Apples to Zucchini is a Santa Barbara based nonprofit cooking school which teaches children, teens, and adults how to prepare nutritious, affordable meals with seasonal local ingredients. They welcome volunteers to assist with guiding students, helping with setup, completing hands-on tasks, and encouraging kids during mealtime activities. No cooking experience is needed, and you’ll get to enjoy some delicious meals! Volunteers are expected to commit to one 2-hour weekly class and can volunteer in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley, and Goleta! Click here to learn more!

The Camarillo Farmers Market brings together local farmers and vendors every Saturday morning providing produce, fruit, eggs, baked goods, tamales, pastries, jewelry, and more to local residents. Volunteer shifts are every Saturday morning from 7:00am-10:00am and 10:00am-1:00pm. As a volunteer you’ll welcome guests, answer questions, and assist with both setting up and breaking down the market. Click here for more information!

Cornucopia Community Garden in Ventura is a vibrant space where volunteers come together to grow food, care for the land, and support sustainability efforts. The garden hosts events like seasonal cleanups and composting programs, inviting community members of all ages to help with planting, weeding, and maintaining the space. Whether you're interested in hands-on gardening, composting, or simply giving back, there’s a place for everyone to get involved! Click here to learn more.

City Farm SLO is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, community success, and environmental stewardship through farm-based education. The farm models regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices, giving volunteers the opportunity to learn about sustainable growing while engaging in hands-on activities such as planting, weeding, harvesting, and more. Volunteer days are offered on both weekdays and weekends, making it easy to get involved. Click here to learn more.

Community Action Ventura County works to establish pathways out of poverty through advocacy, partnerships, and services that promote dignity and self-sufficiency. One of their programs includes their weekly drive-through Community Market on their Oxnard campus which distributes fresh produce, canned goods, and other groceries at zero cost to participants in need. Volunteers must be over the age of 18 and help coordinate the drive-through line, pack grocery boxes, and ensure that quality service is provided to community members in need. Shifts are every Thursday from 8:30am-12:00pm. Click here for more information!

Community Roots Garden, located in Oxnard, is a volunteer-powered space dedicated to growing fresh produce for neighbors in need while fostering sustainability, education, and community care. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to help with planting, weeding, harvesting, and irrigation. Join Community Roots Garden every Wednesday or Saturday to learn, share, and give back to the land and each other. Click here to learn more.

FirstFruits Farm SLO is a community-focused farm dedicated to growing fresh, nutritious produce while fostering connections between people, the land, and the local food system. Their mission is to support food security, promote sustainable farming practices, and celebrate the bounty of each season. Volunteers can get involved in a variety of ways—harvesting fresh produce for the community, working hands-on in the fields with irrigation, composting, weeding, and other farm tasks, or contributing behind the scenes with administrative support, marketing, and fundraising. Click here to learn more.

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County works to improve nutritional health and food security in Santa Barbara County through building food literacy, food distribution, disaster preparedness, and sustainable practices when it comes to energy, food rescue, and food waste. They have daily volunteer opportunities in both South and North County Santa Barbara for a variety of their programs and initiatives. Click here for more information!

Food Forward fights food waste and hunger by rescuing fresh produce and distributing it to those in need across Ventura County. Volunteers can harvest fruit from backyard trees or recover surplus produce from farmers' markets, helping to provide nutritious food to the community. With flexible scheduling and opportunities in multiple locations, anyone can get involved—whether for a one-time event or ongoing service. Join the effort to reduce waste and nourish neighbors! Click here to learn more.

Food From the Heart works in Santa Barbara to prepare and deliver free nutritious meals to individuals in crisis due to illness, injury, or under the care of hospice, nurses, or other medical professionals. As the backbone of their mission, volunteers can help prepare and package meals at their kitchen on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings. They can also drive to deliver meals on Wednesdays at 11:00 am or harvest fresh crops on Monday and Tuesday mornings. Click here for more information!

Food Share Ventura County works to distribute millions of pounds of healthy food annually through food box distributions, Senior Kits, and Kid’s Farmers’ Market. They are a part of the Feeding America network which is one of the nation’s largest hunger-relief organizations and they have distributed nearly 20 million pounds of food. They welcome volunteers over the age of 12 who sign up in advance and have shifts Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, with some evening and weekend shifts also available. Volunteer roles include gleaning, boxing produce, rescue food sorting, packing food boxes, and more! Click here for more information!

Operating in Ventura County, Friends of Fieldworkers works to support farmworker families by connecting them to healthcare, education, scholarships, emergency assistance, and other vital goods and services like food distribution, supplying household and work materials, providing holiday gifts to children, and more. They offer a variety of volunteer opportunities from laundry programs, to community events, to outreach. Click here for more information!

La Puma Farms is a regenerative farm based in Santa Barbara which works to inform, entertain, feed, and regenerate resilient good health in their local community. They also contribute to medical research and education and help increase farm education. They are looking for volunteers who feel a deep connection to nature and want to engage with the land, support regenerative practices, nurture healthy soil, enhance the natural beauty of the farm, and learn and work in a peaceful, community-focused environment. Click here for more information!

