Join the MiraCosta College Community and Discover the Power of Service!
"Let's come together to create a wave or generosity, citizen engagement, action from business and philanthropy, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world." - GivingTuesday Website
Download a digital volunteer booklet to record your hours of service. Students are encouraged to submit their volunteer hours to servicelearning@miracosta.edu so they can be entered into the service database. By entering their hours into the volunteer database, students can be provided with a Service History Report that can be used for applying to scholarships, transfer applications, etc. To request a Service History Report, email servicelearning@miracosta.edu and include your name and SURF ID.
STREAMs of Fun & Learning, In the CommUNITY Project
The Service Learning & Volunteer Center is partnering with the Oceanside Public Library and the City of Oceanside Parks and Recreation Community Centers: Balderrama Community Center, John Landes Community Center, Libby Lake Park, Crown Heights Community Resource Center, and the Civic Center Library on Coast Highway.
We’re calling this project STREAMs of Fun and Learning in the CommUNITY. This project runs from Monday, October 3-Friday, December 2, 2022.
Our Service Learning Student Advocates are each assigned to one of these sites and will lead child/youth friendly activities to engage parents and kids. These activities will include hands-on STEM, Art, Culture, and Literacy activities to promote next year’s annual STREAM Festival. We will also be sharing MiraCosta community college resources by connecting folks with our outreach team.
MiraCosta students can earn service learning or volunteer hours by creating a youth friendly project that aligns with our themes, or they can assist us with one of our STREAM projects.
Sign-up to volunteer for this project
One-Time Volunteer Opportunities
Be Creative Zone needs volunteers for a Beach Cleanup & Beach Find Treasure Hunting at Moonlight this Saturday Nov 19th. Details and to RSVP here https://www.meetup.com/bemuseme-creatives/events/289435296/. For more information, contact Kristi Stone at kristi@becreative.zone or 760-633-3012.
Border Angels is welcoming volunteers to help give thanks to our laborers. Come join us for a day of giving back! Be sweet and stay cozy by distributing coffee, sweets, and resources! We will meet up on 11/23/2022 at 9 AM at the Sherman Heights Community Center at 2258 Island Ave San Diego, CA 92102, and have a chance to meet and talk with the other volunteers. We will go over procedures and protocols in the morning before heading out to the event. From the Sherman Heights Center, we will all drive to the Home Depot location, which I will share with you the day before the event! The location will be close to the center, so you won't have to drive too far. At Home Depot we will set up a table with all the goods we bring in and distribute our supplies to the laborers. After distributing the coffee and sweets we will have a chance to engage with the day laborers and see if there is anything we can help them with or simply hear them out. We also have red ""Know Your Rights Cards"" that we distribute and use as a way to converse with the laborers. We plan to hold the event for 2 hours so we should be done around 11:30 AM and after that you would be free to head out. For this Day Laborer Outreach event, we will need your help with pan dulce (Sweet Bread), donuts, or a to-go coffee box (like the ones from Starbucks) to serve our laborers and give thanks for the work that they do! Transportation or carpooling is required! If you would like to know any more details about the event or would like to donate supplies, please contact Samantha Garcia at 619-734-5424 or samantha@borderangels.org. Visit our website at www.borderangels.org.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovations needs volunteers on Tuesday November 29 from 9am-11am. Support Solana Center programs from the ground up at our home base! In joining us for this activity, you will help beautify our grounds, creating a space for engaging our community in our sustainable offerings. Activities vary each month and may include some of the following: painting, gardening and pruning, staging rain barrels, maintaining our demonstration sites, chipping and moving mulch, beautifying our grounds, & preparing and implementing site improvements and new programs. Attire: Wear clothes to get dirty in! Gloves will be provided but feel free to bring your own. Bring: Reusable water bottle, sun protection. Mask for when working in close proximity. Experience Needed: All levels of experience welcome! Age Requirements: Must be aged 14 and up. All volunteers under the age of 18 will need to volunteer with a parent or guardian. Physical Requirements: Must be willing to do hands-on work and able to lift up to 30 pounds. Location: 137 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024. For more information contact Jessi Goralski at volunteer@solanacenter.org or (760) 436-7986 ex. 707. Visit our website at https://solanacenter.org/.