Volunteer

Join Our Community of Volunteers

At Ascencia, our volunteers help us with an assortment of projects, from providing our clients with nutritious and delicious meals to administrative and organizational support. We offer a variety of opportunities, both on-site and from home, so you can help however you feel comfortable. We are so grateful to our volunteers for their dedication and service to Ascencia.

APPLY TO VOLUNTEER NOW

Guest Chef Program

Volunteer at Home

Host a Donation Drive

Corporate Partnerships

On-Site Opportunities

Seasonal Opportunities

Non Profit Partnerships

Volunteer Application

 

“To all Ascencia volunteers, thank you for your dedication to the cause and for the blessings you bring to our clients.”

– Joseph Santagelo, Case Manager

Be a Guest Chef Volunteer

Every morning and evening, volunteers prepare and serve hot meals for homeless families and adults in our Emergency Housing program. These “Guest Chefs” give their time and energy, generously donating food and a great deal of compassion with each plate.

Feed our Residents

The Guest Chefs will plan the menu, purchase and prepare the ingredients, then cook and serve the meal to our shelter residents.

Due to safety protocols following the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve also have many Guest Chefs cook their meals and home and drop them off at the shelter, or even picked up food from local restaurants!

Volunteers in our Guest Chef Program commit to preparing meals for approximately 45 shelter residents on a daily basis.

Our Guest Chefs maintain a sanitary kitchen environment, complying with health regulations in the handling of food, including washing of hands and wearing gloves before preparing and serving food.

Guest Chef Teams

Volunteers typically create a Guest Chef team comprised of fellow members of a congregation, service organization, co-workers, family members, friends, etc.

We do not require a recurring commitment from our Guest Chef teams. Guest Chefs may volunteer for multiple meals per month or one meal occasionally. However, we notice that some level of consistency helps the Guest Chef teams mobilize their volunteers more effectively.

We Need You

We need Guest Chef Volunteers now more than ever because of the impact COVID-19 has had on our organization. As we reopen our facilities for on-site volunteering, we are providing our Guest Chef Teams with the option to cook and serve meals on site or continue drop-off service by buying or preparing meals at home.

Help us make sure no one in our shelter has to worry about where their next meal is coming from. If you are interested in signing up, please be sure to review our safety protocols for on-site volunteering and visit our Sign Up Genius.

To schedule recurring dates and times please email, volunteer@ascenciaca.org.

Sign Up to be a Guest Chef

Volunteer at Home Program

Our Volunteer from Home Program was created in response to COVID-19 as a way to keep our volunteers engaged and connected to Ascencia.

Click below or email volunteer@ascenciaca.org for more information on the variety of virtual opportunities  listed below.

Volunteer from Home

Hygiene Kit Project

We are asking volunteers to purchase travel sized hygiene materials and assemble them into gallon sized Ziploc bags. Get a virtual group together to make hygiene kits for our clients and for our Outreach Team to distribute to individuals on the street. Hygiene kits include various travel sized toiletries including: shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body wash, toothpaste and toothbrushes (can be full sized), combs etc. Please label bags male or female.

Brown Bag Lunch Program

We are asking for volunteers to make brown bag lunches for clients in the shelter and individuals on the streets. Our Outreach Team goes out every day and will take brown bag lunches to those in need. Lunches can include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, chips, water, etc.

GoFundMe Project

Raise funds for us by creating your own GoFundMe page. Share and promote your page to your friends and family through social media!

Data Entry Project

Support the Development Team by providing administrative and data entry support. Requires long-term commitment of at least six months. All training materials and instruction will be provided.

Volunteering On A Budget!

  • Fundraise $100-$120 to cook and serve breakfast to our shelter residents
  • Make PB&J sandwiches for our outreach teams and shelter residents. Purchase 5 loaves of bread and a peanut butter and jelly jar and create bagged sandwiches for our clients. (Estimated cost: $30.00 for 50 sandwiches, including Ziploc baggies.)

Socia Media Ambassador

Like, comment, share, and subscribe to increase our engagement and grow our community!

Maintenance and handiwork

We are always looking for folks to help with light maintenance and handiwork at our  access center or at the homes of our housed clients. Whether it’s a physically impaired client who needs help assembling furniture, or a paint job touch up, your help would be incredible. Please email volunteer@ascenciaca.org and let us know if you would be able to help with these tasks.

Birthday Donation

Host an online fundraiser for your birthday! Facebook and Instagram fundraisers are very easy to set up and 100% of funds raised go towards our programs and services.

Your Idea

If you have a volunteer idea that isn’t listed above, please let us know! We would love to hear your ideas for how you can serve Ascencia. Please email volunteer@ascenciaca.org and include “volunteer idea” in the subject line.

Host a Donation Drive

Grab your friends, classmates or co-workers and host a donation drive! Click below or contact volunteer@ascenciaca.org to get started.

