Giving back to the community often proves to be beneficial to both you and the organization that you give your time to. No matter where you go, volunteers are always needed. If you don’t have the time to volunteer, but still would like to contribute, donating money or supplies is always welcomed. If you are in the Los Angeles area and looking to for some great charities to contribute to or volunteer at, check out the following list.
First founded in 1978, the Downtown Women’s Center is one of a kind. In the city of Los Angeles, it is the only organization that focuses on empowering women who are homeless or formerly homeless. Through housing, wellness, and advocacy, the Downtown Women’s Center make it their mission the end homelessness in the Los Angeles area.
How to get Involved: You can get involved by donating money, donating goods from a wishlist, or donating your time.
Every year, over the course of 3 days, volunteers comb all over Los Angeles to count the homeless. The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count helps to gather data to help solve the problem of homelessness as well as increase civic engagement.
How to get Involved: Although the 2018 volunteer registration is closed for this year, you can sign up for updates for the 2019 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count.
The mission of Create Now is to assist at-risk and high-risk children through art programs. By doing so Create Now hopes to assist these children out of poverty and help them create a career path.
How to get Involved: You can become a mentor for the children of Create Now by filling out an application or you can give your support through a donation.
St. Johns provides health care services for little to no money. The center runs all types of programs for all types of patients including HIV positive patients, homeless patients, and those with developmental disabilities. St. John’s also pioneered transgender health program that is one of its first in the country.
How to get Involved: You can help around the office with the administration, medical records, or personnel. To volunteer, fill out anapplication or donate.
For 27 years, the Heart of Los Angeles has committed itself to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the children of L.A. HOLA serves over 2,300 youth by providing free programs involving athletics, the arts, and academics. These programs are taught by experts in the field who are focused on providing these children with a strong direction towards future success.
How to get Involved: You can volunteer your time and talents at HOLA by volunteering at events or even mentoring a child. Yourdonation, no matter what the size, can help make a difference by providing funding for supplies, programs, or trips.
Although this list is only comprised 5 organizations, Los Angeles has many other charitable organizations that have accomplished great things within the community. Whether you are local or just in town for a while, take the time to check out these organizations in action.
This blog was originally posted on ericsamek.org