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovations needs volunteers on Tuesday, December 6 from 9am-2pm. Have you ever wondered just what happens to your trash when you throw it in the garbage? Join Solana Center for our Waste Audit at the Manzanita Reservation and find out! We need volunteer support as we sort, weigh, and tabulate garbage/waste at the Manzanita Reservation so we can put the cap on our waste stream and contribute to a world that “closes the loop” in our resource management system. The waste audit is a great opportunity for those interested in individual and community habits around waste so that we can identify problems at the source and propose practical solutions going forward to help us take care of our planet! We will be getting dirty and working with garbage! Protective gear is provided, but please wear clothes-toed shoes and clothes to move around in. Must be able to lift up to 20 lbs. and stand/move for extended periods of time. Carpooling from Solana Center in Encinitas is available on a first come first serve basis. Please reach out to volunteer@solanacenter.org to inquire about ride-sharing options for this event. For more information contact Jessi Goralski at volunteer@solanacenter.org or (760) 436-7986 ex. 707. Visit our website at https://solanacenter.org/.
The Move Your Feet Before You Eat Foundation is looking for volunteers for the17th Annual O'side Turkey Trot & Expo will take place on November 23 & 24, 2022! We need over 600 volunteers, and we would love to have you join us! We have positions available for handing out t-shirts, bibs, water stations, parking and so much more. Take a minute to save the date or even volunteer now! For more information and to sign-up, contact Jodi Hoose at volunteer@osideturkeytrot.com or 760.278.1167. Check out the website at https://osideturkeytrot.com/volunteer/.
MiraCosta English Language Institute is looking for college students to interact one-on-one with international students. College students must be willing to carry conversations in English and encourage international students to practice their English. This is a perfect service learning opportunity for students wanting to learn about other cultures and needing placements on campus. We prefer volunteers who can assist on a consistent basis. Hours of service will be between 10:30am-12:30pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm on Monday-Thursday and 9:00am-1:00pm on Friday. For any questions and to sign-up to volunteer, please contact Zakia Farouq at zfarouq@miracosta.edu or 760.622.8770.
O'side Turkey Trot - It’s people like you who help make the 17th Annual O'side Turkey Trot an engaging community event! It’s fun for the entire family and we can use helpers from all age ranges (14 - 80+). Positions are available on the following days: Wednesday, November 23; and Thursday, November 24. Duties range from registration, handing out t-shirts, water stations, course monitors and more! Volunteers will be given an official Turkey Trot T-shirt and volunteer hours and snacks. Groups are welcomed and encouraged. It is the best way to start your Thanksgiving off! Helping others "Move Your Feet Before They Eat"! Register to volunteer at https://osideturkeytrot.com/volunteer/. For more information, contact Lisa Scolman at volunteer@osideturkeytrot.com or 760.434.5255.
On-going Volunteer Opportunities
Botanical Community Development Initiatives at Community Roots Farm is looking for volunteers! First Sunday of the month from 11am-2pm: Projects will vary but may include planting, seeding, weeding, mulching, up-potting, compost turning, chicken care, painting signs, organizing, etc. Volunteers must wear closed toed shoes and are encouraged to bring water and gardening gloves. Location is 4510 North River Road, Oceanside, CA 92057: behind Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. For more information, contact Tammy Bowser at tammy@plantspeoplecommunity.org or 760.575.4898.
