L.A. Works makes it easy to volunteer in Los Angeles. This month we have over 60 projects working with kids, seniors, animals, the environment and more. To see our monthly calendar of projects, click here.

L.A. Works has partnered with Cars for Causes so that you can support L.A. Works by donating your old car, while you get a substantial tax-deduction for your generous contribution.

To arrange for your car to be picked up, and proceeds from its sale to benefit L.A. Works, just:

1) Call 1-800-766-CARE or visit their website at cars4causes.net

2) Specify L.A. Works as the cause you wish to support.

We greatly appreciate your support!

Holidays bring out the best
in Volunteer spirit

We know many of you like to include service in your holiday season plans so we're sending out this special edition of the newsletter to let you know about some special programs L.A. Works is offering in addition to our usual calendar of service opportunities:

Roast a Turkey for the Hungry

One Incredible Family provides services which benefit the homeless, people with HIV/AIDS or whose lives have been impacted by them, at-risk youth, the elderly and the environment.  This Thanksgiving weekend, OIF will be preparing and delivering 1,450+ "heart-full" thanksgiving meals to 12 shelters for our homeless family members. They are looking for people who can donate a COOKED turkey.  Please see requirements below.  Please email Natalie at natalie@laworks.com or call 323-224-6510.

Bird Cooking Parameters

1. Be at least 18 # in weight.
2. DO NOT STUFF the birds.  The only thing that we do is throw some carrots, onion, and celery inside the cavity but no "traditional" stuffing, if you will.
3. Be COOKED prior to Saturday (unless they intend to cook such at 5:00 am Saturday morning !!)
4. Must be delivered, COOKED, to O. I. F. Headquarters in Culver City (5329 Kalein Dr.) on Friday, 11-26  no later than 8:00 pm,  OR delivered to the Westchester Masonic Lodge, 7726 West Manchester Ave., Playa del Rey, on the Day of the event, Saturday, 11-27-04, NO LATER THAN 10:30 am.
5. If someone simply wants to purchase / donate the bird, but does not wish to cook such, if they can deliver the bird to O. I. F. Headquarters in Culver City, we can arrange for the cooking part of it.   If delivering UNCOOKED birds, please do so NO LATER THAN 12:00 Noon on Friday to Culver City. It will help them out tremendously in their mission however if you can deliver them a cooked bird.

Gift Drive for the Kids at Plaza de la Raza

Plaza de la Raza is a cultural and arts education center in East L.A.  For many of the kids who attend Plaza's after school educational programs, the gift they get from the Plaza's gift drive is the only one they will get all season.  So we are asking for your help:

We need gifts for boys and girls ages 2-18.  The only restrictions are no military, police or weapon toys.  Otherwise any unwrapped clothes, toys, games, or school supplies are welcomed. 

Our friends at Irwin Natural Products have adopted Plaza as their office gift drive, so maybe you can organize your office to do the same thing. 

Our goal is to raise 300 gifts.  Let's make this a happy holiday season for the Plaza kids.

Here's the L.A. Works address to send or drop-off your gift:

L.A. Works
570 W. Avenue 26, #400
Los Angeles, CA 90065

Click here to view a mapquest map to our location.

All gifts must be new (not used or hand-me-down) unwrapped, and received at the L.A. Works office by mail, parcel post, or delivery by noon on Friday Dec. 10.

Help L.A. Works Buy a New Truck

Many of you are intimately familiar with L.A. Works' trusty work horse affectionately known as Old Blue.  After over 250,000 miles, thousands of gallons of paint transported to hundreds of service projects, and untold trips to various fast food joints to feed thousands of hungry volunteers, we're sad to say it's time for Old Blue to retire.

Our goal is to raise $35,000 to buy a new truck.  If only 1000 of our registered volunteers like you donate $35 each, it should be easy. 

Please give.  L.A. Works really really needs a new truck. To donate, either mail a check made out to L.A. Works to:

L.A. Works
570 W. Avenue 26, #400
Los Angeles, CA 90065

Or visit our website at www.laworks.com and click on the Donations button on the left menu to make a secure online donation via credit card.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

The following opportunities are not L.A. Works managed projects, but are agencies in need of holiday donations and volunteer support.

AIDS Project Los Angeles is looking for more help during the busy holiday season.  If you think you might have time to help them organize and pack grocery bags for people affect by HIV or AIDS, please call Shanti Yecke at 213-201-1433.  

Casa de Rosa - Donations of turkey, seafood, and fruit are requested. Volunteers are needed for cooking and serving on Thanksgiving Day. Located near USC. Contact: Florence En (323) 422-0441.

