Volunteer Opportunities
Looking for volunteer opportunities? Need to fulfill service hours? Below are a variety of ways that USC Trojans can get involved in service:
- USC Programs
- USC Student Organizations/Clubs
- Local Nonprofits
- Community Organizations in LA County (Database)
- Volunteer Center Newsletter
Established Programs
These are programs supported by USC departments and have dedicated staff to support student volunteers. Some programs are on campus and some are off campus.
Friends & Neighbors Day – Volunteer at one of the monthly service days coordinated by the Volunteer Center. FND gives students the flexibility to volunteer when they have they have time to attend an FND event. You can try a different opportunity each time, or stick with something more familiar. If you love an organization you volunteered at, you can follow up with them whenever you like to get further involved. Follow us on Facebook or our Newsletter to find out about upcoming events.
Jumpstart -Help Jumpstart close the achievement gap by providing high quality language and literacy education to preschool students in low-income communities. USC students are trained as teachers and reading partners, and spend 8-12 hours a week in team settings to implement a rich curriculum and engage local families and community leaders to invest in early childhood education. Facebook. Contact: jstart@usc.edu
Joint Educational Program – JEP offers a wide range of service and service-learning opportunities in nearby schools, community-based organizations, health-care facilities and legal clinics. JEP partners with USC faculty who offer course credit for participating in JEP; the program offers opportunities for alumni, USC employees and student volunteers, as well. JEP’s programs combine hands-on experience with reflective practice, enabling students to learn first hand about the critical issues facing the communities surrounding USC. For further information on how you can participate in JEP visit their website.
Recognized Student Organizations
Here’s a list service-based Recognized Student Organizations (RSO’s) sorted by focus category. Over the summer these profiles are inactive so visit these links during the academic year. Please click on the subcategories to see what organizations you may be able to join:
If you are an RSO and would like to be included/removed from one of the categories above please send your request, information about your club and how it’s service-based, and your engageSC link to serveon@usc.edu. Inactive RSO’s are ineligible. Last updated Feb 2017.
Local Non-Profits
These are organizations that have partnered with us consistently for Friends & Neighbors Day. These nonprofits may offer short-term or long-term volunteer opportunities. Please contact the organizations directly for more information.
Angel City Pit Bulls – help care for Los Angeles pit bulls and assist with adoptions
🕒 flexible hours, confirm availability on volunteer form
📍3612 11th Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90018
📞 📩contact form
Amigos de los Rios – help design, build, and restore parks, as well aslearn how to care for the native plants and environment 🕒 flexible hours
📍908 E Altadena Dr, Altadena, CA 91001
📞(626) 791-1611 📩volunteer@amigosdelosrios.org
Blazer Youth Services Community Club – Help nurture social skills, foster critical thinking and enrich education with inner-city students.
🕒 flexible hours
📍1517 W 48th Street Los Angeles, CA 90062
📞(323) 292 2261 📩info@theblazers.org
Community Services Unlimited– help increase produce production by planting, harvesting, and weeding
🕒 Tuesday & Saturday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
📍3990 Bill Robertson Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90037
📞 (213) 746-1216📩csu@csuinc.org
Food Forward – help fight food waste by collecting surplus produce from public orchards and farmers markets
🕒 flexible hours, visit calendar for events and sign up on the website
📍7412 Fulton Ave #3, North Hollywood, CA 91605
📞(818) 764-1022 📩volunteer@foodforward.org
GOOD+ Foundation – package, sort, and organize donated goods at the warehouse and join this nonprofit in combating the cycle of family poverty
🕒 flexible hours
📍4005 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
📞(213) 744-9468 📩tony@goodplusfoundation.org
Jumpstart – help create resources and activities that the kids they serve can use in their classrooms and homes
🕒 commitment required, 4+ hours/week in the classroom
📍1625 W. Olympic Boulevard, Suite 1050, Los Angeles, CA 90015
📞(213) 387-5500 📩rondel.lashley@jstart.org
Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats – help manage feral cats births by providing free spay and neuters and socialize them and get them ready for adoption.
🕒 flexible hours, visit website to fill out application
📍2032 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90062
📞(323) 730-1102 📩kittybungalow@gmail.com
Lamp Community – Aid in supporting the chronically unhoused by protecting, preserving and protecting the civil rights of this group and the Permanent Supportive Housing that the Lamp Community provides.
🕒 flexible hours
📍526 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
📞(213) 488-9559 📩volunteer@lampcommunity.org
LA’s Promise Fund – help teachers set up their classrooms and get the campus school ready and student friendly
🕒 commitment required, visit website for more details
📍202 W. 1st Street, Suite # 160, Los Angeles, CA 90012
📞(213) 745-4928 📩volunteer@laspromise.org
Los Angeles Central Library – choose from a wide range of volunteer opportunities including tutoring and reading to children, inventory aide, shelving books, etc.
🕒 flexible hours
📍630 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
📞(213) 228-7000 📩Contact form
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank – help sort, inspect, and repackage donated food items from local food drives.
🕒 flexible hours, visit website to register before volunteering
📍1734 E 41st St, Los Angeles, CA 90058
📞323-234-3030 📩 jmcilvain@lafoodbank.org
Natural History Museum – Get your hands dirty as you help our garden team with projects like mulching, pruning, and composting while spending some time in the gorgeous Nature Gardens.
🕒 commitment to weekly shifts required
📍900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007
📞213-763-3466 📩volunteer@nhm.org
Paws LA – Deliver food to homebound and disabled client’s pets.
🕒 flexible hours, visit website for more info
📍2121 S. Flower St., Los Angeles, CA 90007
📞213-741-1950 📩jmeeks@pawsla.org
School on Wheels – Provide tutoring for unhoused youth in Downtown LA
🕒 Volunteers are asked to commit 1 hour/ week for a year, weekdays between 3pm-7pm
📍600 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 9002
📞(805) 641-1678 📩 contact@schoolonwheels.org
Shelter Partnership – sort clothing donations and prepare them for delivery to the unhoused population of LA
🕒 flexible hours, volunteer days are Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon
📍520 S Grand Ave #695, Los Angeles, CA 90071
📞(213) 688-2188 📩office@shelterpartnership.org
St. Francis Center – feed, serve, and walk with the poor as a community of hope in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi
🕒 volunteer opportunities are first come first served, reach out in advance for scheduling
Homeless Breakfast Program: Tuesday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Pantry Program: Wednesday – Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
📍1835 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, CA 90015
📞(213) 747-5347 📩volunteer@sfcla.org
Additional Resources
- Subscribe to our monthly Volunteer Newsletter to get notified about local service events and calls for volunteers.
- Search for more service-based student groups on engageSC
- Visit Campus Activities’ Fall or Spring Involvement Fair at the start of each semester.
- Visit Trojan Homelessness Response for USC-affiliated organizations which work on homelessness in Los Angeles.
- Visit Volunteer Match to find opportunities that fit into your schedule.
