Helping People with Disabilities or Illness

Chai Lifeline

When: Hours vary
Where: Local hospitals, family homes

Chai Lifeline offers programs and services to help alleviate the many social, emotional and financial burdens of families with seriously ill children. Volunteers are needed to mentor families going through these painful times.

West Coast Sohacheski Family Center 
Contact: westcoast@chailifeline.org, 310-274-6331; 877 374-6331, www.chailifeline.org 
9701 West Pico Blvd.Suite 120, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Etta Israel Residence

Spend time with special needs young adults

When: Late afternoons or Sundays
Where: Sherman Oaks

Enjoy spending time with the residents of one of the three group homes for Jewish special needs young adults.  Help celebrate holidays, play board games or sports or simply be a good listener.

Contact: Gh1@etta.org; Gh3@etta.org, 818-985-3882
Sherman Oaks, CA

Project Chicken Soup

Prepare kosher meals for AIDS patients

When: Sundays by reservation
Where: Los Angeles

Project Chicken Soup is a non-profit organization that prepares and delivers free, nutritious kosher meals two Sundays each month to people living with HIV/AIDS throughout Los Angeles County.
 
The VBS Sisterhood schedules days to volunteer with this wonderful organization. To register for this wonderful mitzvah or for additional information:

Contact: Linda Fine at 818-343-4312 or
Volunteer@projectchickensoup.org, 310- 836-5402  (for additional dates)

Ride On

Assist disabled young adults using horses

When: Afternoons, Weekends
Where: Chatsworth

Equestrian Assisted Therapy encourages special needs youth receiving hippotherapy, the use of a horse's movement for rehabilitation. VBS volunteers have helped lead horses being ridden by disabled young adults, as well as groom and tack horses.

Contact: info@rideon.org, 818-700-2971, www.rideon.org

OurSpaceLA/Shaare Tikva

Assist VBS members in special needs program

When: Sundays
Where: Valley Beth Shalom

VBS offers several programs for Jewish special needs children, teens and adults. Your participation is welcome.

Contact: Susan North Gilboa, sngilboa@vbs.org, 818-530-4069

Skirball Hospice

Bring dignity and comfort to end of life patients

When: Hours vary following initial training period
Where: Local hospitals/homes

This program, run through LA Jewish Home for the Aging, provides compassionate care for end of life patients, offering dignity in difficult situations. As a hospice volunteer, you will provide compassion, friendship and comfort. Other opportunities include office services and bereavement volunteers.

Contact: Lee Rothman, M.A. Lee.Rothman@jha.org, 818-774-3040,www.jha.org/about/skirball.asp
6345 Balboa Boulevard #213, Encino, CA 91316

Special Olympics 

Enjoy sports with these special athletes

When: Weekends and evenings during school year
Where: Van Nuys, Calabassas, Sherman Oaks

Special Olympics helps train young athletes in Olympic-type sports, assisted by the energy and enthusiasm of its volunteers. The schedule of sports and practice times are listed on their website.

Contact: Stephanie Yoshida syoshida@sosc.org, 818-342-0017, www.sosc.org