10 Ways to Volunteer in Los Angeles this MLK Weekend and Beyond

Did you know that MLK Day is a National Day of Service in Dr. King’s honor and one of the most popular days of the year to volunteer? We’ve rounded up 10 different ways - for every personality type - to volunteer this weekend and beyond.

Heal The Bay

• Pacific Palisades
• For: Anyone able-bodied, groups
• When: Saturday, January 17
• Volunteering + a day at the beach? Sign us up! This Saturday, and the third Saturday of every month following, join Heal The Bay for a beach cleanup aptly called Nothin’ But Sand. This weekend, volunteers will remove harmful marine debris at Will Rogers State Beach from 10am-12pm. 

Growing Hope Gardens

• Santa Monica
• For: Able-bodied adults, small groups
• When: Saturday, January 17
• This Saturday or any other from 10am-12pm, join the Growing Hope Garden team at their regenerative farm to help plant, water, weed, and harvest. The food grown at the farm supports affordable and permanent supportive housing resident access to fresh, healthy food. 

Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue

• West Hollywood
• For: Adults, accompanied minors
• When: Saturday, January 17
• This Saturday from 1pm-6pm, Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue will be hosting an adoption event highlighting their foster dogs. Volunteers are needed for set-up and clean-up, walking and supervising dogs, fundraising, and making goodie bags for fosters to pick up. Double up those endorphins with this volunteer & dog-petting opportunity!

Los Anarchists Blood Fest: In Cold Blood

• Burbank
• For: Adults, teens, small groups
• When: Saturday-Sunday, January 17-18
• We’d sign up for the name alone! Join Los Anarchists Junior Derby, a nonprofit teaching kids to play roller derby, at their blood drive and roller derby tournament. Volunteers are needed for food service, admissions, check-in, merch sales, set up, and clean up. Two-hour shifts are available Saturday from 2am to 7pm and Sunday from 8am to 2pm.

MLK Day Volunteer Festival

• Exposition Park
• For: Anyone, groups
• When: Monday, January 19
• This MLK Day, join thousands of other volunteers from 12pm-4pm at a volunteer fair at the LA Coliseum, hosted by LA Works. This is truly an event like no other - in addition to food trucks and BIPOC-owned businesses, you’ll have the chance to support hands-on on-site service activities with local nonprofits. You may even connect with an organization you want to volunteer with more permanently!

LA Regional Food Bank

• City of Industry
• For: Adults who can lift up to 25 pounds, small groups
• When: Monday, January 19
• Volunteers will help with projects like assembling shelf-stable food packages or produce bags, or sorting through assorted goods. These items will be distributed to over one MILLION families, individuals, children, and older adults throughout LA County. 

Big Sunday

• Florence
• For: Anyone
• When: Monday, January 19
• From 10am-1pm, Big Sunday will be hosting their 14th Annual MLK Day Clothing Drive and Community Breakfast at South Park Elementary School. In addition to collecting gently-used and new clothing and shoes, and non-perishable food, there will be volunteer opportunities to sort clothes, pack food, help beautify the school, and more. And, of course, there’s breakfast!

Hunger Free America

• Virtual
• For: Adults
• When: Monday, January 19
• Hunger Free America is hosting an MLK Serve-a-thon from 9am-10:30am PST. Volunteers will operate as “data detectives” - verifying and updating information used to refer Hunger Hotline callers to food pantries, soup kitchens, and SNAP/WIC offices around the country. You’ll need a computer, phone, and pen/paper.

Greater LA Homeless Count

• LA County
• For: Adults, pairs
• When: Tuesday-Thursday, January 20-22
• Next Tuesday-Thursday starting at 8pm, hundreds of volunteers across LA County will be contributing to a count of our unhoused neighbors. Why count? The data collected is a critical component in understanding homelessness, and will be used to deliver services where they are needed most. Join in at one of the 150 sites around the county.

Wags & Walks

• Wherever you please
• For: Adults, groups
• When: Any date
• Ethical puppy yoga? In your own home/business?? For a good cause?!?! Wags & Walks has a unique way of getting rescue dogs adopted - borrow 3-5 dogs and/or puppies for your party or private yoga session. The exposure to your friends/clients (and their social media accounts) helps get these dogs adopted! The dogs also benefit from socialization time with each other and people. Alternatively, your group can volunteer for a 2-hour session with dogs in need.

Consider volunteering longer-term!

• One-day volunteering is awesome, and what would be even better? Most nonprofits benefit most from volunteers who can make a commitment to volunteering over a longer period of time. This allows volunteers to receive more training and provide specialized support. Whatever your passion is - registering voters, fostering pets, planting trees, coaching youth sports, you name it! - there’s a volunteer spot for you. Check out LA Works, Let’s Volunteer LA, or Volunteer Collective volunteer boards to search for the perfect local opportunity.

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