About Us

More than a century ago, on March 8, 1896, at a huge public rally in New York, social reformers Maud and Ballington Booth announced the formation of a new movement – Volunteers of America. When reporters asked what exactly the organization would do, Ballington Booth replied: “We will go wherever we are needed, and do whatever comes to hand.” This willingness to serve, and a creative and flexible approach to meeting human needs, have been hallmarks of Volunteers of America ever since.

In turn-of-the-century America, there was no shortage of work to do. Volunteers of America moved into tenement districts to care for the poor. They organized day nurseries and summer camps; provided housing for single working men and women; and established the nation’s first system of halfway houses for released prisoners. Today, the work of Volunteers of America can be classified under three primary headings: Human services, housing and health care.

In our second century of service, Volunteers of America is one of the nation’s largest and most effective human service organizations, serving more than a million people each year in more than 300 communities throughout the United States. There are more than 40 affiliate offices of Volunteers of America across the nation today. The chartered territory for this affiliate office – Southwest California – encompasses San Diego, Imperial, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Programs are locally operated and administered by dedicated professionals and a governing board of directors. This structure gives each affiliate accountability and responsiveness to serve the specific needs of its communities.

To learn more about Volunteers of America or other affiliate offices, please visit our national website at www.voa.org.

Volunteers of America
of Southwest California

Mission Statement

A ministry of service dedicated to providing individuals and families with tools to improve their quality of life.

Vision Statement

A great organization, admired for innovation, excellence and civic leadership, that inspires the Volunteers of America family to positively affect the lives of those we serve.

Corporate Values

• To exhibit honesty, integrity and fairness.
• To expect excellence of ourselves and those with whom we work.
• To achieve lasting solutions to social problems.
• To respect the personal dignity of every individual.
• To foster spiritual fulfillment, justice and hope.