VOLUNTEERING

T he upcoming holidays, occasions for festive gatherings of families and friends, can be sad times for those who are homeless, out of work or ill.

Many of the agencies that provide assistance and care go all out to brighten the season for children, the elderly and the needy. Volunteers and donations make it possible.

We couldn’t include every agency, so if you don’t see your neighborhood or area of interest listed, contact county or city volunteer agencies.

Food

* Helping hands are needed to serve Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at many agencies. Among them: Downtown Women’s Center, 325 S. Los Angeles St. Call Kimberly Mason, (213) 613-0761; Homeless Care Project, 3324 Sunset Blvd. Bob Suazo, (213) 661-1963, and Good Shepherd For Homeless Women, 267 N. Belmont Ave. Sister Julia Mary, (213) 250-5241. For other opportunities to serve meals, contact Shelter Partnership Inc. at (213) 688-2188.

* L. A. Works is recruiting people to serve holiday meals at the Los Angeles Mission, Meals on Wheels (Westside), Salvation Army Santa Monica, Sunset Hall and the Fred Jordan Mission. You can also volunteer to wrap and deliver gifts to impoverished families. Information: Julie Prejean, (213) 936-1340.

* Project Angel Food needs volunteers to prepare and deliver Thanksgiving meals for homebound people with AIDS. Cooking takes place between 9 a.m. and noon, delivery before 12:30 p.m. Participants use their own cars and must have liability insurance. Information/sign-up: (213) 656-1986.

* Los Angeles Mission can turn a $15.70 donation into Thanksgiving dinner for 10 needy people. Information: (213) 629-1227. Checks may be mailed to Los Angeles Mission, P.O. Box 21448, Department ATQ05, Los Angeles, Calif. 90021.

* Los Angeles Regional Food Bank collects and donates food to charities. Get your school, friends or company involved by setting up barrels for holiday giving. Needed are canned goods, peanut butter in plastic containers and other non-perishable items. Volunteers are needed to sort food. Information: (213) 234-3030, Ext. 144.

* Salvation Army, Southern California Division, is looking for people to help out with delivery of toys and food baskets and to serve dinners at shelters. Information: Toni Short, (213) 627-5571.

* North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry collects and provides food to needy families. Donations of non-perishable food are needed. Information: (818) 980-1657.

* St. Vincent Meals on Wheels will use a $15 donation to provide hot meals for three senior citizens. For $60, 12 people can be fed. Information: (213) 484-7775. Checks may be mailed to St. Vincent, 2131 W. Third St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90057.

Shelter

* Ocean Park Community Center in Santa Monica offers a network of emergency shelters and services for homeless adults and families, runaway and abused youth, battered women and others. Its Homeless Drop-In Center for adults and families needs new toys, men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, underwear, diapers, toiletries, tote bags, kitchen appliances, grocery certificates, canned food and blankets. Information: (310) 450-4050.

* Haven House, a shelter for battered women and children, would be grateful for a frost-free refrigerator, gas stove, a 19-inch television set, women’s and children’s clothing and shoes and new toys for children of all ages. Information: Sheila Halfon, (818) 564-8880.

* Sojourn Shelter for Battered Women and Their Children, a facility of the Ocean Park Community Center, seeks diapers (all sizes), washcloths and towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, radios, detergent, cassette players and pots and pans with lids. Information: (310) 399-9232.

* Turning Point Shelter and Daybreak Day Center and Shelter are other Ocean Park Community Center agencies. Turning Point, a 35-bed shelter for homeless men and women, can use underwear, socks, jeans, sweaters and jackets. Information: (310) 394-3947. Daybreak serves homeless mentally ill women who are in need of underwear, bras in all sizes, socks, tennis shoes, shirts, jackets, cosmetics and toiletries. Information: (310) 450-0650.

Help a Child

* Red Cloud American Indian Society, Inc. sends Christmas gifts to children and teens in North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Arizona. Needed: heavy jackets, sweaters, jeans, shoes, grooming items, purses, wallets, makeup, hair care items, watches, toys and games, art supplies, school supplies and sports equipment. Major item: a truck to deliver donated gifts. Information: (714) 833-3865.

* Great Beginnings for Black Babies can use donations of items for infants--undershirts, gowns, pajamas, receiving blankets, crib blankets, towels and washcloths, baby lotion, oil and powder. Information: (310) 419-8272.

