open hearts volunteerism program

 


The Foundation’s Volunteerism program continues to innovate – creating an exciting new way for every generation to volunteer their time and talents, benefit the needs of dynamic nonprofits, and accelerate purpose.

Volunteer with us and find your purpose!

The Vision:

Imagine…. millions of people worldwide opening their hearts and falling in love with contributing. Inspired and connected, recognized and wanted for their unique talents, gifts, skills, and purpose.

The Opportunity:

Being purpose driven has never been more attractive to people and organizations regardless of region, culture, language, and occupation.

The Volunteerism program matches talent with needs to accelerate and activate purpose. Through incredible volunteer experiences individuals will engage hands on with non-profits and philanthropic causes, catalyzing new ways for people to apply their unique gifts and talents.


Plans in 2023:

In 2023, we hope to host volunteer experiences on a quarterly basis and further develop the Foundation’s website and outreach strategies to be an educational tool to inspire and support best practices for volunteerism in the Open Hearts Movement.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in 2020, but we innovated because we still believe every person can do what we can to help others! Our virtual volunteer experiences have engaged volunteers across the world! We continued to host virtual volunteer experiences in 2021 and we were thrilled to pilot a few in-person volunteer experiences when it was safe to do so in the Fall and Winter of 2021.

Our goal is to inspire individuals of all ages to donate their time and talents to discover where their passion meets purpose.

Join us by signing up for our monthly e-news or keep up with us via our newly launched Volunteer Blog!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the #OpenHeartedChallenge in November!

In celebration of #NationalMakeADifferenceDay on October 22, we are launching the #OpenHeartedChallenge for the month of November! Join volunteers around the world and make a difference in your community. Get ready for November 1st, ask your friends and family to join you, and have fun!

Every day for the month of November we are challenging the world to volunteer and help others and then share with us through a message or picture. It could be as big as volunteering at a shelter or as small as calling a relative just to say hi, or hosting a clothing drive, voting or baking cookies. Nothing is too big or too small. To help you, we offer a list of ideas and a theme for each week. All we ask is that you tag #OpenHeartedChallenge

Thank You!

What a morning! Thank you to all of the 50 Volunteers, of all ages, who joined us on July 30th to help Santa Monica Mountains Fund and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area reach their first year goal of planting 50,000 native grasses and trees in their two year eco-restoration project.

From Kentucky to Palm Springs and all across Southern California, volunteers gave back by planting willow trees, watering and restoring Paramount Ranch.

Combined with the planting we did in December, we are honored to do what we can to help. There's more to do in the project's second year, so stay tuned or join in when you can!

Click to Volunteer

Thank You Volunteers who Helped Restore Paramount Ranch

On Saturday, December 4th, 2021 from 9am to Noon, 80 Volunteers of all ages joined the effort to restore Paramount Ranch.

In partnership with the Santa Monica Mountain Fund and the National Park Service, volunteers joined together and planted 2,500 native grasses, seeds, and trees in an effort to restore Paramount Ranch from the 2018 Woolsey Fires.

Want to Help? They need more volunteers every weekend!

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Thank You Volunteers! You Helped The Volunteer Center Exceed Their Goal!

A dozen volunteers helped our charity partner, the Volunteer Center South Bay, Harbor & Long Beach, and collect food donations in a Halloween themed "Trunk and Treat Food Donation Drive Thru" benefiting their Food for Kids Program.

In three hours, 5,320 pounds of food donated from 57 cars as well as online donations were collected, exceeding their goal. These food supplies will provide an estimated more than 12,000 meals for children and families facing food insecurity in the South Bay area.

You can still help them through their Amazon WishList.

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Cards for Kids

Thank you to the 150 volunteers for joining us virtually on April 9, 2021 to create inspirational cards for foster children across the United States!

Cards benefited children in the care of:

Alliance for Childrens Rights located in Los Angeles,CA

City Youth Now, located in San Francisco, CA

Foster Angels of South Texas, located in Corpus Christi, Texas

Voices for Children, located in Tampa Bay, Florida

We thank Crepe Erase for supporting our Young Hearts Volunteerism program!

Here are a few of the cards created by our volunteers:

Our Young Hearts volunteers created amazing cards for kids!

Make A Senior Smile 2020

We are incredibly grateful to all of the volunteers from around the world who joined us to Make A Senior Smile in May and November 2020! This simple act of kindness brought joy to seniors isolated in their homes across the United States. In addition, your acts of kindness inspired volunteers to care for seniors in their own community, inspired a 1st grade class to create over a hundred cards for their local senior center, and an entire Girl Scout troup also joined in to make cards. This positive ripple effect is at the heart of the Open Hearts Philosophy! Thank you!!

Volunteerism in the COVID-19 Pandemic:

Even with socially distancing, you can still find purpose and help! Here are just a few ideas to get started:

Click here to discover how Californians are being called to serve those in need

Contact your local Volunteer Center to see how you can volunteer for a local need.

Overwhelmed about where to start?

  • Check in with family and friends with a quick call or email.

  • Contact your local City government to see how they are organizing volunteers during the pandemic. Here are resources for Los Angeles and New York.

  • Send a food basket, flowers or gift card for long-distance family or friends to brighten their day.

  • Offer a skill, like tutoring, baking, or how to draw, to help a family or friend.

  • Become a Virtual Volunteer with Catchafire.Start with your family and friends. Make a call to check in and see how everyone is doing. Send an email or a letter to an elder in your community. These simple acts can connect us all.

Volunteer Mobile App Development:

Currently, we have an MVP of the mobile app and a very solid business plan. As a small nonprofit organization, we recognize that we need help from leading tech and app experts to determine the app’s future and potential partners.

Take a look at the updated Volunteer Mobile App power point deck.

Interested in investing in our Volunteerism program? Contact Trena Pitchford, Executive Director of the Open Hearts Foundation.

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#OpenHeartedChallenge

Join Jane Seymour, the Volunteer committee, the Foundation, and the entire Open Hearts Family to spread hope and the open hearts philosophy during this pandemic. The goal is for each of us to highlight and share simple stories on your favorite social media platform what you or someone you know is uniquely doing to volunteer or help others right now.

Follow these easy steps and spread hope today!

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LOOK WHO’S TAKING THE #OPENHEARTEDCHALLENGE. WILL YOU BE NEXT?

 

We thank all of our Volunteers who continue to do what they can to help others!

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Our
Volunteer History:

In 2017, the Young Hearts volunteerism program of the Open Hearts Foundation was created where passion meets purpose. With the vision of Jane’s daughter, Katie Flynn, along with her dear friends and Co-Chairs Ella Freyinger and Adee Zach, this talented trifecta of women inspire the Foundation to create volunteer experiences in the Open Hearts Movement.

They have organized one day service projects where time, talent, and resources of people who serve with an open heart support charitable organizations that inspire and empower their community. In 2023, the “Young Hearts” name was let go to ensure inclusivity of volunteering of all ages. Their vision remains the same and is stronger through the day to day work of the Open Hearts Foundation.