Downtown Women's Center

The mission of the Downtown Women’s Center is to provide permanent supportive housing and a safe and healthy community fostering dignity, respect, and personal stability, and to advocate ending homelessness for women.

Founded in 1978, the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that provides over 50,000 meals, 47 permanent supportive housing apartments, and a wide array of health, education, and other supportive services to more than 2500 homeless and very low-income women each year. The Center meets our mission by offering a warm, friendly atmosphere that encourages homeless women to commit to their own betterment and healing process. Our supportive community and much-needed resources allow homeless women to reconnect with their sense of self, reclaim goals lost in the day-to-day struggle for survival on the streets, and move toward self-sufficiency. In the local Skid Row community, the Downtown Women’s Center is the only resource that is exclusively for and singularly dedicated to serving the unique needs of this population.

The Downtown Women's Center Volunteer Programs are a key component of the Center and allow us to offer a wide range of services to the women we serve. With your help, we can continue to further our mission of providing a safe and supportive community for women. Sign up for one of our monthly Volunteer Orientations to learn more about our Center and the various volunteer opportunities available.

Volunteer Orientation: Monday, August 9th, 6:30pm-9pm
Volunteer Orientation and Training: Saturday, October 9th, 9am-4pm

Upon completion of the Orientation, here is a selection of volunteer opportunities in which you can become involved (some of these require additional training, but not all).

Birthday Guild- Assist in organizing and executing birthday celebrations for the ladies living in the DWC Residence. This is perfect if you are someone who enjoys decorating and planning parties, making cakes or finding the gifts that would make any birthday special.

Cooking Club Member- Help make delicious meals for the women with other volunteers. You will be provided with a recipe and a list of ingredients needed to prepare the meal. Each member will choose a small list of ingredients that they will bring with them when they join their group to prepare the meal.

Public Outreach Team- Do you like to interact with other members of your community? The Public Outreach Team is a group of trained volunteers who seek potential donors, volunteers and other community members in order to spread public awareness about DWC's history, programs and mission.

Learning Center Assistant- Provide individual assistance to women with internet use, writing projects, trouble shooting, or job and housing searches when needed.

Coordinate Arts & Education Workshops- Do you have a special skill or interest? You may be interested in conducting your own workshop. This is a weekly requirement for a period of 5-6 weeks; or you may also conduct a one-time class or workshop depending upon your lesson plan submitted.

How to apply: Go to our website www.DWCweb.org to download and fill out our Volunteer Application, then send it back to the Volunteer Department at: Volunteer@DWCweb.org.