Food Finders, Inc. - On November 22nd, Food Finders, Inc. will have its annual "Thanksgiving Store Give-Away". Volunteers are needed to pickup and deliver food. Pickup is at Food Finders, Inc. in Los Alamitos and deliveries are in North Orange County, Long Beach and South Bay area to agencies that will have a Thanksgiving dinners. Contact: Susan Beckley (562)598-3003.

Food on Foot - Volunteers needed for Food on Foot's BIG Thanksgiving Day dinner. November 27th, 2:30 - 4:30. Location: Hollywood. Volunteers are also asked to bring two $5 food certificates to the feeding as they will be given to homeless and poor as a reward for picking up two bags of trash from the streets of Hollywood on Thanksgiving morning. If you are able to volunteer please send an email to: info@foodonfoot.org. On-Going volunteer needs: Every week, volunteers are needed to deliver food for one hour. Any Saturday or Sunday in Hollywood or Venice. Contact: (310)442-0088 or email info@foodonfoot.org.

Fred Jordon Missions - Volunteers are needed to serve meals. Two shifts available; morning (8am - Noon) and afternoon (Noon to 4pm). Location: Downtown Los Angeles. Contact: Chastity Crowley (626) 915-1981.

Pomona Inland Valley Council of Churches - Volunteers are needed to deliver food baskets to families in need on November 24th, 25th and 26th. Volunteers are also needed to serve Thanksgiving dinner at the Beta Center in Pomona. Finally, volunteers are needed to install carpeting and other handy work at a homeless shelter in Pomona before Thanksgiving. Contact: Rochelle Williams (626)622-3806 ext. 228 (from 12 - 5pm)

The Kenny Nickelson Memorial Foundation for Homeless Veterans & Children - Volunteers needed to organize personal care items - fold and organize clothing, hygiene supplies, food, toys, games, etc. in preparation for "Personal Care Day".

Date: November 22. Time: 11am - 3pm. Location: 27646 South John Montgomery Drive, San Pedro Contact: Doris Nickelson (310)221-0815

Volunteers need for "Personal Care Day" - set up and distribute food, clothing, shoes, linens, hygiene kits, toys, gifts, military surplus clothing, blankets, and serve meals to L.A.'s homeless community.

Date: Saturday, December 13th. Time: 8:30am - Noon. Location: 733 Hindry Avenue, Inglewood. Contact: Doris Nickelson (310)221-0815

Ocean Park Community Center
Volunteers needed for OPCC's Daybreak program for mentally ill homeless women. They need 4 women (18 years or older) - two in the morning of Thanksgiving from 8:30 to noon and two the day after to be an extra pair of hands at the Day Center, and they need two women on the late afternoon early evening at the shelter. Contact: Judy Gordon, (310)264-6646 ext 236. Location: Santa Monica.

LAMP, Inc. - Volunteers needed on Thanksgiving Day for three dinner seatings at 11:00am, Noon, and 1:00pm. Volunteers are needed between the hours of 10:45 - 3:00pm to serve dinner and help clean-up. Contact: Michelle Yu, (213)346-0505 ext. 31. Location: 527 South Crocker Street, Downtown Los Angeles, 90013

Downtown Women's Center - Volunteers needed for Thanksgiving Dinner on November 27. Two shifts available. Shift 1: 8:30 - 10:30. Volunteers may sign up to bring bagels, pastries, juice, coffee and/or homemade appetizers to circulate and serve. Also need volunteers to set up and decorate, prepare food, holiday crafts, clean-up, spread cheer and chat with guests. Shift 2: Volunteers may sign up to bring desserts. Also need volunteers set up plates, serve plates, table hosts, clean-up, holiday crafts, spread cheer and chat with guests.

Location: 325 South Los Angeles Street, Downtown. Contact: Anisa Mendizabal (213)680-0600 or email: anisam@dwcweb.org (Sorry, this opportunity is now filled and no longer needs volunteers, please do not call or email).

YMCA Hollywood - Volunteers needed for Turkey Triathlon to help time and manage the event. Date: November 16th. Time: 11:00am. Location: 1553 North Schrader, Hollywood, 90028 Contact: Ricardo Espinoza (323)467-4161x7537.

LA Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness - Volunteers needed for sign-in/registration, help with stage set-up, and other jobs in preparation for two public forums to discuss homelessness. Dates: Wednesday, November 19th, Downtown and Thursday, November 20th, Van Nuys. Please call Jose Quinonez for more information at (213)683-3345.

Midnight Mission - Volunteers needed for Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Dinner will be served to approximately 1,500-2,000 people. Preparation begins at 7:00am and ends approximately 2:30pm. Volunteers also needed the weekend before Thanksgiving to do prep work for dinner. Location: Downtown Los Angeles. Please contact Orlando Ward at (213)624-1026 to schedule your participation, or email: oward@midnightmission.org.