Our History

The Volunteer Center, South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach was founded in 1963 by the Junior League of Long Beach in response to the needs of this community. Over the years, we have referred thousands of volunteers to hundreds of nonprofit agencies who maintain critical programs for those in need. The Volunteer Center acts as an action center for programs that continue to make a real difference in our community and promotes personal involvement as a part of the solution.

The Volunteer Center, South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach exists to mobilize people and resources to bring creative solutions to community problems. We help more than 650 community agencies meet their volunteer needs and extend services to a client base that represents the diversity of the cities we serve – programs that provide food for the homeless, counsel people in crisis, support victims of violence, teach people to read, mentor at-risk youth, lend a hand to preserving our environment and the list goes on and on.

Highlights of our 40+ Years

1963 The Junior League of Long Beach establishes Volunteer Bureau
at 1427 Pacific Ave., San Pedro

• Funded by Junior League
• 34 volunteers placed in 24 agencies

1964

• Bureau has 232 recruits

1965

• 313 volunteers recruited for nonprofit agencies

1966

• Last year of Junior League funding
• First official budget $4,103

1967

• Moves April 24 to 2008 W. Carson St., Torrance
• Over 800 volunteers, 60 different agencies

1968

• Bureau places more than 900 volunteers

1969

• Organizes first workshop for nonprofit agencies
• Charlotte Lobb starts publicizing volunteer opportunities in Daily Breeze

1970

• Supplies playground equipment for Harbor Hills Housing Project
• 200 attend agency workshops

1971

• Executive Director, Joan Santaella
• 1,785 volunteers, 93 agencies

1972

• Bureau changes name to Volunteer Action Center
• Expands to include beach cities

1973  Tenth Anniversary

• Volunteer Service Awards program becomes annual event
• 4,400 volunteers, 156 agencies

1974

• Kathryn Joiner, Executive Director
• Establishes Court Referral Community Service Program

1975

• Adds Court Referral Coordinator to staff

1976

• Establishes Adopt-A-Family Program

1977

• Recruits 450 high school volunteers

1978  Fifteenth Anniversary

1979

• Moves to vacant Grace Wright School, 3915 Spencer St., Torrance

1980

• First annual Corporate Volunteer Awards Banquet

1981

• Agency joins coalition of 40 California Volunteer Action Centers to unify activities and program strategies
• Expands services to Long Beach area

1982

• TRW and CCH Computax contribute computer system

1983 Twentieth Anniversary

• Initiates Human Race fund raiser for nonprofits

1984

• More than 500 agencies

1985

• Teen Involvement Program begins with help from TRW
• Collaborates on Taste of South Bay
• Adopt A Family program created

1986

• De De Hicks becomes Executive Director
• Skillsbank donated by Del Amo Rotary Club

1987

• Rents former Stone & Meyers Mortuary from Torrance Redevelopment Agency
• Torrance Historical Society declares edifice an Historic Building

1988 Twenty Fifth Anniversary

• Garden tea party celebration
• Plants a heart shaped flower garden at Torrance City Hall

1989

• 550 agencies

1990

• One Can-Do Program started
• 12,000 volunteers recruited

1991

• Center selected from 47 in state to receive the Gloria Deukmejian Award as the most outstanding Center

1992

• Opened second satellite office in San Pedro
• V.C. coordinates J.C. Penney Golden Rule Awards

1993

• Purchases building through generous grant of $200K from Toyota
• Budget $395,000, provided over 5.5 million dollars worth of services to the community
• Board member, Jim Fucile, received the Gloria M. Deukmejian Outstanding Volunteer Award

1994-1996 De De Hicks serves on National Board of Volunteer Centers

1994

• Started Operation Teddy Bear Program

1995

• Renovation of building begins

1996

• ‘Hard Hat’ Tea Party announces Capital Campaign
• Receives Excellence in Communication award from Points of Light Found. for Capital Campaign packet
• Board member, Lea Ann King, received the Gloria M. Deukmejian Outstanding Volunteer Award

