Sirens are wailing. Your street, or maybe just your social media feed, resounds with the screams of women being forcibly ripped apart from their families by anonymous, government-sponsored privateers. The news seems to get darker with each day’s soaring sun.
But we’re not powerless. And our commitment to one another and compassion may be the biggest weapon we've got against the fear L.A. is being targeted with.
Most of us have physical bodies and a very particular set of skills that can help organizations on the ground dedicated to helping, protecting, and shielding our neighbors from harm or injustice. Volunteer opportunities are abundant right now for anyone looking to lend a hand.
As a former non-profit worker, I can confirm that most organizations can always use an extra unpaid pair of hands, even if it’s just to do some heavy lifting.
When crises hit, a surge of volunteers often flocks straight to the most well-publicized names, before the passing of time dwindles the energy and attention. Currently, groups dedicated to helping victims of January’s fires are likely in that position and eager to hear from willing volunteers.
When it comes to L.A.’s current situation, where gun-toting men in masks terrorize our citizens, there are many groups and non-profit organizations that are looking for volunteers. While others have more than they can handle right now.
“At the moment I’m maxed out and have a waitlist going,” Damián Diaz, the co-founder of food distribution non-profit No Us Without You, tells L.A. TACO. “I have a pretty good volunteer community that I extend outreach to. But it will be a bit until I can respond to any additional volunteer requests.”
Finding a fit for your skills to help tyrannized immigrants and their communities, be they in translation, tending to a food distribution or clothing table, offering legal advice, provide muscle, planning or producing fundraisers, showing up at protests, buying out vendors, or even fashion design, can be as easy as searching online for “how to volunteer to help immigrants” or “#volunteer” on Instagram. Both yielded multiple local results for us.
To help you connect with an organization or group in need, we’ve found 25 to explore here. The list is by no means exhaustive, but it should serve as a good guide to get you started if you’re looking. And always remember, if you can’t donate your time or skills, these organizations can always use your financial donations.
International Rescue Committee: Dedicated to helping those affected by humanitarian crises, and built from an organization founded by Albert Einstein, IRC is currently seeking L.A. volunteers for a variety of positions, including a financial coaching volunteer to help refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, and sponsors of children; youth mentors for Afghan women; ESL teachers; and employment training volunteers, among other volunteer roles.
Siempre Unidos L.A.: The community outreach group has several programs in L.A., including the Comida Para Todos food and hygiene products program and the Angeles de La Guardia street-vending program. It tells L.A. TACO it is currently in need of volunteers. Here is its volunteer intake form.
Órale Rapid Response: Working to end the criminalization of immigrants and protect and empower the community, Orale is seeking Long Beach and Signal Hill-based volunteers to serve as responders for rapid response networks.
Nourish LA (Nuestros Alimentos): Founded during the pandemic, Nourish partners with farms and businesses to annually turn over 1 million pounds of surplus food that would ordinarily go into environmentally harmful landfills into groceries that feed over 1,000 Angelenos each week. It is currently seeking volunteers in the UCLA area for its Sunday food drives, as well as group volunteers for its drive at St. Mark’s church in Venice. Here is its intake form.
Sacred Not Illegal Fashion Protest: Even production whizzes and fashion designers are called to action. Sacred, Not Illegal is an activation brought to our attention by Creators. Favorite, looking for volunteers who can help with backstage coordination for a “fashion protest” that benefits CHIRLA and CIELO, and brings attention to “BIPOC resistance through fashion, art, and movement.” More details here.
Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project: The social justice organization fights for the rights of vulnerable immigrants, with a focus on those facing deportation from the U.S. Its next information session for potential volunteers is next Wednesday, July 16. Here’s where you can register.
Operation Health Hearts: This SGV-based nonprofit provides food, gifts, hygiene necessities, first aid kits, and other essential care resources to unhoused and vulnerable populations. The organization tells L.A. TACO they currently need volunteers to help pack and sort donations to help with this Thursday’s mutual aid distribution in Whittier. Check out its calendar and if you want to volunteer, start by clocking on the date you’re available.
CIELO: Dedicated to social justice for L.A.’s Indigenous communities, the female-led nonprofit has recently utilized volunteers to help build and distribute thousands of food boxes for Indigenous families affected by the ICE raids, an effort the organization also organized for victims of January’s fires.
