Community engagement and service is at the heart of fulfilling UCLA’s mission of bettering global society. As Bruins, staff can contribute to this mission locally and beyond through civic engagement. Here are just a few ways:

UCLA Volunteer Center: The UCLA Volunteer Center connects staff to numerous volunteer activities on campus and throughout the Los Angeles area. Staff maintain the Volunteer Database, a comprehensive listing of upcoming volunteer opportunities ranging from beach cleanup projects to serving meals to those in need and host annual service events like UCLA Volunteer Day. 

Launched in 2009, UCLA Volunteer Day has to date contributed nearly 355,000 hours of service to Southern California and beyond, involving approximately 60,000 volunteers. All UCLA students, staff, faculty and alumni are invited to participate in this popular annual event on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 8 -11 a.m. Contact the Volunteer Center for details.

 UCLA Health: Staff can volunteer their time as ambassadors at UCLA Health’s Westwood, Santa Monica and West Valley facilities. Opportunities also exist through their other programs such as the People-Animal Connection (PAC) program.

UCLA Blood & Platelet Center: Donating blood or platelets is another form of demonstrating one’s commitment to the well-being of others; a few hours of your time can have a lifesaving impact on individuals and their loved ones. 

In addition, you can see if your department offers any volunteer activities. For example, UCLA Housing and Hospitality invites its team members to participate in a variety of community service activities throughout the year. Opportunities range from quarterly blood drives, reading to children and distributing books at a local elementary school and packing food at the Los Angeles Food Bank. If none exist, consider initiating one. After all, every act of service helps to enhance the quality of life for everyone both near and far.