Botanical Community Development Initiatives at Community Roots Farm is looking for volunteers! Every Sunday from 11am-2pm: Volunteers will work on various compost related projects: building and turning, piles, chopping materials for piles, collecting materials at the farm for future composting. Opportunities for learning about soil microbiology and how it relates to composting and growing plants are also available. Participants are encouraged to bring organic scraps from home for composting. Volunteers must wear closed toed shoes and are encouraged to bring water and gardening gloves. Location is 4510 North River Road, Oceanside, CA 92057: behind Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. For more information, contact Tammy Bowser at tammy@plantspeoplecommunity.org or 760.575.4898.
Botanical Community Development Initiatives at Community Roots Farm is looking for volunteers! Tuesdays from 5pm-7pm: Be a farmer for the evening! Harvest, wash, and pack vegetables for goodtime summer fun. The produce harvested is delivered weekly to five, Growing Minds Preschools and goes into our Farm Share boxes which help to support the operations of the farm. Volunteers must wear closed toed shoes and are encouraged to bring water and gardening gloves. Location is 4510 North River Road, Oceanside, CA 92057: behind Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. For more information, contact Tammy Bowser at tammy@plantspeoplecommunity.org or 760.575.4898.
Botanical Community Development Initiatives at Community Roots Farm is looking for volunteers! Wednesdays from 10am-12pm: Work in the plant nursery up-potting seedlings which helps support our Plants for Justice Program and plant sale. Volunteers must wear closed toed shoes and are encouraged to bring water and gardening gloves. Location is 4510 North River Road, Oceanside, CA 92057: behind Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. For more information, contact Tammy Bowser at tammy@plantspeoplecommunity.org or 760.575.4898.
Brother Benno's Foundation welcomes students to volunteer with their thrift shop located at 3955 Mission Avenue in Oceanside. Volunteers are needed to assist with multiple projects at the shop, including sorting donations, receiving donations, assisting customers, and cashiering. They also need assistance gathering donations and conducting fundraisers for necessary items. Please contact servicelearning@miracosta.edu for support on conducting a fundraiser or contact Helen Pasons at helenparsons75@outlook.com to learn about other ways you can support Brother Benno's.
Children’s Paradise has 6 locations for volunteer opportunities: Escondido, Escondido (Ash), Oceanside, Vale Terrace (Vista), Bobier (Vista), Melrose (Vista). Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 6am-6pm. All volunteers will support the classroom environment by assisting the Lead Teachers in activity implementation. Attire is casual wear and strap behind the heel (no flip flops). For questions, contact Jasmine Reaves at jreaves@childrensparadise.com or 760-407-8500 ext. 210. Visit our website for more information https://childrensparadise.com/.
Community HousingWorks is offering virtual volunteer opportunities (shifts are generally Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). Volunteers are needed between the hours of 3 pm-6 pm, with the average session lasting 1 hour. Study Stars is an Expanded Learning Program, serving Community HousingWorks resident youth in K-5th grade. Study Stars focuses on working collaboratively with adult volunteers, resident teen leaders, and community partners in providing academic support, community building, enrichment opportunities, and building school connections for our young residents. Within the Study Stars program, volunteers lead virtual activities like reading/games, storytelling, homework tutoring, and community-building activities. Volunteers can work one-on-one or with small groups of students to ensure the kids remain on task and prioritize effectively. Volunteers also have resources at hand to help youth look up information and problem solve various difficulties. This opportunity is 100% virtual. The following information is required in order to begin volunteering at CHW: Complete Volunteer Application online, Background Check & Sign Volunteer Forms, and the cost to get the basic live scan is $17-$25 (but once it is cleared, CHW will reimburse the cost you are able to submit for reimbursement once you begin your service). Connect with staff and schedule Virtual Training! To learn more email volunteer@chworks.org and to sign-up, go to https://chworks.org/volunteer
Destiny Hospice and Palliative Care is seeking Hospice Volunteers who are compassionate, caring people from all walks of life and ages who want to make a difference in the lives of terminally ill people and their families. It may be as simple as listening to their life stories, watching T.V. with them, reading to them, or possibly running errands for them. Your visit may give the patient’s caregiver time to get away for a few hours of shopping or personal time. Volunteers do NO hands-on patient care. You will receive training prior to being assigned to patients, and we will work around your schedule for your training, making it easy to accomplish. We have patients throughout the San Diego area. You would choose the areas you are comfortable driving to, and Destiny hospice will reimburse you for your mileage. Please call Susan Havsgaard for more information at 877.503.8415. See the volunteer flyer.
