help them stay out of jail through creative writing. IOW says that creative writing acts as a “catalyst for personal transformation” necessary for reintegration.
Those in the program write while they are in jail and then participate in the program once they get out as well. Volunteers have several opportunities to participate as writers, editors, mentors and more.
Best Friends Animal Society also focuses on homelessness but for pets. They partner with shelters and do community programs to end kill policies at shelters. Volunteers can help at adoptions and other events. Click here for more info.
CYS helps kids in Los Angeles learn conflict resolution in order to keep out of juvenile detention. Volunteers can help with families as mediators. They can also work in schools to advocate for help from the school in stopping the prison pipeline and in the office doing administrative duties.
Tree People really cares about the trees as part of our environment. They work with volunteers to plant trees and care for Los Angeles’ landscapes. Volunteers can work in the city restoring landscapes. There are also opportunities in the mountains. You can also work in the office, with photographers or doing outreach.
POPS understands that teens with imprisoned loved ones need support and guidance. So they created a high school club which acts as a support group. In this group, kids learn to express themselves and feel the support of their community. Many of the opportunities are during school hours.
Homeboy Industries works to help those who were formerly incarcerated. Programs include education, job training, mental health and more. Volunteers are generally lawyers, teachers, therapists and others in qualified fields due to the professional goals of the program. If you are qualified, you can check out volunteer opportunities on their site.
Art of Elysium strives to empower local artists in a community environment. They have programs for hospitalized youth, the homeless, those with special needs and the elderly in hospice care. Volunteers support these people through art and emotional support. To learn more about becoming a volunteer visit their site.
The People Concern has a whole host of programs, from mental health care and medical care to substance abuse services and domestic violence assistance. There are even more opportunities than that, so if you are looking to volunteer but aren’t sure where to start, this is a good option.
The Downtown Women’s Center focuses on housing and caring for homeless women. At the shelter, you can help by sorting through donations, helping in the kitchen, administrative work and more.
826 LA helps kids with creative and academic writing and it helps teachers to inspire their kids’ work. They also help those who are learning English as a second language and kids who are working for student publications.
If you love to write and you want to see your skills put to good use, sign up as a tutor, editor, photographer or in other ways. They also have plenty of other opportunities so check them out here.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a large organization with chapters all over the United States. Its focus is to provide support to children through weekly mentorship. Many are lunch time or after-school opportunities. Choose one of the three Los Angeles branches to volunteer at here. Since Big Brothers Big Sisters is a national organization, you’ll want to check out their site for more information on the organization on the national level.
Richstone Family Center seeks to address child abuse. Through educational opportunities and family programming, the organization helps stabilize and decrease violence in families. Volunteers can help with after-school tutoring and recreational activities. They can also help with cleaning and special events.
NKLA works with shelters and a coalition of leaders to prevent killings in animal shelters. Volunteers can help with care and cleaning of animals. You can also take part in event planning and outreach.
Another organization that helps animals is Rescue from the Hart. They aim to help abused and abandoned animals find loving homes. They also have educational programs and spay and neuter animals to eliminate overpopulation in the shelters. Volunteers should contact a team member to find the right volunteer opportunities for them.
This Catholic organization is another outlet to serve homeless families and youth in Los Angeles. They distribute food to those who are hungry, and they also work with the future generation through a youth summer camp. Visit their site if you are interested in volunteering.
If you care about literature and education, volunteer at the public library. You can lead a book discussion, help adults with literacy, give tours of the library, help kids with their homework and more. There are also plenty of other programs and volunteer opportunities at the library, so check it out.
Help the elderly feel more comfortable and at-home at Grace Hospice. You’ll receive training to help with medical services, as well as emotional and physical support. Contact Grace Hospice here for more information.
AIDS Walk is an annual event that fundraises to combat HIV and AIDS as well as sustain APLA Health. You can volunteer at the Walk by helping set up, cheering on the walkers at the finish line, serving beverages and registering participants. Sign up here.
APLA Health aims to improve healthcare for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in HIV treatment and prevention. Volunteer opportunities include working in the food pantry and helping with nutrition. You can also help with administrative needs and planning special events.
Dress for Success empowers unemployed women by helping them dress and prepare for professional careers. You can help by styling the women in proper professional attire, coaching them about their career path, sorting donations and more. If you are already employed, you can also let women in the program shadow you to learn more about your career.
This program is another way you can help feed the Los Angeles community. Project Angel Food feeds individuals who are seriously ill in order to combat malnutrition. To help, you can prepare meals or work in the office. There are also opportunities to plan special events.
PAWS/LA realizes that there are many people out there who love their pets but are no longer able to properly care for them. Therefore, this organization finds low-income seniors or those who are disabled or ill and helps them to care for their pets. They do this all while maintaining the bond between pet and owner. Volunteers help deliver pet food and distribute donations, but you can also help answer phone calls, fundraise, foster and more.
There are plenty of volunteer opportunities with this organization. The League of Women Voters encourages active participation in the American democracy through a variety of programs. They help register voters, as the name would imply. However, they also have many different communities with focuses on education, studies, advocacy and other programs. If this seems interesting to you, check out their site.
United Way is an organization that strives to break the poverty cycle through education and housing. They also help low-income families find work that will sustain them. Volunteers help with their special events programs, so sign up for their list to see new events to help with.
The YWCA’s focus is to combat racism and empower women through a variety of programs. They help women train for the workforce, but they also provide affordable childcare, engage with youth through educational programs and more. If you want to help women in all stages of life, volunteer at YWCA.
Inner City Arts offers art education and inspiration to children on Skid Row. If you like art and think you could teach it, you can be a studio volunteer. Volunteers can also plan special events, usher and give administrative support.
At the Ronald McDonald House, they house families of children with cancer to provide them with a fun and free camp. They also provide rooms for families with children at the CHOC Children’s Hospital and Mission Hospital. Volunteer opportunities include maintaining these areas by cleaning and stocking them and through administrative duties.
The Friendship Circle helps connect Jewish children through recreational activities and Judaic experiences. Volunteers act as mentors during these activities, so if you are interested, check their site for volunteer opportunities.
At the Braille Institute, there are free classes and events to help those living with blindness and to empower them. You can help transcribe texts into braille. Volunteers can also plan events, do outreach on social media and more. Check out their site if you want to learn more.
The Assistance League has a long history of service. Today they help through educational and arts programs, as well as through court-referred cases. If you are interested, check out their site to volunteer.
JNCS strives to empower individuals on the Autism spectrum. Volunteers work on committees. They also fundraise, help with office work and other tasks. If you want to help those with Autism, check out volunteer opportunities on the JNCS site.
Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles understands that it can be difficult to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. So they work to help with counseling, groups, education, helplines and more. You can sit on a committee, plan special events and more.
