Friends & Neighbors Day Registration Now Open!

Welcome back to another semester at USC – and a very warm welcome to our new Spring Admits!

If you’re interested in getting involved in service work this year, the Volunteer Center has lots of fantastic programs like our monthly Friends & Neighbors Day events and Alternative Breaks, and can connect you to service organizations all over Los Angeles. We’re here to help you make a difference for the causes you’re passionate about!

In addition to our regular Friends & Neighbors Day event, we are also hosting our first ever Volunteer Fair in Alumni Park on Saturday, January 26th from, 1-3pm! Stop by to learn how to get involved in service around campus – meet reps from service-oriented USC student organizations, hear from our nonprofit partners in LA, meet our Alternative Break trip leaders, and learn more about the Volunteer Center Interns!

Interested in tabling at the Volunteer Fair? Email us now at serveon@usc.edu, and let us know how your student org works to serve the community!

To learn more about our programs and to find out how you can get involved, check out our program descriptions below and take a look at our website here!

The Alternative Breaks (AB) program cultivates a unique opportunity for students and staff/faculty advisors to engage in service learning and volunteerism in communities outside of the Los Angeles area. AB trips help participants make tangible connections between what they learn in the classroom and what they will encounter once they have jobs and experiences outside the university. In addition, these trips allow USC to create valuable, long-lasting relationships in the communities in which we work, and expose USC students to new cultures, ideas, and challenges. Alternative Spring Break: Orcas Island has one more spot open! To apply you must be 21 years old or older, have a valid driver’s license, and be willing to drive an SUV during the trip. We will be visiting beautiful Orcas Island, right off the coast of the state of Washington for the week of spring break, March 9th – 16th. While on the island, our service will consist of helping the park rangers with conservation projects on the trails of Moran State Park. In our free time, we will explore the island through hiking, kayaking, and visiting the local school, co-op, and hatcheries, and we will spend our last day in Seattle. The all inclusive cost of ASB Orcas Island is $800, and applications should be sent in ASAP. Click here to learn more! Apply to ASB Orcas Island! FND Leadership Council Leadership Council members are volunteers selected to be Team Leaders on FND service projects, and play a big role in making FND better.  The Leadership Council also gives you valuable experience and leadership training for future positions with the Volunteer Center or other organizations. If you want to play a role in making FND an amazing experience, be sure to keep an eye out for our applications for the 2019-2020 academic year! Volunteer Center Internship Programs Volunteer Center Interns are volunteers selected based on their unique skills and experience to enhance FND by completing specific tasks and projects based on their individual positions. While the Leadership Council focuses more on the day of each FND, Volunteer Center Interns do more of the behind-the-scenes work. Though all positions are filled right now, applications for next year will be released towards the end of the semester! The Volunteer Center Internship Program consists of the following positions: External Relations Intern Internal Relations Intern Graphic Design Intern Marketing/Influence Intern Special Events Intern Looking for places to volunteer around LA? Take a look through these volunteer opportunities from some of our community partners! FOOD DRIVE & ON-GOING WEEKLY COMMITMENT The USC Food Pantry is a collaborative effort involving various campus partners spearheaded by both USC Student Governments (USG & GSG), USC Hospitality, and USC Campus Activities. The day-to-day operations are led by student volunteers and workers under the consultation and guidance of the St. Francis Center. If you are interested in volunteering at the Food Pantry, click here to sign up for a training session and fill out your availability! ON-GOING The Angel City Pit Bulls shelter works to create a better future for pit bulls through education, public advocacy, adoptions, and owner support. They have so many fantastic programs you can get involved in, whether you’d like to work at the shelters, drive dogs to and from foster homes and vet appointments, hike with them at Griffith Park on Saturday mornings, or even host a ‘doggy sleepover’ to give a dog a break from the kennel for a night! If you’re interested in working with Angel City Pit Bulls, check out their website for more information or their volunteer application to get to work! ON-GOING The Westside German Shepherd Rescue located just off USC’s campus works to provide happy and healthy homes for german shepherds around LA. Volunteers with the shelter help with walking, bathing, fostering, or transporting dogs, as well as helping out with adoption events. If you are interested in volunteering with the shelter, email wgsr.volunteer@gmail.com, or check out theirwebsite for more information! Still looking for a place to volunteer? Check out the to see what’s going on around LA and how you can get involved!