VOLUNTEER CENTER SOUTH BAY-HARBOR- LONG BEACH

COURT REFERRAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM PART OF THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF ALTERNATE SERVICE (CRCS) PROGRAMS, THE VOLUNTEER CENTER'S COURT REFERRAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS ANNUALLY WHO ARE GIVEN COMMUNITY SERVICE BY THE COURTS AS AN ALTERNATIVE SENTENCE. CRCS STAFF WORKS WITH ELIGIBLE NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP COURT VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE THEIR SERVICE. CRCS STAFF ALSO COORDINATES PARTICIPATION IN THE HOSPITAL AND MORGUE (HAM) PROGRAM AND MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING (MADD) VICTIM IMPACT PANELS TO HELP BUILD AWARENESS AND EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIFIC OFFENSES. THIS ENSURES THAT COURT VOLUNTEERS CAN MAINTAIN THEIR EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND OTHER POSITIVE INFLUENCES WHILE COMPLETINGTHEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICESOPERATION TEDDY BEAROPERATION TEDDY BEAR IS THE VOLUNTEER CENTERS VOLUNTEER-POWERED LITERACY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES AN EDUCATIONAL BOOST THROUGH A KIND GIFT APPROXIMATELY 4,000 LITERACY BAGS FILLED WITH BOOKS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND WELLNESS TOOLS, ALONG WITH A LESSON IN KINDNESS, COMPASSION, VOLUNTEERING AND IDENTIFYING EMOTIONS TO THE MOST UNDERSERVED FIRST-GRADERS IN THE SOUTH BAY, HARBOR AND LONG BEACH AREAS EACH YEAR. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES VOLUNTEERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THE CHILDREN FIRST-HAND BY PREPARING STEM KITS AND ITEMS TO BE PLACED IN THE BAGS, AND THEN INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS IN 146 CLASSROOMS. DURING SCHOOL VISITS, VOLUNTEERS READ AN ORIGINAL STORY ABOUT KINDNESS, FACILITATING A LESSON ABOUT HELPING OTHERS, AND THEY USE THE EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING THE SCHOOLBAG AND THE TEDDY BEAR TO HELP THE STUDENTS IDENTIFY, PROCESS AND WORK THROUGH THEIR EMOTIONS.DURFEE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIPS SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PROVIDED FOR UP TO EIGHT COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH BAY, HARBOR AND LONG BEACH AREAS OF LOS ANGELES. RECIPIENTS ARE SELECTED BASED ON THEIR ABILITY TO OVERCOME CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE STILL FINDING TIME TO MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION IN THE COMMUNITY. APPLICANTS LEARN ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP THROUGH THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS, AND AWARDEES CAN USE THE SCHOLARSHIP TOWARD THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE. FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM IS GENERATED THROUGH THE INTEREST FROM THE DURFEE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP FUND. MOST RECENTLY, SEVEN SCHOLARSHIPS AT $2,000 EACH WERE PROVIDED TO RESILIENT AND DESERVING STUDENTS.