It's not unusual to have a favorite doughnut shop, or taco stand, or go-to cinema, or beloved children's museum, if you call Southern California home.
And while all of those things, and about 7,000 others, make our region exemplary and frankly fantabulous, it is what we do for each other, on a regular and dedicated basis, that gives LA and its environs its famous "glow."
Sure, the sunsets contribute to that, but when positive vibes are discussed, Southern California is often named as a centerpoint where sunshine (both actual and proverbial) reigns.
And it comes down to this, or mostly: People help people, and help out this place we all call home, either by assisting local school children with homework, or greeting visitors at a pet adoption, or pitching in with food sorting at the LA Regional Food Bank, or planting native flora at a local park.
You don't even need to wait for a special day of the year, or a week-long volunteer event, to start. The Volunteer Opportunity Calendar at L.A. Works is an excellent first stop, and, regardless of your schedule, each and every day of the week, including weekends, shows an event listing.
That means you can find a spot near you, or an area that suits your skills or interests, and commit to at least a few hours of connecting and uplifting other Southern Californians. And/or, of course, bettering a green space, a school, or a community center.
There's no barrier to entry, in short, if you've wanted to volunteer but haven't been sure about how to even begin. Of course, there are hundreds of organizations throughout our area who'd love your time, your talents, and your heartfelt engagement, from Project Angel Food to NKLA to APLA Health to The Midnight Mission.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
The new year is not even a month over, as any nearby calendar will reveal, so there is still time to make a resolution, or return to one you've made before.
But here, of course, is the nifty thing about volunteering: No resolution is needed, no pressure because January is flying, no special anything. Just the desire to reach out and make someone else's life better, and the city we call home even more vibe-ier, and positive, than its already sunshiny reputation.
