Volunteers with Heal the Bay clean up El Matador Beach in Malibu.
As the holidays near, why not consider combining a vacation with a little generosity and holiday cheer? Los Angeles makes voluntourism easy, with numerous opportunities to make a difference while enjoying the city. We’ve compiled the options below that don’t require much advance notice or training.
Kitchen Kindness
One of the easiest ways to make someone’s day a little brighter is to donate your time and culinary skills at a food kitchen. The Los Angeles Catholic Worker’s Hippie Kitchen in Downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row, which is also known as The Hospitality Kitchen, opens its doors three days a week to homeless, poor and minimally employed local residents. Volunteers can show up Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (with the exception of a few big holidays) at 7:45 a.m. to help make and serve meals. For larger groups of volunteers, a special experience can be arranged just for you.
Story Hour
If you’re more inclined to fill an emotional need than a physical one, try reading to kids at a Downtown Los Angeles school. On the second Saturday of the month, the nonprofit group Reading to Kids sets up more than 500 volunteers to read books to underserved children at public schools. You just have to RSVP in advance at readingtokids.org.
Life on the Mission“Respect” is a big buzz word at Midnight Mission, one of Los Angeles’ oldest service organizations. The mission’s goal is to help those in the city’s homeless community get the necessities of life as well as counseling and job training and placement — all while being treated with empathy by its staff and partners. Volunteer opportunities are flexible and wide-ranging, including meal preparation, donation sorting, tutoring and general cleaning and maintenance. Just fill out the online form, and a volunteer coordinator will be in touch.
Benevolent Beach Time
Most people come to Los Angeles with plans to hit the beach. So why not get some sun while helping to clean the sand? Heal the Bay’s Nothin’ But Sand cleanups are held up and down the coast on the third Saturday of every month. It’s open to any and all volunteers from 10 a.m. to noon. Go here for details.
Tree Huggin’
The Tree Musketeers is a nonprofit designed to get students and youth interested in helping the environment by planting and maintaining trees. The group holds multiple volunteer opportunities each week, mainly on weekday afternoons, to make the environment and Los Angeles just a little bit better. You can sign up and find more information about the various mostly outdoor activities on their website.
Home Sweet Home
Who doesn’t love watching those heartwarming TV shows where volunteers change a family’s life by building them a new house? Well, those volunteers need a little help too. Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles is always on the lookout for “morning people” to greet volunteer homebuilders with coffee and a sign-up sheet — no construction skills necessary. You can find out where to pitch in here.
Julie Leupold is a former newspaper editor based in Long Beach who has written business, travel and lifestyle pieces for publications worldwide.