* Caring for Babies with AIDS lists items including sing-along story tapes, musical instruments, educational books and videos, Hooked on Phonics (English and Spanish), outdoor swing and play sets, pillows and all kinds of infant furniture. Also sought: clothing (newborn to 6x), diapers, baby food and formula, toothbrushes and toothpaste and kitchen items. Gift certificates for Toys-R-Us, Lucky supermarkets and children’s shoe stores are welcomed. A special need is for a safety gate. Information: (213) 931-9828.

* Five Acres, an Altadena-based center for abused, abandoned and neglected children, needs donations of ethnic Barbie dolls and clothes, jump ropes, skates, clocks, radios, basketballs, stuffed animals, pogo sticks, Legos, baseballs, mitts and caps, backpacks, Ninja Turtle items, puzzles, board games, books and sweat shirts (all sizes). Information: Jackie Geary, (213) 681-4827, Ext. 244.

* Orangewood Children’s Home accepts clothing and toys for infants, children and teens. It could use dress shoes and dresses for all ages. Kitchen items on its list: cookie sheets, cake pans, pot holders, cooking utensils and popcorn poppers. Information: (714) 935-7584.

* Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services seeks playground equipment, new sports equipment, video games, VCRs and TV sets, Walkmans, new stuffed animals, kitchen appliances, books and new clothing (newborn through 7 years), bicycles and in-line skates (new or in very good condition) and games. Also needed is a volunteer therapist. Information: (310) 836-1223.

* Florence Crittenton Center offers residential treatment to children and teens. For infants and toddlers, it needs cloth books, clothing and furniture. Welcome gifts for teens are amusement park passes, desk lamps, irons, jeans, pocket cameras, Nintendos and cartridges, books and games, sweat pants and sweat shirts, underwear, Walkmans, white T-shirts, winter jackets, roller skates/in-line skates and gift certificates. Major items sought are bicycles, bookcases, a VCR, a stove and a microwave oven. Information: (213) 225-4211.

* The AIDS Service Center in Pasadena would like donations of new toys, cribs, diapers (all sizes), strollers, a diaper-changing table. Large items needed are IBM-compatible computers, a fax machine, laser printers, electric typewriters and a van. Information: Nicole A. Russo, (818) 796-5633.

* Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect coordinates services for prevention and treatment. Babies and children in protective custody at MacLaren Children’s Center and other children’s treatment programs supported by ICAN Associates (a fund-raising arm) need baby food, car seats, balls, receiving blankets, toys and games, clothing and diapers. For teens at MacLaren, welcome gifts are art supplies, sports equipment, cameras, books, cosmetics, diaries, gift certificates for music and fast-food stores, watches, photo albums, clothing, puzzles, school supplies, and videos. Information: (818) 575-4348.

* Venice Family Clinic will use a $25 donation to host one homeless or needy child at a holiday party with treats, toys and a movie Dec. 17 and to provide lifetime immunizations for two children. Information: (310) 392-8630, Ext. 337.

* Educational Resources and Services Center, Inc. in Culver City serves 160 children in grades K-12. For its party Wednesday, the center would like to have gifts including audiotapes, watches, T-shirts, sweat shirts, calendars, calculators, school supplies, toys, stuffed animals and games. A Christmas tree and a menorah are also requested. Items are needed as soon as possible. Information: (310) 838-1200.

* Alkebu-lan Cultural Center for at-risk children in Northwest Pasadena offers after-school tutoring, a boy’s choir, drama and dance classes. Needs: 100 stackable chairs for choir and performance arts programs, personal computers, English and math tutorial software. Information: (818) 577-5556.

Cards and Gifts

* PAWS/LA (Pets Are Wonderful Support) helps people living with HIV and AIDS to keep their pets. It raises funds with cards for all-occasion, year-round use. Designed by Jon Planas, the cards are $10 each and note that a donation has been made. Information: (213) 876-PAWS.

* Caring for Babies With AIDS cards are $10 each and can be customized for all occasions. Attached to the card is a heart-shaped ornament to be hung on your tree or worn. Information: (213) 931-9828.

* Heal the Bay opens for business in the Santa Monica Place Mall on Monday to Dec. 31. Sale items include baseball caps, T-shirts and sweat shirts with Heal the Bay designs. Funds go to scientific and public education programs. Information 1-800 HEAL-BAY, Ext. 129.

* Los Angeles Free Clinic has holiday cards designed by homeless and runaway youths in its Project Step program. The cost is $10 for six cards hand-addressed to your personal mailing list. Information: L.A.F.C./Holiday Cards, 8405 Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90048.

* Venice Family Clinic has holiday cards designed by area artists, which note that a donation has been made. Prices vary. Information: (310) 392-8630.

