Los Angeles offers an abundance of community service opportunities for teenagers. For individuals living in the Pacific Palisades area, Senior Cooper Senior Smiles is a great organization for those who have a passion for visiting seniors. Senior Smiles accepts volunteers of all ages, but requires commitment: volunteers must attend an orientation or training session. Alternatively, if you live near Van Nuys and are dedicated to aiding economically disadvantaged or at-risk children, then Keep Youth Doing Something might be perfect for you. Volunteer qualifications include a minimum age of 16 years, a license, and a contribution of one to two service hours a week. Moreover, individuals who live in South Central can spend time with underprivileged children at A Place Called Home, which seeks to improve their education, artistic abilities, and overall well-being.

Additionally, those who enjoy hands-on work and harvesting food will find Food Forward, an organization located in North Hollywood, to be a rewarding volunteer opportunity. Food Forward’s volunteers cultivate fresh produce that is later donated to hunger relief agencies in the hope of fighting food insecurity. Volunteers younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult.  If volunteers wish to serve the hungry in a more person-to-person manner in Venice, the St. Joseph Center, an organization that allows one to directly work with the poor, can be a fulfilling way to serve. The St. Joseph Center works to provide financially unstable or homeless individuals with the tools they need to become self-sustainable and independent. Volunteers ranging from ages 12 to 18 may participate during the summer months of June, July, and August. Ultimately, there are many ways in which one can serve in the Los Angeles Area. Depending on one’s interests, there is a volunteer opportunity for everyone.