Host a Donation Drive

Clothing and Undergarment Drive

We are running low on new clothing to give our clients once they enter our shelter. Often when new clients arrive, the only clothes they own are what they are wearing. We’d love to welcome our clients with a fresh new set of clothes to wear while they wash their clothes and to make them feel more comfortable. Currently, we have high need for underwear. New items only please.

Hygiene Item Drive

An integral part of Ascencia’s mission is our Outreach! While our Outreach Case Managers are out on the ground helping our unhoused neighbors, we like to provide them with some hygiene kits to pass out. Help us by doing a drive with your community to gather some hygiene essentials for our clients. New and toiletry sized items only please.

Welcome Home Drive

Welcome our clients as they move into their new homes by providing them with a home starter kit.

Supplies for home starter kits can include plates, utensils, cups (dining); toilet paper, bathroom cleaning supplies, soap, shampoo, conditioner, towels (bathroom); laundry detergent, laundry basket, fabric softener (laundry); pots and pans, dishwashing soap, sponges, cooking utensils (kitchen).

Blanket Drive

As the winter approaches, blankets become an essential item to give to our clients and for our Outreach Team to pass out to individuals living on the street. You can collect bed sheets, throws, quilts, tie blankets etc. New items only please.

Corporate Partnerships

Volunteerism within a business or organization brings colleagues together. Research even shows that when employees come together to help others, they help themselves by developing strong work relationships.

We have worked with many different organizations in the Glendale area, from Disney to local restaurants. Corporate projects have included Holiday Adopt-a-Family, Takeda Cares Week, Xos Community Action Program, Corporate Volunteer/Giving days, etc.

If your company is interested in participating in group volunteer sessions or having a staff member come to your organization to speak about Ascencia, please contact volunteer@ascenciaca.org.

On-Site Opportunities

We have resumed on-site volunteering! However, our options are still limited in an attempt to keep our supporters, clients, and staff as safe as possible.

We do have opportunities available to youth ages 14-18 who wish to volunteer on-site, but please fill out the Minor Release Form  and send to volunteer@ascenciaca.org before you sign up.

Minor Release Form
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
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Hygiene Kit Assembly Volunteer

Help us make some hygiene kits for our Outreach Case Managers to hand out while out in the field!

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Be a Guest Chef

Come cook breakfast, lunch, or dinner for our 45 emergency shelter residents.

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Donation Closet Organization

Help organize the kitchen pantry and donation closets.

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Administrative Support

Work in our admin office to complete tasks such as data entry, filing, writing thank you cards, and more.

Seasonal and One-Time  Volunteer Opportunities

 

Check out our list of seasonal volunteer opportunities. Check back here frequently as this list is updated as needs arise. 

If you’d like to volunteer with us or have any other ideas for how you can dedicate your time to supporting our mission, let us know!

Just email volunteer@ascenciaca.org.

 

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Adopt-A-Family

Make the Holidays Brighter for a Family in Need

Sign up to bring some holiday cheer to our clients this season. Client names are kept anonymous, but you can see how many individuals (adults and children) are in each household as well as a short story about them.

Once you sign up, you will get a confirmation email within one business day. This email will include a wish list (items will range from $20-$50) for each household and instructions so you can get started with your shopping right away!

Please check back later for more information!

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Event Support

Ascencia hosts multiple events throughout the year and can always use volunteer assistance with registration, set-up, and break-down. If you are interested in supporting us with an event, please fill out the volunteer form and select the “Events” check box. Staff will reach out to you about Ascencia’s upcoming events.

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Holiday Cards

Being alone during any time of the year is hard. But being alone during the Holidays is especially hard. Help us bring cheer to our clients this year by making holiday cards.

 Want to personalize your holiday cards? Please email volunteer@ascenciaca.org.

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Bake Holiday Treats

Want to bake a difference this season? Bake sweet treats for 45 men, women, and children in our Emergency Shelter. Email volunteer@ascenciaca.org for details and to schedule a drop off time.

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Make Holiday Decorations for our Emergency Shelter

Make Holiday Decorations for our Emergency Shelter

Help us bring holiday cheer to our Emergency Shelter this year by making DIY decorations. Here’s some ideas to get you started!

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Gingerbread house Zoom Party

Host a Gingerbread house making party over Zoom for our clients. Donate gingerbread house making kits and set up a Zoom date to make the gingerbread houses with our clients. Email volunteer@ascenciaca.org.

Non Profit Partnerships

Ascencia works with amazing non-profit partners that help us grow in many ways. Our partners contribute volunteers, in kind support and more to help build stronger communities. Click here to see a list of our current partners.

If you are interested in collaborating with Ascencia please contact  volunteer@ascenciaca.org or call (818) 246-7900 Ext 113.

 

General Volunteer Info

If you are interested in volunteering with Ascencia please contact volunteer@ascenciaca.org or fill out the application below.