Volunteers are absolutely essential to SPY’s mission. We’re in need of volunteers at our Access Center, A Bridge Home, and other sites in Venice and Inglewood! Shifts are usually Monday-Friday during regular business hours, with a few weekend opportunities as well. To get started, check out our volunteer onboarding requirements here. 

Responsibilities and opportunities include things like:

Sponsor Meals. We’re always looking for supporters able to sponsor and serve a meal at our Access Center in Venice! More info here.

Pick Up and Serve Meals. Alternatively, you can sign-up to deliver meals from our local meal sponsors, or sign-up to set up and serve meals to our youth at our Access Center in Venice. 

Manage our Clothing Closet. Help set up our clothing closet for the day and engage with youth members while helping them style an outfit for the day.

Help Run Workshops with Healing Arts. Volunteers with a passion for arts, yoga, graphic design, and other healing arts may find this volunteering opportunity especially rewarding. 

Lend a Helping Hand at A Bridge Home Venice. Support the clothing closet, donation transport, and more across each of our housing sites. 

And more! There are often done-in-a-day projects and special volunteer opportunities if you’re looking for ways to get involved.

Volunteers looking to build a deeper connection with the young people we serve can consider getting involved with one of the following programs:

Become a Mentor. This is a 3 to 6-month time commitment where mentors build a relationship with the youth and work on their self-identified goals, such as pursuing a GED, finding housing, applying for jobs, or other goals. Contact [email protected] to ask about our application process!

Support our Employment & Education Department. Opportunities include becoming a tutor, hosting resume workshops, conducting interview prep, and more depending on volunteer skills and expertise. Contact [email protected] to learn more. 

Host a SPY Youth Member. Do you have a spare room? SPY’s Host Home program pairs unhoused young people with an open space in a Host’s home. There is a careful matching process and Hosts receive a $500 monthly stipend. Contact Addy Ajijolaiya at [email protected] to learn more about our application and onboarding process.

Sign up to become a volunteer today.

Want to volunteer with a group of friends or as a corporate team-building activity? We’d love to have you! Email us at [email protected] to discuss a group volunteering opportunity and check out some ideas below: 

Volunteer at our Community Garden. We can welcome up to 10 volunteers to our Community Garden at Beyond Baroque in Venice to help with tasks like weeding, mulching, planting, and more. 

Organize Done-In-A-Day Projects. We sometimes need help with tasks like painting at the Access Center, setting up furniture and beautifying housing spaces in Inglewood, and other projects that can be completed in a single day. 

Organize a Donation Drive. Host a donation drive or purchase items we need most, and organize a donation assembly day. We can explore inviting SPY staff to come present at your office or school, and to help deliver donations back to our Access Center in Venice. Our top needs include Welcome Home Kits (ex. Laundry basket with new cleaning supplies, new kitchen essentials, new bathroom essentials), Pregnant & Parenting Kits (ex. Baby wipes, formula, new children’s books), Healing Arts Kits (ex. Blank notebooks, new color pencils, new adult coloring books), and Employment & Education Kits (ex. New daily planner, gift cards to Target, Visa, or Amazon).

Please note that we cannot accept RED items due to gang affiliations in Venice.

We look forward to collaborating with you and helping end youth homelessness in our community together!

For questions, concerns, or more information on volunteering with Safe Place for Youth, email us at [email protected]