Join Our Volunteer Community!
The Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities to individuals like you who strive to help their communities through volunteering.
DPSS serves an ethnically and culturally diverse community through programs designed to alleviate hardship and promote health, personal responsibility, and economic independence. Volunteers help in reaching these different groups in a more personalized manner.
The Department provides many benefits and services to low-income residents of Los Angeles County such as: temporary financial assistance, free and low-cost health care insurance and food benefits for families. These benefits are magnified by the kind and caring service offered by DPSS Volunteers.
Here are a few examples:
Toy Loan Centers
Help operate a community toy lending library by lending toys, books, and games to community children and/or collecting donations of usable toys, books and games at the toy lending library also known as a Toy Loan Center.
Clerical Support
Assist professional and other staff on a variety of clerical assignments at a DPSS district office.
Adopt-A-Family
Assist by sponsoring and providing contributions of food, toys, and clothing to some of our Department's neediest individuals and families.
Community Outreach Events
Participate in DPSS sponsored community outreach events in and around Los Angeles County.
Volunteering benefits both societies at large, and the individual volunteer. Our program is designed to recruit and assign volunteers to projects that enhance, strengthen, and expand services to customers in departmental programs.
We look forward to counting on your support and talents to advance the important work of the County.
For more information on other volunteer opportunities in LA County, please visit the County of Los Angeles volunteer website.
Note: The adult volunteer application process is now completely automated.
Youth volunteer applications requires a parent/guardian approval. Please send completed youth applications to dpssvolunteers@dpss.lacounty.gov or via fax at (213) 743-9998.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services
Volunteer and Special Programs
Telephone: (833) 8TY-LOAN
Fax: (213) 743-9998
Email: DPSSVolunteers@dpss.lacounty.gov
Bring joy to someone’s life this holiday season and become a sponsor for the Department of Public Social Services’ (DPSS) Adopt-A-Family Program. Each year, this long-standing tradition brings smiles to hundreds of families served by DPSS. In 2023, over 800 generous sponsors, provided gifts to over 1,200 CalWORKs, IHSS, Medi-Cal, and CalFresh families during the holiday season.
Los Angeles County staff, individuals, groups, and local businesses can all participate in this joyous and gratifying program by sponsoring families. Sponsors are matched with a family and provided with their contact information along with the family’s “wish list” of requested items. These new items may include; clothing, gift certificates, and of course toys. Collaborate with family and friends to make a difference and experience the true spirit of giving during the holiday season.
Adopt-A-Family 2024
The Adopt-A-Family program is now open and accepting applications until December 13, 2024.
For any questions, please contact us at
Telephone: (833) 8TY-LOAN
Email: adoptafamily@dpss.lacounty.gov
