Every January, we commemorate the remarkable life and triumphs of Martin Luther King Jr. Join us in embracing the spirit of his legacy through acts of service and community enrichment.

This MLK Day of Service, explore the 35 + vibrant volunteer opportunities listed below. Dive into both in-person and remote experiences offered by social impact organizations in Los Angeles.

Let's make a positive impact together! 🕊️⁠

King Tide Watch | January 12th

The California King Tides Project helps the California Coastal Commission visualize future sea level by observing the highest tides of the day. You can help by taking photos of the shoreline to create a record of changes to our coast.

City of West Hollywood MLK Day of Service | January 13th

Volunteers are needed to help perform various landscaping, clean-up, painting, and other beautifying tasks at the West Hollywood Elementary school.

Reading to Kids - Reading Club | January 13th

Pairs of volunteer readers read aloud to small groups of students from the elementary school in a fun environment. Volunteers must be 18 or older to volunteer with Reading to Kids.

Greening Monrovia High School – January 13

Join Amigos de los Rios to help expand schoolyard green spaces. Volunteers will be working in small groups, getting to work with the soil and native plants. There will be shrub planting, weeding, and putting down mulch. Water, snacks, and tools will be provided.

South Gate Tree Planting | January 13th

Join TreePeople’s community forestry team and help restore the urban forest in South Gate! Planting trees mitigates the impact of climate change for Los Angeles County.

Paramount Tree Planting | January 13th

Help restore the urban forest in Paramount! Planting trees increases shade, rainwater capture, cleanses water draining to the ocean, and more.

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade & Celebration | January 13th

LBC is looking for friendly, eager and enthusiastic volunteers to help support the parade and festival. Volunteers must be 18 years or older and responsibilities include standing at barricades, staffing the information booth, and more!

2024 MLK Day DTLA Community Clean Up | January 13th, 14th

Join the Pasadena-Altadena Community Youth Association to clean up and beautify their historic civic center. Please bring your own broom, gloves, and smiles.

2024 MLK Day Crenshaw Blvd. Community Clean Up | January 13th, 14th

Volunteers will help to beautify Skidrow by sweeping and bagging trash. A short verbal orientation is required, and please dress comfortably.

Food Prep and Meal Service w/ Hollywood Food Coalition | January 13th, 14th, 15th

Hollywood Food Coalition provides healthy and hot meals to 200+ unhoused and food-insecure neighbors each night. Volunteers are needed for its meal prep shift and meal service shift.

Park Work Day | January 13th, 18th

Join TreePeople for Park Work Day! Help keep the park looking great by maintaining the trails, removing invasive plants, and regrading slopes to protect them from erosion.

MLK Park Grocery Distribution | January 13th, 20th

Long Beach Community Table is in need of volunteers to distribute bags of groceries and hygiene products to LBC neighbors.

Greening Santa Fe Middle School – January 14

Join Amigos de los Rios to help provide greater access to nature through green schoolyards. Volunteers will be doing site care, prep and planting to make the outdoor spaces of this school both sustainable and beautiful! Water, snacks, and tools will be provided.

San Francisquito Canyon Chaparral Restoration | January 14th

Join TreePeople and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation at this volunteer opportunity. Expect to get your hands dirty removing invasive weeds and carrying buckets of water to native plantings over uneven terrain.
Oaks Reforestation | January 14th

Assist TreePeople in replanting thinning stands of native oaks. With the help of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation volunteers will plant 1000 trees by the end of fall.

MLK March for Safe Streets | January 15th

Streets Are For Everyone is looking for volunteers to be the face of change, handing out pamphlets and engaging with the crowd at the MLK Day Parade.
L.A. Works MLK Day Volunteer Festival | January 15th

Join L.A. Works in honoring Dr. King on his birthday along with thousands of Angelenos at the Coliseum who are taking action to support our community!

Big Sunday Clothing Drive & Community Breakfast | January 15th

Join Big Sunday at its 12th Annual MLK Day Event! Volunteers will help pack cold-weather clothing kits for nonprofit recipients.

MLK Jr Day Of Service: White Point Nature Preserve | January 15th

Help care for the White Point Native Plant Demonstration Garden by planting native shrubs, removing invasive weeds, watering native plants, grooming trails and more!

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Beach Clean Up | January 15th

In partnership with Algalita, this beach clean-up will help rid waterways of trash. Volunteers will be outdoors, walking and collecting trash, the ability to bend and walk on various terrains is required.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Senior Care Packages | January 15th

Volunteers are needed to help gather and assemble care packages for Long Beach’s senior citizens to be distributed by Heart of Ida. This is a low physical-impact volunteer opportunity, all ages and abilities are welcome.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Tree Planting | January 15th

Volunteers will be working with the Long Beach Office of Climate Action & Sustainability to help plant 15 trees in North Long Beach. This volunteer role requires lifting, bending, and carrying up to 25 lbs.
Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Community Garden | January 15th

Volunteers will be working with the Long Beach Homeless Services Bureau to help create a therapeutic garden for people experiencing homelessness. This volunteer role does require some lifting, bending, and carrying.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Storage Clean Up | January 15th

Volunteers will be tasked with pulling everything out, sorting, organizing, tossing what no longer works, and putting it all back in an easy-to-access and organized manner, on behalf of Long Beach Day Nursery.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Shower Program | January 15th

Volunteers will be responsible for cleaning facilities, including walls, floors, windows, tables, chairs, shelving, shower areas, restrooms, dining room, community room, and washer/dryer areas, on behalf of St. Luke’s Shower Program.
Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Senior Tech Support | January 15th

Volunteers will help seniors learn and embrace basic tech skills, mainly focusing on cell phone features. Instructions and items to prepare care packages will be provided.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Garden Box Build | January 15th

Volunteers will be working with Sowing Seeds of Change, an urban farm that provides agricultural education and vocational Training for young adults with disabilities and transition-age foster youth.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Care Packages | January 15th

Volunteers will help gather and assemble care packages for people experiencing homelessness. All ages and abilities are welcome.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Roundtable | January 15th

Volunteers will be working with Leadership Long Beach and CCEJ for an unconventional service opportunity to: learn about the life of MLK and other civil rights leaders, reflect and share experiences, and create an art reflection piece.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Habitat Restoration | January 15th

Community members will help by planting native species, placing ground cover to help prevent weeds, and pulling invasive and non-native plant species to ensure that the native plants thrive at Willow Springs Park.

Leadership Long Beach MLK Day of Service - Beautification | January 15th

Volunteers will work with the Long Beach Rescue Mission to help assist in the Women and Children’s Shelter exterior, by updating the landscaping. This volunteer role does require some lifting, bending, and carrying.

Kingdom Day Parade | January 15th

Help is needed at the 39th Annual Kingdom Day Parade. Register now to contribute your time to keep this community tradition alive.

MLK Community Justice Day at CSUN | January 17th

The CSUN Institute for Sustainability invites volunteers to participate in its Orange Grove Cleanup. Make sure you fill out the registration form, and bring a water bottle, sunscreen, and closed toed shoes.

Find more volunteer opportunities here:

🌟AmeriCorps

🌟Volunteer Match

🌟Volunteer LA

Did we miss an upcoming volunteer opportunity in Los Angeles? Email us at connect@la2050.org so we can add it to our list!

📸 Photo Credits: Roundhouse Aquarium, Reading to Kids, TreePeople, Hollywood Food Coalition, Long Beach Community Table, Streets Are For Everyone, Big Sunday, Leadership Long Beach, CSUN Facilities