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