Meals on Wheels Santa Barbara works to deliver hot nutritious meals daily to elderly, disabled, and homebound clients throughout Santa Barbara. Operating since 1971, they have delivered more than 2 million meals and have volunteers which help them make deliveries 365 days a year. As a volunteer driver, you will spend one to two hours a week picking up freshly prepared meals and delivering them to clients. Click here for more information!

Mesa Harmony Garden is a Santa Barbara community garden which applies permaculture and organic principles to urban food production. Operating as a productive food forest, the garden grows fresh local produce for the Food Bank of Santa Barbara, educates its community on gardening techniques like permaculture design, and serves as a template for transforming an urban space into a garden. As a volunteer, you can work every Saturday from 9am to 12pm to maintain the garden space and spread knowledge about sustainable approaches to urban food production. Click here for more information!

MiniNature Reserve is a grassroots organization located in Oxnard, California, and works to restore and preserve nature and native plants in urban environments through landscaping projects. MiniNature Reserves provide habitats for native plants and pollinators while providing community spaces to reconnect with land and culture. Volunteers are encouraged at volunteer days, workshops, and community celebrations. Click here for more information!

Oxnard Historic Farm Park works to collect, preserve, and share the history of Oxnard’s early settlers. Specifically, they aim to educate the public through agricultural displays and stories of early immigrants in the area and how their history connects with later generations. They are currently looking for all history enthusiasts, nature lovers, and community-minded individuals to join their volunteer team. Volunteers work to bring history to life through interactive exhibits, guided tours, and engaging storytelling, as well as working community events, festivals, harvest celebrations, and cultural showcases. Additionally, volunteers help cultivate and care for their botanical wonders from the Canary Island Date Palm to their lemon and avocado orchards.  Click here for more information!

Pilgrim Terrace Urban Farm & Kitchen is located in Santa Barbara and offers harvest-to-plate initiatives that support seniors, families, low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and the greater community through sustainable agriculture, education, and nutrition outreach. They welcome volunteers who can assist with farm work, nonprofit support, community outreach, and event assistance in order to help combat food insecurity, promote environmental sustainability, and empower the local community to take control of their nutritional well-being. Click here for more information!

Poco Farm is a 4-acre regenerative learning farm which is located in Ojai, California. They provide free programming for all Ojai Valley schools and donate thousands of pounds of produce annually grown by students to local organizations supporting food insecurity. Their programs include field trips, family on the farm days, internships, farm dinners, summer camps, and volunteer days. Current volunteer days are every Tuesday and Friday from 3:30pm-5:30pm and include roles like weeding, harvesting, spreading compost and mulch and more. Volunteers will also learn about farming and food production and get to take home some food! Click here for more information!

The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade trains volunteers to help restore the community after disasters and works on a range of restoration projects. They have a variety of projects such as a humanitarian farm which trains high school students to lead restoration projects and gain farming skills, and a humanitarian garden which teaches community members about climate-adaptive habitat restoration and reforestation. They have weekly volunteer opportunities in Santa Barbara County which count for school community service hours! Click here for more information!

The Saticoy Farmers Market works to create equitable economic opportunities for food producers, while providing access to local food for the community. The market operates in Saticoy Park in Ventura, CA on the 1st Sunday of the Month from 10AM - 2PM. Currently, they are looking for volunteers to assist with community outreach, events, marketing, and more to help the operations of the monthly market. Click here for more information!

Join SEEAG for monthly volunteer days at Petty Ranch in Saticoy or Southbank Farm in Oxnard.  Volunteers help with gardening, weeding, composting, and infrastructure projects, with tasks varying each month. Come get your hands in the soil and support agricultural education! Click here to learn more.

Senior Concerns is located in Thousand Oaks and works to provide high-quality, affordable support services to seniors and their families through innovative and effective programs aimed at fostering independence, well-being, and self-esteem. They welcome volunteers to help with their goal to ensure that every older adult feels connected, supported, and valued. Volunteers work throughout the year on a variety of roles including Meals on Wheels/Home Delivered Meal Program Support, Adult Day Program Assistance, Fundraising Event Support, and Administrative Tasks. Click here for more information!

Sweet Wheel Farms is dedicated to providing fresh, pesticide-free food to underserved and food-insecure populations in Santa Barbara County. By volunteering, you can help them grow, harvest, and distribute nutritious food while supporting sustainable farming practices and education. Click here to learn more.

Growing Grounds Farm, located at 3740 Orcutt Road in San Luis Obispo, is dedicated to promoting wellness, community connection, and skill-building through therapeutic horticulture. The farm provides a supportive environment where individuals living with mental illness or other challenges can engage in meaningful agricultural work while learning sustainable farming practices. Volunteers are welcome to join individually or in small groups and help support farm activities alongside clients. No prior application is needed! Volunteer hours are Tuesday through Friday, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Click here to learn more.

The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County works to conserve natural resources, agricultural land, and open spaces for the benefit of present and future generations. Specifically, they acquire land and conservation easements, create conservation plans, develop restoration projects and incentives for landowners, promote the preservation, stewardship and restoration of wildlife habitat, and educate both children and adults about ecology, agriculture, and conservation through programs and events. They offer a variety of volunteer opportunities such as dune restoration and trail maintenance. Click here for more information!