Volunteer Opportunities for Kids Around Los Angeles

Helping Hands can use helping hands in its pantry facility, warehouse, office, mobile food bank, even its local gardens! The organization feeds more than 1,000 people every day, and that means plenty of volunteer opportunities for kids and families. The garden program lets volunteers "adopt a day" to help maintain and harvest the veggies at Chestnut Garden in Redlands, and older kids may be interested in helping with office duties or packing in the warehouse. Volunteer opportunities do open and close frequently depending on the organization's needs.

Take a few hours to be part of Feeding America's efforts to alleviate hunger in the Inland Empire. Sign up online for shifts helping to package, sort, and distribute food items. The food bank also needs volunteers for special events throughout the year, plus skills-based volunteers for specific projects. Kids who volunteer must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or adult chaperone.

Huerta del Valle is a nonprofit grassroots organization serving the Inland Empire region of Southern California. It is a network of urban farms and community gardens working for an equitable food system that provides healthy organic produce for all. With dozens of community plots, a greenhouse, composting and vermicomposting, organic agriculture production, an education center, and a sustainable fruit orchard, there is plenty of work for volunteers of all ages to get involved in!

Sign up for a two-hour beach cleanup with the Ocean Institute and help prevent trash from entering the ocean. Children younger than 16 should be accompanied by an adult. The Ocean Institute provides trash pickers and bags for you and your group. Beach clean-ups are offered once a month—check the calendar and book online.

This large regional food bank provides nutritious food to all who need it, focusing on the most vulnerable. They even grow some of the produce they distribute! Distributions happen through partner agencies at more than 250 locations throughout Orange County. Volunteers as young as 7 can help plant, harvest, weed, and maintain the fields of Harvest Solutions Farm, and kids over 13 can also help out in the Distribution Center. An adult chaperone must accompany all youth volunteers.

These are short-term opportunities where the public can help maintain and sustain the parks we all enjoy and love, and also learn the whys and hows of trail/habitat maintenance at County parks.

The Irvine Ranch Conservancy manages the Native Seed Farm, where about 45 species of plants grow over 8 acres! The goal is to sustainably grow and harvest seeds for restoration projects, without affecting the natural environment and ecology of the area. And while the Conservancy has plenty of volunteer opportunities for grownups, the whole family can help tend to the Seed Farm, year-round! No experience is necessary, and the Farm provides all the tools and necessary training for numerous tasks.

Anyone 14 and older who has an interest in libraries and books, a concern for their community, and/or a passion for helping others can be a volunteer! The library welcomes volunteers with various skills, interests, and abilities. Volunteers may assist with children’s storytimes or art activities, provide computer and printing support to library users, help clean and sort library materials and displays, and/or help raise money for and awareness of library services as a member of a Friends Group.

Founded in 1986, FOLAR is dedicated to sustaining the beauty and ecology of the LA River through cleanup initiatives. Their annual event was such a success, that FOLAR now works to clean the river year round through volunteer-led initiatives. In addition to these volunteer CleanUps, FOLAR also offers community events throughout the year to help Angelenos connect with their river, from nature walks to writing workshops to yoga and more.

TreePeople’s mission is to inspire, engage, and support people to take personal responsibility for the environment, making it safe, healthy, fun, and sustainable." TreePeople events are family-friendly! However, all volunteers 15 years old or younger must be accompanied by an adult chaperone who is at least 21 years old.

Hey there, birthday enthusiast! The Birthday Party Project needs your help to make birthday celebrations happen. Birthdays are for everyone – and so are opportunities to make magic! The Birthday Party Project seeks volunteers at their agency celebrations as well as wrapping gifts and helping prepare for parties at Party HQ.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Surfrider Foundation. Join this network and help them tackle the issues facing our ocean, waves, and beaches. Kids can collect trash and recyclables, keeping beaches free from debris. With chapters throughout Southern California, you can find family volunteer opportunities near you all year round!

Help combat homelessness with Union Rescue Mission. If your children are at least 14 years old, they can serve alongside you in the kitchen to help prepare meals. 

Food on Foot is dedicated to strengthening the community and helping neighbors in need get back on their feet by providing nutritious meals, clothing, and work opportunities. Every Sunday, volunteers are invited to spend a couple of hours distributing food and other donations to their unhoused and low-income neighbors. All volunteers must register for a time slot online in advance, and a $25 donation is requested to help fund the food and gift cards that are distributed.

Baby2Baby is a nonprofit that provides children living in poverty across the country with diapers, clothing, and all the basic necessities that every child deserves. Bring your family, friends, co-workers, teammates, or parent group to volunteer! Join them Monday-Friday at their headquarters in Los Angeles, CA for a 2-hour session. They’ll put your group to work on the vital projects that help them serve children and families nationwide.