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The aftermath of wildfires leaves more than damaged buildings: it creates a long road back to normal life. When families finally move into repaired or rebuilt units, many arrive with empty rooms and few possessions. Volunteers who help with staging and home furnishing provide immediate comfort and practical necessities, and they also send a powerful message of care from the community. Working with A Sense of Home, volunteers transform donated items into complete living spaces designed for each household’s needs, offering more than furniture — they offer a fresh start that supports stability and prevents homelessness.
Volunteering for this program takes place in a warehouse environment near Los Angeles, where teamwork, creativity, and basic physical effort combine to produce what the organization labels as Home Creations. Each Home Creation is an individualized staging project that culminates in a reveal for the recipient family. Participants do not need specialized training: the roles range from light organizational tasks to heavier lifting when needed. The operation is managed in partnership with L.A. Works and expects volunteers to follow established health and safety guidelines to protect everyone involved.
Why your help matters
Disaster recovery extends well beyond immediate relief; it includes rebuilding daily life and restoring hope. By contributing time to disaster recovery staging, volunteers help families reclaim privacy, functionality, and the basic comforts of home. For people who lost nearly everything, a furnished bedroom, a functional living room, and a set dining table can profoundly affect morale and long-term resilience. The work also reduces pressure on social services by preventing homelessness and supporting a smoother transition back into community life. In short, volunteering provides practical aid and a visible signal that these families have not been forgotten.
What volunteers do and how shifts work
Typical volunteer duties include arranging furniture and decor, assembling and cleaning items, loading furnishings into moving trucks, and handling inventory tasks such as restocking and breaking down boxes. Volunteers also perform light maintenance and repairs when necessary as part of ongoing warehouse upkeep. These tasks are grouped into different shift types: Home Creation Shifts for collaborative staging projects and Warehouse Assistance Shifts for more independent, maintenance-focused work. Both types sustain the program’s capacity to serve incoming households efficiently and respectfully.
Shift times and location
The staging and warehouse activities take place at the ASOH Disaster Recovery Program warehouse in El Monte, CA 91731, near Altadena. Regular Home Creation Shifts are offered most Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with a Morning Shift (10:00 AM – 12:30 PM), an Afternoon Shift (1:00 PM – 3:30 PM), and an All Day Shift (10:00 AM – 3:30 PM). Warehouse Assistance Shifts are typically scheduled on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for volunteers who prefer more independent or steady work. Shift lengths are designed to allow meaningful contribution within a manageable time frame.
How to sign up and what to bring
Expressing interest is the first step, but it does not replace the formal registration process. After indicating interest, you must complete sign-up through the A Sense of Home portal and follow the provided SignUpGenius link to reserve a specific slot. All volunteers who enter the warehouse are required to sign a warehouse safety waiver as part of online registration. Practical preparation includes wearing closed-toe shoes and comfortable, season-appropriate clothing that can get dusty. Volunteers should also be ready for a variety of physical tasks; there is usually something suitable for people of different fitness levels.
Age, safety, and accessibility
The program welcomes youth participation, but age rules differ by listing: some materials note that volunteers as young as 12 may assist under supervision, while the opportunity registration system may reflect a 14+ minimum. Prospective participants and group leaders should check with the Opportunity Coordinator for clarification and to request accommodations if needed. The organization emphasizes adherence to health and safety protocols set by L.A. Works and encourages clear communication about any mobility or medical needs before arrival to ensure a safe, inclusive experience.
Getting involved today
If you want to help neighbors rebuild, staging and furnishing shifts offer a direct, tangible way to make an impact. Your contribution might be arranging a bedroom so a child has a comforting space, or loading a sofa that becomes the anchor for family conversations. Volunteers leave knowing their effort contributed to a complete and dignified living environment. For questions about availability, group sign-ups, or special needs, contact the Opportunity Coordinator; the partnership between L.A. Works and A Sense of Home makes it simple to move from interest to hands-on service.