* AIDS Project Los Angeles sends cards for $10 each. The inscription notes that a donation has been made. Information: (213) 993-1330.

Teens in Need

* Free Arts for Abused Children seeks donations for the teen-agers it serves in Los Angeles and Orange counties. On the wish list are Nintendo games, hand-held video games, watches, new white T-shirts (all sizes) and art supplies. Also needed are office equipment and supplies and a van or truck. Information: (310) 479-1212.

* The Stepping Stone Youth Crisis Shelter, an agency of the Ocean Park Community Center in Santa Monica, serves runaway and abused teen-agers. The teens need new jackets, sweat shirts, socks and tennis shoes, backpacks, book bags, hair dryers, radios, pillows, alarm clocks, a toaster oven, silverware, Nintendo cartridges, cosmetics, books, and arts and crafts supplies. Information: (310) 450-7839.

* My Friend’s Place in Hollywood is a drop-in resource center for homeless youth to age 24. For youths, the center needs toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant, socks, T-shirts, jackets, sweat shirts, sleeping bags, blankets, bras (all sizes), underwear, tennis shoes, first-aid supplies and McDonald’s gift certificates. The center could also use recessed lighting units, vacuum cleaner, VCR, remote control gate unit, chain-link fence, toilet paper, paper towels, van and aquarium. Information: (310) 459-7932.

* Santa Monica International Youth Hostel, operated by the Los Angeles Council, American Youth Hostels, needs living room and recreation room furniture, cooking utensils, books, video cassettes, microwave ovens, floor lamps and framed artwork. Volunteers are also needed. Information: Vicki Pasek or Kevin Keowen, (310) 393-7976.

* Aviva Center offers residential therapy programs for girls 12 to 17. New clothing (all sizes) and business clothing for job interviews are needed; also PG-13 rated video movies, a new IBM-compatible computer and scanner and other computer software, framed posters and a terrarium. Volunteers are needed to repair and paint vans and to paint and install flooring and carpeting in the girls’ rooms. Information: (213) 876-0550.

Health Services

* Los Angeles County / USC Medical Center annually seeks help from the community to bring holiday cheer to patients in its hospitals. Women’s and Children’s Hospital seeks new layettes, robes, toiletries, slippers, afghans and sweaters and new toys. Also needed are fireproof decorations and entertainers. Information: Marjorie Edmondson, (213) 226-3698. General Hospital wants toys and children’s clothing for families of impoverished patients. Also food certificates, available from the hospital’s Adopt-A-Family holiday program. Information: Margie Dolinski, (213) 226-6945. 5P21 Rand Schrader AIDS Clinic has an adopt-a-family program that collects donated gifts so needy parents can be Santa to their children. Names and ages of children and their gift requests are available. Food certificates are also needed. Information: Bonnie Stover, (213) 343-8201.

* L. A. Goal in Culver City provides services to developmentally disabled adults. Its needs are: a TV, VCR, folding chairs, art supplies, fabric and sewing material and storage cabinets. Information: Petite Konstantin, (320) 838-5274.

* Lions Clubs International and LensCrafters allow you to help others to see by donating your old eyeglasses. Under the Gift of Sight program, glasses are cleaned, repaired, classified by prescription and distributed to needy people in developing countries. Information: (800) 541-LENS for store locations.

* Clare Foundation helps alcoholics and family members through recovery programs. It needs socks, T-shirts, underwear, jackets and sweaters for men, women and children. Other needs are kitchen appliances, a stereo, air conditioner, vacuum cleaner, 35mm camera, VCR, computer and monitor, desk, office work table, answering machines and office supplies. Information: (310) 314-6200.

* Tierra del Sol in Sunland, Van Nuys and Claremont provides training for adults with developmental and physical disabilities. It could use art supplies, workout equipment, pagers, contemporary music tapes and volunteers to maintain vehicles. Information: Vicki Nadsady, (818) 352-1419.

Cheer the Elderly

* Jewish Elder-Care Corps serves the elderly of all faiths in nursing homes or residential facilities. Give an hour of your time and a smile weekly, especially during the holidays. Information: (310) 859-9336.

* Public Guardian volunteers are advocates for the elderly in nursing homes and boarding facilities. Participants can bring holiday cheer to the elderly, disabled and bedridden who are alone. Also, volunteers can help now to wrap 2,300 gifts and help deliver them in early December. Information: Joan Vitale or Chris Marshall at (213) 974-0400 or (213) 974-0543.

* Organization for the Needs of the Elderly needs people to visit seniors, deliver meals and coordinate trips over the holidays and throughout the year. Information: Jo Zeitouni (818) 705-2345.