Service Opportunities

We often receive calls from schools and confirmation classes looking for volunteer hours. Our team compiled a list of vetted organizations serving those in need who have works of mercy opportunities for all ages.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”

Matthew 25:35-36

Help Children with Special Needs

Best Buddies : All Archdiocese, all ages
Pairs students with kids who have an Intellectual Disability for friendship.
Contact: Visit the site to find a location near you.

Best Day Foundation: All Archdiocese, 12+
Volunteers hang out with kids with special needs at the beach, helping the kids to have a great experience with adventure sports like surfing and kayaking. No water sports skills necessary. Under 16 must be accompanied by a parent.
Contact: Visit the site to find a location near you.

Dream Catcher LA Therapeutic Riding Center: Long Beach, 14+
Volunteers help students with disabilities stay safe while they ride. Volunteers also help with horse care, barn cleanup, and more. No experience with horses necessary.
Contact: 310-350-1311, info@dreamcatcherla.com

Ride On Therapeutic Riding Center: Newbury Park, 12+
Volunteers help students with disabilities stay safe while they ride. Volunteers also help with horse care, barn cleanup, and more. Students aged 12-13 can help in the barn, and 14+ can volunteer in the arena.
Contact: (805) 375-9078, sara@rideon.org

Shane’s Inspiration: All Archdiocese, all ages
Youth volunteers sign up for the Shane’s Buddy program, matching youth with children who have a disability.
Contact: 818-988-5676, marjorie@shanesinspiration.org

Special Equestrian Riding Therapy: Moorpark, 14+
Volunteers help students with disabilities stay safe while they ride. Volunteers also help with horse care, barn cleanup, and more.
Contact: (805) 523-1244, sertinfo@aol.com

Help Teach Children

Reading Partners – Los Angeles, 14+
Students help teach young children grades K-2 who are falling behind to learn to read. Reading Partners offers the curriculum which students can use.
ContactvolunteerLA@readingpartners.org

School on Wheels: Most of Archdiocese, 12+
Peer volunteers tutor homeless students for 1 hour per week. Under age 16 must be accompanied by parent for tutoring session.
Contact: (805) 641-1678, contact@schoolonwheels.org

PublicLibrary : All Archdiocese, all ages
Students can shelve, help copy, help tutor, read to children, and more.
Contact: (562) 940-8403, volunteer@library.lacounty.gov

Serve the Sick and Elderly

Carmelite Sisters Care Homes: Culver City and Duarte, 12+Volunteers visit with residents, coordinate games and activities, and help with events.
Contact: Visit the site for the location nearest you.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: Los Angeles, 14+
Clinical and clerical volunteer opportunities. Commitment of 2 hours per week.
Contact: (310) 423-3277

American Red Cross : All Archdiocese, 16+
Volunteers organize blood drives, disaster preparedness, CPR trainings and more. Download the flyer for more info.
Contact: 1-800-RED-CROSS

Children’s Hospital: Los Feliz, 15+
Clerical volunteer opportunities, high school and college credit offered with service.
Contact: (323) 361-2371

Dignity Health Hospitals: Downtown LA, Glendale, Northridge, Long Beach, San Bernardino, 14+
Volunteers help with clerical and clinical work in the hospital.
Contact: Visit the site to find a location near you.

Meals on Wheels : All Archdiocese, 16+
Volunteers help prepare or deliver meals to elderly and disabled clients.
Contact: Visit the site to find a location near you.

Project Angel Food: Hollywood, 14+
Students can help fill food bags, cook and package meals, and more. Students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
Contact: (323) 845-1816, volunteers@angelfood.org

Project Chicken Soup: Culver City, 12+
Students can help fill food bags, cook and package meals, and more. Students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
Contact: (310) 836-5402, volunteer@projectchickensoup.org

Providence Hospitals: Burbank, Mission Hills, San Pedro, Santa Monica, Tarzana, Torrance, 15+
Volunteers work in gift shop, deliver food to patients, or help with community outreach.
Contact: Visit site to find a location near you.

Verity Health Hospitals: Downtown LA, Lynwood, 16+
Volunteers can help with clerical work, customer service, and staffing the gift shop.
Contact: Visit site to find a location near you.

UCLA Medical Center: Santa Monica, Westwood, 15+
Summer volunteer program for high school students 15-17.
Contact: (424) 259-8180

Serve the Homeless, the Hungry and the Poor

Adopt-A-Family: Downtown LA, All ages
Students under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Contact: (213) 637-7501

The Dream Center: Silverlake, all ages
Volunteers sign up for the Adopt-A-Block program on Saturdays to feed the hungry, serve the homeless, or help with outreach to families. Students under age 15 should be accompanied by a parent.
Contact: 213-273-7036, adoptablock@dreamcenter.org

Food Forward: North Hollywood, 5+
Collect fresh fruit for food banks, pantries, and shelters. Students under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Contactvolunteer@foodforward.org

Food on Foot: Hollywood, 15+
Pass out food and clothing. Students must be accompanied by an adult.
Contact: (310) 442-0088, info@foodonfoot.org

Habitat for Humanity: All Archdiocese, 14+
Volunteers 14+ can volunteer in the ReStore, Habitat’s thrift hardware store. Youth 16+ can volunteer at a build site if accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Contact: (310) 323-4663

Los Angeles Mission: Downtown LA, 14+
Volunteers help with food service, mentoring, food drives, and more.
Contact: (213) 629-1227 ext. 301, volunteers@lamission.org

MEND Poverty : Pacoima, 14+
Volunteers help sort clothes and food, teach in the computer lab, mentor kids, and more. Under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Contact: (818) 896-0246, volunteering@mendpoverty.org

Midnight Mission: Downtown LA, 14+
Student volunteers can work in the kitchen, tutor, make food boxes and hygiene kits, paint, clean, or work on meal service. Under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
Contact: (213) 624-9258

San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission: San Fernando, 14+
Volunteers help with food service, mentoring, sports, food drives, and tutoring.
Contact: (818) 785-4476

Seeds of Hope Community Gardens: Most of Archdiocese, all ages
Students help tend the community garden growing organic vegetables for food banks. Under 16 should be accompanied by an adult.
Contacttalderson@ladiocese.org

Sowing Seeds for Life: La Verne, 14+
Volunteers set up the pantry, food distribution, client registration, staging, read to children, hand out books and toys. Under 17 need to be accompanied by an adult.
Contact: (909) 392-5777 ext. 271

St.Francis CenterDowntown LA, 8+
Students serve food to the homeless and other service opportunities. Ages 8-13 need a chaperone.
Contact: 213-747-5347, volunteer@sfcla.org

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Los Angeles: All Archdiocese, 14+
Volunteers can help sort items in the thrift store, deliver items to families, and more.
Contact: (323) 224-6286, hr@svdpla.org

Union Rescue Mission: Downtown LA, all ages
Serve food, spend time with children, help with events. Students under 16 need a chaperone and URM must know in advance to expect them.
Contact: (213) 673-4860, volunteer@urm.org

Help Pregnant Mothers and Babies

Pregnancy Resource Centers: All Archdiocese, varies
Volunteers can sort baby clothes, handle clerical work, and more.
Contact: Visit the site to find a location near you.

40 Days for Life: All Archdiocese, all ages
Volunteers hold vigil and pray outside of abortion facilities for an end to abortion. Works best as a group activity.
Contact: Visit the site to find a location near you.​​​​