Volunteer
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed volunteers can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Maryvale volunteers enhance our programs of compassionate service. Our volunteers add a dimension of healing for our children and families that cannot be bought with government or private funding: love, friendship, inspiration, and outside emotional support. Maryvale offers many different volunteer opportunities.
Individual volunteers work directly with our girls, ages 6 to 18, who are placed at Maryvale. Their direct involvement offers the girls opportunities for growth in social skills and interaction with the larger community – expanding their horizons with a variety of cultural experiences. Our volunteers’ willingness to share their lives with our girls reinforces Maryvale’s message of their value.
You can make a difference in our young girls’ lives! Volunteer as a
- Special Friend: spend one-on-one time with a girl in a positive role model relationship.
- Tutor: work with a girl to strengthen her academic skills.
- Senior Friend: help prepare a young woman nearing age 18 for her transition out of the foster care system.
- Mentor: provide support to a young woman living in Maryvale’s Transitional Housing program helping her maintain an independent, healthy and productive lifestyle.
- Early Childhood Friend: support the staff at our Rosemead and Duarte centers by helping them provide love, fun, nurture and attention to children, infancy to age 10, of working families.
Group volunteers are welcome. Groups of all sizes are encouraged to share their time, talents and energy in support of the children and families who benefit from Maryvale’s programs of care. Time can be spent with the girls through organized activities like parties, arts and crafts, or outdoor activities. Groups often volunteer organizational in-kind services or offer assistance as work crews to maintain play equipment or lend a hand in updating the common areas in and around the centers.
Seasonal Volunteer Groups often organize to provide specialized activities for Maryvale. One such group is Maryvale’s Christmas Angels. They annually plan and hold a Christmas Party on the second Saturday of December for all of the children who reside at Maryvale. To learn more about this effective Seasonal Volunteer Group and how you can participate visit www.maryvaleangels.com.
The Los Angeles Orphanage Guild and Orphanage Guild Juniors
The Los Angeles Orphanage Guild was established in 1950 when Maryvale (then operating under the name of the Los Angeles Orphan Asylum) was located in Boyle Heights. Constructed in 1890, the iconic structure was condemned by the city due to encroaching deterioration from earthquakes and freeway construction and so it was at this time that
“friends of the orphanage rallied to the cause. Mrs. Edward L. Doheny made possible land for a new children’s home in South San Gabriel (Rosemead) and was a generous contributor to the building program. A permanent committee called ‘The Friends of the Los Angeles Orphanage’ was founded to raise funds for this vital project – thus fulfilling a heartfelt hope of Sister Euphemia Walsh, then administrator of the orphanage.”
“On June 25, 1951 the name of the Women’s Committee was changed to the Los Angeles Orphanage Guild. The Guild was incorporated as such on April 22, 1952.”
“The new child-care center was completed in 1953 and named Maryvale, with continued focus upon the orphanage’s original charter – to help young people attain dignity, productivity and self-esteem in an environment of stability and love. The Los Angeles Orphanage Guild and Orphanage Guild Juniors are dedicated to assisting the achievement of this goal.”
It would be hard – near impossible – to enumerate all of the many ways the Los Angeles Orphanage Guild and the Orphanage Guild Juniors have contributed to the excellence of Maryvale’s Residential Program. These outstanding and generous women are committed to the following efforts:
The Los Angeles Orphanage Guild are known as the “ladies” who, until 2010 published the Maryvale Special Edition each year in May as a supplement to the Sunday Los Angeles Times. They remain ferociously faithful to their commitment to financially support Maryvale’s Residential Treatment Program and the girls confidently placed in our care, and very successfully do so, through creative fundraising like the Special Edition and other signature events.
The Los Angeles Orphanage Guild Juniors are members who are dedicated to working directly with the girls in residence. They become friends and mentors to these young women and are afforded the opportunity to make a positive difference in their lives. By fostering a stable relationship with a Maryvale girl, a Guild member helps her build a sense of self-confidence and worth, helping to prepare her for a successful future.
To learn more about Maryvale's volunteer opportunities, contact Maryvale by calling 626-280-6510 to speak with our volunteer coordinator.