EcoLIFE Conservation is looking for volunteers to help plant and harvest produce for people in need at their solar powered ECO-Ranch every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30am-12:30pm. For more information, contact Chris Goering at cgoering@ecolifeconservation.org.
Fallbrook Food Pantry welcomes volunteers on Monday - Fridays from 8:30-12:30pm & 10:00-1:00pm, and Saturdays from 9:00-12:00pm to help sort and distribute. The last Wednesday of each month, FFP offers a special off-site produce distribution in the community. Volunteers are needed to assist at the distribution from 8:00-10:00am & 10:30-12:30pm at the pantry. FFP also needs volunteers during Senior Distribution days, the first is held the Wednesday of the third full week each month from 1:00-3:00pm and the fourth Monday of each month from 1:00-2:00pm. For more information, contact Jennifer Vetch at info@fallbrookfoodpantry.org or call 760.728.7608.
Helen Woodward Animal Center has a variety of volunteer opportunities at their center. Volunteers are asked to attend the November 19th orientation from 9am-11:30am. For more information and to sign-up, contact Mark Maxwell at MarkM@animalcenter.org or 858.756.4117. Volunteers can also visit their website at https://animalcenter.org/
Lived Experiences is seeking on-site volunteers each Monday of the month from 8am-10am/4pm-7pm to help. We need help picking fruit to helping us unload and distribute food. For more information, contact Oscar Ortega at oscarin@livedexperiences.org or 619.368.3790.
UURISE is seeking volunteers to assist with Office Admin Support, which includes filing, copying & scanning documents, and organizing physical files and creating ESPI binders. This is an in-person/on-site opportunity. We do not require a background check, but volunteers must complete the volunteer application and orientation. This is an excellent opportunity for students interested in Social Work, Pre-Law, Political Science, Human Development, and/or anyone who has a passion for Immigration Justice. To learn more, contact Gladys Guzman Guizar at gladys@uurise.org or 760.477.7537. Apply to volunteer.
Additional Ways To Serve Your Community
Here are other ideas and ways to promote a culture of service. You can still be socially connected while staying physically distant from our community partners--be an advocate or speak up on behalf of your favorite non-profit during this difficult season we are all experiencing.
- Share with us how you're giving back. Tag us at @mcc_servicelearning and use the hashtag #MiraCostaSpartansGiveback
- Create a supply drive for one of the many MiraCosta Community Partners, take a look at the list of approved sites for ideas, or feel free to reach out to any of the Service Learning & Volunteer Center Staff.
- We realize that as college students you might not be in a position to give financially, but your voice is just as important.
- Highlight your favorite organization on your social media pages, and share their fundraising opportunities and remember that - no amount is too little and nonprofits need our support.
- Write a positive online review to a local restaurant that is still open for curb side services or deliveries.
- Combat loneliness by reaching out to a classmate, peer, neighbor, relative, seniors, or veterans.
Resources to seek service opportunities
- VolunteerMatch
- Idealist
- San Diego Food Bank is accepting volunteers on-site and in the community.
- Botanical Community Development Initiatives
- American Red Cross: Find out ways you can support or donate blood.
- MiraCosta College English Language Institute: College students are needed to interact with international students. College students must be willing to carry conversations in English and encourage international students to practice their English. This is a perfect service opportunity for students wanting to learn about other cultures. For questions, contact Zakia Farouq at zfarouq@miracosta.edu or 760-622-8770.
