Do you want to help children, but don't know how to get started? Become a Volunteer!
Providing love, support, and assistance to children in transition can be a rewarding experience. Volunteers in the programs listed below contribute their talent and energy toward creating comfort, joy, and a sense of stability to children in need as they face transition and temporary placement.
Volunteer Orientation Meetings
To learn more about becoming a volunteer in one of the Social Services Agency programs, you are invited to attend an orientation meeting where the specific requirements and details of volunteer opportunities with the Social Services Agency will be explained. Applications will be provided by presenters at the orientation meeting.
Volunteer Orientation meetings are from 6-7 p.m. the last Tuesday of the month (except December).
Microsoft Teams instructions:
- Open Microsoft Teams on your computer, mobile app or room device.
Click here to join the MS Teams meeting
Meeting ID: 289 612 649 662
Passcode: edazjL
Download Teams | Join on the web - Select “Open Microsoft Teams” or “Continue on this browser” or “Join on the Teams app.”
- Choose your video and audio options.
- Select “Join now”
If you would like to dial in for audio only:
+1 949-543-0845,,464680559# United States, Irvine
Phone Conference ID: 464 680 559#
Orangewood Children and Family Center
Orangewood Children and Family Center is a temporary home to children between the ages of 2 days to 18 years. Volunteers may decide which age group best complements their interest and talents. As an OCFC volunteer you will be helping to individualize the services provided by our professional staff and enrich our programs with your specific interest and skills.
Volunteers have the opportunity to:
- Assist with individual and group activities
- Assist in on-site school classrooms or field trips
- Interact with children in the cottages where they reside
- Assist in recreation and craft activity
- Assist with Living Programs which teach children life skills. Children’s ages range from 11 to 18 year old boys and girls.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Become a child's voice in court
- CASA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of children who have been removed from their homes because of severe or chronic child abuse.
- CASA needs mature, responsible adult volunteers. The ability to relate to children in stressful situations and willingness to commit their time is a must. Speaking up for the child in court will help ensure that an abused or neglected child is placed in a safe, permanent, nurturing home.
- CASA volunteers maintain a weekly one-to-one relationship with a child throughout the time that this child is a dependent of the court.
- CASA volunteers provide information and objective recommendations to the court to facilitate placement or family reunification.
Please note: More than 50% of CASA children are boys. These volunteer programs encourage participation by men, all ethnicities, and seniors who can share their grandparenting skills.
Foster And Adoptive Parenting
Foster parents provide a caring temporary home environment for children who are unable to live with their birth families. In most cases foster parents work with Social Services Agency staff to reunite the child with their birth parents. Families may choose from a variety of specialized programs that care for:
- Drug-exposed infants and toddlers
- Brothers and sisters who need to stay together
- Children with special medical needs
- Children with special developmental, emotional and educational needs
- Teen mothers with babies
- Children of all ethnic and racial backgrounds
Adoptive parents take a child who is no longer able to live with his/her birth family into their home as a permanent family member. Families may choose from two adoptive programs:
- Concurrent Planning Families have the goal of adoption but are also licensed to provide foster care. These families have the opportunity to be the only foster placement for a child whom they may eventually be able to adopt.
- Traditional Adoption families are approved to adopt those children who are legally freed and waiting for an adoptive family.
Who can become a foster or adoptive parent? Foster parents are adults from all segments of society and a variety of ethnic backgrounds. You can be married or single, work in or out of the home, and rent or own your own home or apartment in the County of Orange that has adequate space, privacy and safety for all family members.
The Foster and Adoptive Family Development Team is responsible for developing and sustaining prospective placement options for the dependent children of Orange County. Orientation sessions are provided monthly. For information on becoming a foster or adoptive parent or to register for an orientation, call (888) 871-KIDS.
Operation Santa Claus/Senior Santa And Friends
Operation Santa Claus (OSC) and Senior Santa and Friends (SSF) are year-round donation programs under the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA). OSC provides gifts and toys to children who are in foster care in Orange County, as well as to children from disadvantaged families wo are receiving services from the County of Orange. SSF provides gifts and special request items to low-income or severely disabled adults who are clients of SSA or Orange County Health Care Agency.
OSC & SSF volunteer opportunities are available between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Volunteers the age of 18 years or older can make a difference by:
- Helping in the preparation of OSC’s summer and holiday events
- Assisting caregivers, foster parents, and Social Workers in acquiring toys/gifts for their children/clients
- Restocking and organizing the OSC & SSF store fronts and backstock area
- Counting and sorting incoming donations
- Fulfilling toy orders for SSA outreach events and other OSC collaborative agencies/departments
- Assisting in special projects as needed
Both OSC and SSF are located within a warehouse setting. Casual attire and comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Please note: This opportunity does not work directly with children. For more information, please see our volunteer informational video or send us an email at OperationSantaClaus@ssa.ocgov.com.
Orange County Foster Care Auxiliary
Volunteers participate in fundraising for Orangewood Children and Family Center and other special events.
Requirements for all Volunteers
The volunteer process requires special effort, but offers a unique opportunity for those who want to contribute their time and talents.
Adults 18 years of age or older is the preferred age for those wishing to volunteer at OCFC. Minors between 16 – 18 years must be affiliated with a high school program. Volunteers for CASA must be 21 years of age to apply and a background clearances is required. Prospective volunteers will be asked to submit the following:
- Fingerprint Card/Live Scan (ask for details before proceeding)
- TB test results (after completion of training)
- Confidentiality Form
- Three references
- Completion of Agency Application
Once clearances have been approved, volunteers will be contacted and invited to attend the required training classes. Background clearances may take up to eight weeks to process.
For more information about volunteer opportunities in other County agencies and departments, please click here.
