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Downtown Women's Center

HealthLife SkillsSocial Justice & Equality
442 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90011
Phone (213) 680 - 0600
Visit Website Volunteer Page
Our mission

Our mission is to end homelessness for women in greater Los Angeles through housing, wellness, and advocacy.
Opportunities

Teach Unhoused Women Basic Computer & Employment Skills

As an integral part of DWC’s Workforce Development programming, the Learning Center offers a safe space for women seeking employment to search and apply for jobs and to participate in academic and vocational counseling sessions and job readiness workshops.

Volunteers create a supportive, peaceful Learning Center environment by providing one-on-one assistance with computer questions, helping equip participants with the skills necessary to prepare them for school or work, and more. Learning Center volunteers should have some basic comfort using computers and a desire to interact with participants. While not a requirement, this is a particularly good fit for volunteers with previous HR or tutoring/education experience.
  • Recurring
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals
  • Tutoring, Indoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays

Welcome Unhoused Women to Our Day Center

The Day Center is the point of entry for women coming through DWC’s doors: it provides access to three meals a day, clean bathrooms and showers, changes of clothes, an address for individuals to receive mail, case management, and medical services.

Day Center volunteers support our Day Center team by welcoming participants; helping distribute toiletry items; performing administrative tasks; participating in and/or leading enrichment activities; and helping create a safe, welcoming space for the women receiving services in our community.
  • Recurring
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals
  • In Person, Indoor, Outdoor
  • Formal
  • Anytime

Welcome Formerly Unhoused Women Home

Our Permanent Supportive Housing Program provides 119 units of comfortable, safe, and affordable housing without time limits as residents work towards personal stability.

Residence hosts provide a welcoming, supportive atmosphere in the lobby of DWC’s permanent residences, welcoming and checking in with the women, signing for packages, answering the phone and door, and chatting with residents during downtime. This is a great fit if you’re able to work independently and want to work directly with our residents.
  • Recurring
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals
  • In Person, Indoor
  • Formal
  • Anytime

Provide Nutritious Meals to Unhoused Women

DWC’s Kitchen served over 260,000 meals in 2020 alone: our incredible Kitchen team serves three nutritious meals seven days a week and offers an important space for women to connect and to share a meal with each other.

Kitchen volunteers help with meal preparation (e.g. chopping and measuring); help keep the kitchen clean and organized (e.g. wiping counters, organizing the food pantry and cabinets); and serve our delicious meals to participants. Kitchen volunteering is a great fit for volunteers who like working in a team while also interacting with DWC participants.
  • Recurring
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals, Groups (2-10)
  • In Person, Indoor
  • Formal
  • Anytime

Provide Basic Haircuts for Our Unhoused Neighbors

Provide basic cuts for unhoused and formerly unhoused women and gender diverse individuals. We work with your schedule!

Unhoused and formerly unhoused women face many challenges, including lack of access to basic self-care routines that many of us take for granted, like regular haircuts, and the low self-esteem that goes along with it. You can give that 10, 15 minutes of caring attention to a woman who otherwise might not get it by signing up to provide haircuts at DWC.
  • One-time, Recurring
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals, Groups (2-10)
  • Skills-based, Indoor, Outdoor, Project-based
  • On-site, Skilled
  • Anytime

Help Keep the Downtown Women's Center Clean & Safe

Help DWC’s maintenance team keep the center and Permanent Supportive Residence clean and safe by helping with basic maintenance tasks such as power washing walkways, changing lightbulbs, removing debris, etc.
  • Recurring
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals
  • Maintenance, Indoor, Outdoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays

Help Us Sort Donations for Women Experiencing Homelessness

Help us keep our donations area clean and organized!

The sooner we’re able to process and put away in-kind donations such as clothing, food, and home goods, the sooner we can get it out to the folks that need it. If you like to organize, this is a great opportunity for you!

This opportunity is available on weekday mornings and early afternoons.
  • Recurring
  • 55+, Adults
  • In Person
  • Formal
  • Weekdays

Group Volunteer Activities

Groups can volunteer to help through donation sorting; creating snack packs, toiletry kits, and welcome home kits; or in the cooking club.
  • One-time, Occasional, Monthly
  • 55+, Adults
  • Groups (2-10), Groups (10+), Corporate Teams
  • Indoor
  • On-site
  • Weekdays

Individual Volunteer

Individual volunteers can assist as administrative support, day center support, donation sorters, kitchen assistants, learning center assistants, MADE by DWC Store assistants, or as residence hosts.
  • Weekly, Monthly
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals
  • Indoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays, Evenings, Weekends
Stories
Downtown Women's Center - Temporary Volunteer Activity Suspension

Downtown Women's Center - Temporary Volunteer Activity Suspension

Current Volunteer Oppurtunites at DWC

Current Volunteer Oppurtunites at DWC
About us

The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is the only organization in Los Angeles focused exclusively on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless women. Downtown Women’s Center is built on a friendship that grew between a homeless woman named Rosa and an outreach worker named Jill Halverson. This friendship inspired Jill to open DWC and establish a community through which the lives of women like Rosa could be restored. In the 40 years since Jill’s extraordinary act of compassion, we’ve reached thousands of women and transformed countless lives.