The following is part of a series on nonprofit news with weekly roundups on updates and upcoming events. Are you a nonprofit with news to share? Email [email protected] with “nonprofit news” in the subject line.
Rancho Los Cerritos is welcoming back campers this summer for various history-focused programs.
Open summer camp programs currently include the “Vaquero Camp” and “Nature Camp.” Check out the summer camp programs here. A “Time Travelers Camp in a Box” option is also available for use from home, and includes a selection of crafts and activities.
Guided tours of the garden and house are back, and are on a first-come-first-serve basis during public hours. Spanish tours are by appointment only.
Please email [email protected] to arrange a tour in Spanish. Walk-ins are welcome, or RSVP ahead of time here.
Visitors can take a tour, explore the home and gardens, picnic, go on a scavenger hunt, shop at the outdoor market, and enjoy history.
The Rancho is open on Wednesdays through Sunday from 1 until 5 p.m., with extended hours on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Rancho Los Cerritos is located at 4600 Virginia Road, Long Beach.
District 1 hosts first cleanup
On Saturday, July 10, from 9 a.m. until noon, join other community members for a cleanup hosted by Councilwoman Mary Zendejas.
Participants will meet at City Place at the corner of Fourth Street and Pine Avenue, and the cleanup area will consist of Broadway North to Sixth Street, and Pacific Avenue to Long Beach Boulevard.
Gloves, bags, and other supplies will be provided.
Sign up here.
Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Long Beach & West Orange County seeks board members
JFCS is launching a “Volunteer To Serve” campaign to engage community members to serve on its board of directors.
The organization has served the community since 1958 through counseling, case management for older adults, emergency financial assistance, food and essentials, domestic violence education and prevention, along with referrals to other resources.
Board members are responsible for policy and fiduciary oversight, community engagement, program development and participation in planning fundraising events.
The ideal candidate brings a diversity of thought that is reflective of the community served by JFCS, works well collectively with other board members and staff, and has a passion for the agency’s mission and goals, according to JFCS.
The open call for applicants begins on July 15, and the deadline for submission is Aug. 31.
Applications can be found here.
Interviews will be conducted by the nominating committee in September, and the new board member’s first term will be January through December of 2022.
Call JFCS at 562-427-7916 for more information.
Join Friends of the LA River for a cleanup
On Saturday, July 24, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., join FoLAR for a river cleanup at the Willow Street Estuary.
The site is the beginning of the last natural bottom stretch of the LA River, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, where freshwater mixes with saltwater, supporting a unique ecological habitat and a wide variety of shorebirds.
Cleanup kits will be mailed out to registered volunteers on a first-come-first-serve basis. Once they are out of stock, participants can expect to use extra supplies available onsite.
View more information and register here.
The Willow Street Estuary is located at 2526 De Forest Ave., Long Beach.
Adults-only night dive returns to the Aquarium of the Pacific
On July 23, for the first time since the pandemic began, community members are invited to one of the Aquarium of the Pacific’s most popular events, a monthly, 18+ night-dive, a night complete with local bands, a DJ, cocktails and food trucks.
All exhibits and galleries will be open with the exception of the Lorikeet Forest. Tickets are $24.95 for general admission and $19.95 for aquarium members, with food and drink sold separately.
Advanced ticket purchases are required here.
The event runs from 7:30 p.m. until 11.
The Aquarium is located at 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.
Donate blood at the MOLAA
The Museum of Latin American Art is supporting the Red Cross’ efforts to replenish their supplies through a blood drive on July 19, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
For those who participate, MOLAA is offering a 20% membership discount on all levels, and for those who are already members of the museum, they will receive a free one-month extension.
Please schedule an appointment here with the sponsor code “MOLAA.”
Streamline your donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by completing your pre-donation reading and health history questions on the day of your appointment here. All blood donations are also being tested for COVID-19 antibodies.
The MOLAA is located at 628 Alamitos Ave.
Grab your roller skates in support of the Long Beach Black Dance Festival
On July 25, join the CRay Project in fundraising for their 2nd annual Black Dance Festival.
The CRay Project, founded in 2015, is a Black empowerment movement focused on various art forms such as dance, music, and film, providing a platform for artists along with education and awareness surrounding controversial topics.
The Black Dance Festival is a week-long celebration of Black dancers, scheduled from Aug. 8 until Aug. 15.
The festival includes dance classes and workshops, panel discussions, community dance concerts, dance agency and company auditions, and an executive soiree.
“Long Beach Black Dance Festival is a week-long dance experience exploring the values of dance, connected with those of the Black Diaspora,” according to the organization’s website. The festival aims to include dance education, history, dialogue and performance, establishing a platform for advocacy and appreciation for Black Dance, while amplifying dancers of color and Black culture.
In support of this year’s festival, skaters of all levels are invited to skate from “Horny Corner” to Alamitos Beach.
More details such as timing are soon to be announced, but tiers will be available for participants:
$0- Skate-a-thon participant
$5 Donation for the cause
$5 Skate party entry
$10 WE LOVE YOU CRAYPROJECT (DONATION & SKATE PARTY ENTRY)