P.A.C. Solidarity: The mutual aid organization has been sponsoring weekly food and toy drives in Pacoima’s Humphrey Park. Volunteers have been requested to help assemble and hand out food boxes, and keep those in-line safe. Supply and monetary donations have also been requested.
CHIRLA: One of the leading non-profits fighting for immigrant rights, CHIRLA actively seeks volunteers to help serve as security during protests and marches, canvassing for elections and census, tabling for events, calling and texting for ballot initiative support, and other roles.
Union Del Barrio: Defending immigrants and L.A. communities facing systemic oppression, Union Del Barrio runs on and is financed by its volunteers. You’ll find more information on volunteering at the bottom of this page.
Legal Aid Foundation of L.A.: Are you a legal mind with more interest in helping society than leasing a Porsche? Our hats off to you. Legal Aid Foundation is dedicated to justice for all, and consistently calls for volunteers for its wide range of projects, clinics, and cases, including attorneys, law school graduates and undergraduate students, paralegals, social workers, translators, and community members dedicated to advocacy and legal services.
Border Angels: Known for its work providing life-saving aid to migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, including water drops for those attempting a cross, the 39-year-old organization depends on volunteers and has a webpage for volunteer registration on its website.
L.A. Regional Food Bank: Providing meals for two millions people in need in L.A., L.A. Regional Food Bank calls for volunteers to help with the sorting, boxing, and gleaning of food that comes from 600 partner donors.
Mutual Aid: Mutual Aid’s L.A. Network provides necessities to donation drives, covering everything from healthy produce for the hungry to abolitionist reading workshops and hygiene products for those in need. It requests product and monetary donations, as well as maintaining a calendar of volunteer opportunities for the many projects it helps with, and also needs resource responders to take in or pick-up donations. Here is its volunteer intake form.
Local Hearts Foundation: This group has been feeding families through drives and vendor buyouts, and sometimes helping give money away to those who need it, extending the work they’ve been doing for several years at its regular holiday drives. You can volunteer for its efforts right here.
Immigration Justice Campaign: Offering free legal services to immigrants, IJC seeks “attorneys with any level of immigration law experience–or none at all” as well as interpreters to make phone calls as volunteers. Find the volunteer application here.
Al Otro Lado: While we see this immigrant legal-aid and humanitarian non-profit has put a pause on its call for volunteer interpreters, you can explore its calls for “volunteer attorneys, accredited representatives, paralegals, law students, social workers, interpreters, translators, and other individuals who are passionate about immigrant rights” here on its website.
Seeds of Hope: This self-described “food justice ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of L.A. has stated that it “stands in solidarity” with those affected by the ICE raids, and is known for its work distributing pantry and fresh produce donations and providing 40 monthly healthy food markets, as well as building gardens where they’re most needed. You can find the volunteer code of conduct rules and application here.
Sisters of Watts: This Watts-based nonprofit is providing free lunches to kids throughout the summer and is currently organizing a back-to-school drive to provide supplies to children. Explore volunteer opportunities right here.
Amor al Valle: This San Fernando Valley-based mutual aid organization has recently organized vendor buyout fundraisers and grocery distribution events. Reach out directly if you’d like to explore volunteer opportunities to help assemble and deliver groceries or get involved.
East Los Angeles YMCA: A spokesperson tells L.A. TACO this people-driven organization has "been on the frontline. We have confidentiality delivered 2000 groceries & essentials in the last 30 days." It welcomes volunteers for food distribution Monday and Wednesday afternoons, as well as for packing donations for deliveries.
Good Neighbors United: Good Neighbors United is a community group organizing peaceful protests, vendor buyouts, fundraisers, safe spaces, and workshops in Hawthorne, in addition to working with other like-minded groups in the South Bay. It’s got a buyout planned tomorrow afternoon in Hawthorne.
Pomona Economic Opportunity Center: The center has run a day laborers’ site for years and are currently making discreet food deliveries to families in need due to arrests, detentions, and deportations. Explore volunteer opportunities here.
Gente Organizada: This social action group of community organizers, founded by a group of immigrant mothers, works in the Pomona area, for economic justice, social change, and parent and youth organizing. You can look into volunteer opportunities with Gente Organizada right here.