1997

• President’s Summit on Volunteerism selects Long Beach as one of 100 cities to send delegates to Conference in Philadelphia; De De Hicks selected as Summit delegate
• Major Youth Volunteer Program begins
• Expands corporate involvement program; establishes Corporate Volunteer Council
• 3rd satellite office opens in West Los Angeles
• 21-month Capital Campaign ends in the fall surpassing the million dollar goal
• 27,000 volunteers recruited
• Board member, Ev Durfee, received the Gloria M. Deukmejian Outstanding Volunteer Award

1998 Thirty Fifth Anniversary

• Adjacent parking lot purchased
• 4^th satellite office in San Pedro opens
• 650 agencies
• Training Program for nonprofits expands
• Operating budget, $628,000
• Implemented Family Matters Volunteer Program
• Started Durfee scholarships for students

1999

• First group of International visitors began
• Youth Volunteer Coalition started
• Fifth satellite office opens/LAX
• Started JAM(Joint Agency Meetings)
• V.C. hosts, sponsors and is fiscal agent for Human Relations Forum
• Family Matters Program recognized nationally

2000

• V.C. hosts 1^st Regional Youth Service Project
• V.C. launches resource library
• Operation Teddy Bear program distributes 3,000 filled backpacks
• Pirates of Portuguese Bend successful fundraiser
• Facilitates creation of Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden at George F. Canyon Nature Center
• Hosts reps from 24 nonprofit agencies from around the world

2001

• De De Hicks receives President/CEO title
• Spearheaded a collaborative project for Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning (actually went on for 5 months instead of one day!)
• Youth service project – Habitat for Humanity
• Join Hands Day activities received national recognition
• Organized community projects for Martin Luther King Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Join Hands Day, National Youth Service Week, Make a Difference Day, National Family Volunteer Week and USA Initiative

2002

• Bauer/Honda Nonprofit Library & Resource Center opens
• Dedication of renovation of parking lot
• Organized Senior Prom as youth project
• Held 22^nd Annual Corporate Volunteer Awards Banquet, “Make a Difference” theme
• Implemented Harbor Area Child Safety Awareness Program
• Budget $860,000 – value of services to the community estimated to be over 14 million dollars annually.

2003

• Celebrates 40^th Anniversary and congratulates ‘Operation Teddy Bearers’ at a Mardi Gras party!
• Operating budget tops $1,000,000
• Center chosen to participate in national LeadershipPlenty training
• Held 23^rd Annual Corporate Awards Banquet, sports theme
• V.C. receives POLF 2003 Communications Excellence Award, Technology category

2004

• 9 Durfee scholarships awarded to High School seniors
• For National Youth Service Day, Youth Coalition hosted “Day of Fun for Everyone”
• “Kids at Heart” themed Corporate Volunteer Awards Banquet honored Tom Sullivan
• V.C. receives POLF 2004 Communications Excellence Award, Special Events category
• De De Hicks attends George Bush’s 80^th Birthday Bash
• V.C. hosts a “circus” OTB thank you party
• 4,000 backpacks given to first graders for OTB program
• 15 high schools participate in Youth Coalition
• 12 cities proclaim December 11, 2003 as OTB Day
• Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) members participate in sprucing up Torrance Children’s Center

2005

• Court Referral Program introduces new Teen Project
• V.C. holds OTB fundraiser honoring Pete Carroll, U.S.C. football coach
• OTB program distributes 5,000 backpacks
• OTB fundraiser hosted at Long Beach Yacht Club
• 25^th Corporate Volunteer Awards Banquet, sponsored by ExxonMobil, “You Oughta Be in Pictures” theme
• Youth Program receives Human Relations Award
• Donors thanked at OTB’s “Mission Impossible” rather “Possible” party
• V.C. Youth Coalition organizes “Laps of Love” walk-a-thon
• Six youth service projects address community needs from MLK Day to Cesar Chavez Day

