At Alexandria House, our volunteers are a treasured part of our community. Together we laugh, cook, eat, play, and work as we help women and children in need.
Over the years, volunteers have taught art classes, provided counseling, driven residents to appointments, created on-site gardens, led writing workshops, took our children to the beach, and so much more. Our Top Chefs gather family and friends to cook weeknight meals for our residents, while energetic organizers assist us in hosting community-focused events. Whether you volunteer once a week, once a month, or once a year, we need your enthusiasm, compassion, and unique talents.
Check out our different volunteer programs below!
Top Chef
Top Chef is a volunteer-led, community-building food program for the women and families in our Transitional Housing Program. We truly believe that enjoying a meal together creates lasting fellowship for our participants and volunteers. We recognize that our participants may have ruptured familial relationships, and we strive to promote a communal environment through the preparation and sharing of meals. Top Chef allows the families in our program to receive support and a “night off” from cooking, to enjoy a stress-free meal with their children. Top Chef also exposes these women and their families to a wide variety of ethnic food cultures and traditions, thereby expanding their worldly perspectives of food and nutrition.
Important Program Details:
- When preparing or ordering a meal for Alexandria House, we ask that you please provide enough food for 30-40 people
- Please provide a vegetarian option, and ask our Volunteer and Resource Coordinator about other dietary restrictions
- If cooking on-site, please arrive early to ensure that the meal is ready to serve at 6:00 PM. If you are having a meal delivered or dropped off, please have it arrive by 5:30 PM to allow time for setup
- Dinner starts at 6:00 PM Monday – Thursday and begins with a community circle for volunteers and participants. Dinner is served immediately afterwards
- Please call us immediately if you are unable to maintain your Top Chef date. Our families rely on these meals. When schedules change, it is imperative that we make an alternate dinner plan as quickly as possible.
- Los Angeles traffic is always unpredictable, and we are located in a densely populated area. If you are running late, please contact the office at (213) 381-2649 with your ETA
- If you would like to volunteer outside of our Monday-Thursday schedule, contact [email protected] for alternate dates
Many Ways to Volunteer:
- Cooking On-Site at Alexandria House: Join us on-site at Alexandria House! Cook with your volunteer group in our beautiful and well-appointed Green House Kitchen. Volunteers are responsible for providing all ingredients and preparing the entire dinner. Stay and enjoy the meal you’ve prepared in fellowship with our participating families!
- Meal Drop-off: Prepare a meal in your home kitchen and deliver it to Alexandria House for our families to enjoy. We hope you will stay for dinner with our families if you are able. Disposable dinnerware and soft drinks are always welcomed.
- Support our SUSLA entrepreneurs: Start Up Sisterhood LA (SUSLA) is a 13-week entrepreneurship program that provides Alexandria House alumni and community with resources and training to create their own small business. We have multiple SUSLA graduates who own catering businesses, and we will happily share our Vendor Directory with you. Support our Top Chef Program by ordering catering from our SUSLA Graduates! For more information, email Jessica Flores-Garcia Director of Job Development and Entrepreneurship.
- Meal Delivery from Local Restaurants: Order for delivery from restaurants in our area! We are located in Koreatown L.A. - surrounded by a wide variety of world-class restaurants. If you choose this option, please order enough food for 30-40 people. Our delivery address is 436 S. Alexandria Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020 . Please include dinnerware, utensils, and soft drinks in your delivery order. Help support local small businesses while providing for our Alexandria House community!
- Donating Funds to Sponsor a Dinner If geography or mobility is an obstacle, please consider sponsoring a dinner by donating funds. By making a donation of $250 (or above) and signing up for a Top Chef date, you’ll allow our team to secure one dinner for our participating families. If this option appeals to you:
- Please email [email protected] and choose a date (Monday-Thursday).
- Next, visit alexandriahouse.org/donate and make a donation of $250 (or above). Please add a note that designates your donation for the “Top Chef”. If mailing a check, please include “Top Chef” in the memo.
- Weekend Lunch: This option offers flexible scheduling outside of the work week. Prepare/Order and Deliver lunch for approximately 30 people. This weekend lunch will support families in our Transitional Housing Program and our weekend Teen Program. Please have lunch ready to serve between 12pm and 2pm
- First Saturday Alumni Breakfast: On the first Saturday of every month, we host a meeting/support group for Alexandria House alumni. These women gather to share their stories, life updates, and to receive wisdom from visiting speakers. Ordering (or preparing) breakfast for this meeting is a great way to support our alumni on their ongoing journeys. A continental or full breakfast for this meeting should feed about 40-45 people, and be ready to serve by 10am
- A note on parking: Our campus at Alexandria House consists of two converted houses - located in the densely populated neighborhood of Koreatown. If you are unable to find street parking, limited parking is available in our two driveways. Please share your contact information with our staff upon arrival. You may be asked to move your car when our employees leave for the day. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation!
Contact Information
- Volunteer Contact: Stephanie Santos, Volunteer and Resource Coordinator (213) 381-2649 ext. 109
- Delivery Address: 436 S. Alexandria Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90020
- For additional questions, please email [email protected]
After School Program
- Our after-school program needs volunteers to help students (grades K-5) with homework, reading activities, and enrichment projects.
- Volunteers should be at least high school age.
Child Care Program
- Volunteers support our child care staff in working with infants and toddlers ages 0-4 doing various activities from reading to outdoor play.
- Experience working with infants and toddlers is highly recommended.
Community Food Pantry
- Distribute fresh produce, ready made meals, and shelf stable grocery items to our neighbors in the Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown neighborhood
**Takes place on the front porch of Alexandria House, so please dress appropriately for weather**
Office Support/Helping Hand
- Work alongside the main office staff at Alexandria House
- Data entry, reception, filing and sorting as the ever growing needs of the organization and community expand
Winter/Summer Camp Program
- Our winter/summer camps need volunteers to help children (ages 5-12) with arts and crafts, field trips, cooking classes, music classes and more.
- Volunteers should be at least high school age.
Other
Opportunities such as needs for drivers or event support may become available throughout the year. Please join our mailing list to stay up-to-date on the latest volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Orientation
We ask that all new volunteers first complete an online orientation. Once you register as a volunteer (right column of this webpage), you will receive more information regarding the orientation. Please feel free to reach out to our volunteer coordinator with any questions ([email protected]).
Covid-19 Policy
We require that all volunteers who will be on-site or have direct interaction with our staff, residents, and other community members be fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. We will ask for proof of vaccination when you arrive on-site to volunteer with us. Please read our Covid-19 On-site Volunteering Protocol.