2006

• VOLUNTEER CENTER AWARDED DESIGNATION AS  #1 VOLUNTEER CENTER IN THE NATION BY POLF
• OTB party to thank donors, themed “You Gotta Have Heart….and You Have”.
• De De attends Regional Conference in San Diego
• 26^th Corporate Volunteer Awards Banquet themed “American Idol”
• Affinity Group started
• Several Affinity teas held
• Attended Governor & First Lady Awards Luncheon in Long Beach
• Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) participated in joint project to paint and clean up the Wilmington Teen Center
• OTB distributed 5600 backpacks

2007

• OTB party to thank donors themed “Teddy Bears Picnic”
• 27^th Corporate Volunteer Awards Banquet themed  “Mythical Journey to the Land of Gods & Goddesses”
• ‘Legends’ fundraiser at the Negri home
• De De goes to Philadelphia for National Volunteer Conference
• VIVA program for over 40 students at V.C.
• Implemented training program with Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce
• Expanded Corporate Volunteer Program
• De De honored for Van Dine Americanism award at Palos Verdes Estates 4^th of July celebration
• OTB fundraiser at Long Beach Yacht Club
• Recruited over 250 volunteers for First Lady Playground Build in Long Beach
• V.C. participated in Palos Verdes Chamber Citiopoly game fundraise
• Best NonProfit awarded by Palos Verdes Chamber of Commerce,  Salute to Business 2007

2008

• PVP Chamber named OTB as Best Non-Profit Program
• 28^th Corporate Banquet, theme: “We’re Wild about Volunteers, Safari Style”
• Hosted CA Volunteers “Listening Tour” and was reported one of the best
• Hosted Volunteer Center’s 45^th Anniversary celebration at Ed & Susie Beall’s home
• Five Ev Durfee scholarships given to deserving local high school students
• Corporate Volunteer Council held membership drive at Toyota’s Automotive Museum
• VC interfaced with 34,658 individuals within its programs

2009

• VCYC (Volunteer Center Youth Coalition) – MLK Day event
• Corporate Volunteer Awards Banquet –theme: “Volunteers Are Out of This World”- Boeing sponsored
• Global Youth Service Day Project – April 18
• Affinity’s “Legends In Our Time” – fundraiser for OTB
• Scholarships awarded to students at Leuzinger High School
• De De/Katie attended National Conference in San Francisco
• VIVA – Summer Service Learning Program expands to 56 students
• End of fiscal year report for Court Referral program celebrates its ‘best year ever’.
• Bus Tour for board members and others to 5 satellite V.C. offices
• Started Food For Kids program in October
• Started an after-school art program for disadvantaged elementary school children
• Connected with over 44,000 individuals/groups for the year
• Presented the Mary Manos Outstanding Volunteer Award for volunteers in Long Beach

2010

• VCYC held MLK Day event
• De De attended large Volunteer Centers meeting in Dallas
• Palos Verdes Coordinating Council presents the 2010 Community Service Award to the Volunteer Center
• VCYC Day of Service in Long Beach with Peace 4 Kids
• 30th Corporate Banquet held at Dave’s Garage, theme: “Celebrating Volunteers with a Fifties’ Flair”
• Global Youth Service Day, “Hooked on Books” Literary Fair at Meyler Elementary School put on by VCYC
• De De and Katie attended National Conference in New York
• Opened new court referral office in Bellflower

2011

• VCYC held MLK Day event with Peace 4 Kids and Loyola Marymount University
• New website announced and eNewsletter kicked-off
• Corporate Banquet held during National Volunteer Week–”Broadway Bound, Volunteers Take the Stage”
• VCYC held Global Youth Services Day a “Hooked On Books” Literacy Fair at the Meyler Adult and Family Learning Center in Torrance
• Team 100 formed to support Food For Kids
• The Board celebrates De De’s 25th Year at the Volunteer Center
• Served a total of 44,965 volunteers for 2,974,072 hours of volunteer time valued at $69,652,755