Volunteer Center South Bay Harbor Long Beach
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY TO PRACTICE EMPATHY, SPREAD KINDNESS,AND VOLUNTEER WHERE CARE IS NEEDED MOST.
- Income
- $1.7 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 15.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 52%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 8,681
- Highest pay
- $129,877, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 74% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $436,957 spent. COURT REFERRAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM PART OF THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF ALTERNATE SERVICE (CRCS) PROGRAMS, THE VOLUNTEER CENTER'S COURT REFERRAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS ANNUALLY WHO ARE GIVEN COMMUNITY SERVICE BY THE COURTS AS AN ALTERNATIVE SENTENCE. CRCS STAFF WORKS WITH ELIGIBLE NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP COURT VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE THEIR SERVICE. CRCS STAFF ALSO COORDINATES PARTICIPATION IN THE HOSPITAL AND MORGUE (HAM) PROGRAM AND MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING (MADD) VICTIM IMPACT PANELS TO HELP BUILD AWARENESS AND EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIFIC OFFENSES. THIS ENSURES THAT COURT VOLUNTEERS CAN MAINTAIN THEIR EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND OTHER POSITIVE INFLUENCES WHILE COMPLETINGTHEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE.
- $419,505 spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICESOPERATION TEDDY BEAROPERATION TEDDY BEAR IS THE VOLUNTEER CENTERS VOLUNTEER-POWERED LITERACY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES AN EDUCATIONAL BOOST THROUGH A KIND GIFT APPROXIMATELY 4,000 LITERACY BAGS FILLED WITH BOOKS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND WELLNESS TOOLS, ALONG WITH A LESSON IN KINDNESS, COMPASSION, VOLUNTEERING AND IDENTIFYING EMOTIONS TO THE MOST UNDERSERVED FIRST-GRADERS IN THE SOUTH BAY, HARBOR AND LONG BEACH AREAS EACH YEAR. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES VOLUNTEERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THE CHILDREN FIRST-HAND BY PREPARING STEM KITS AND ITEMS TO BE PLACED IN THE BAGS, AND THEN INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS IN 146 CLASSROOMS. DURING SCHOOL VISITS, VOLUNTEERS READ AN ORIGINAL STORY ABOUT KINDNESS, FACILITATING A LESSON ABOUT HELPING OTHERS, AND THEY USE THE EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING THE SCHOOLBAG AND THE TEDDY BEAR TO HELP THE STUDENTS IDENTIFY, PROCESS AND WORK THROUGH THEIR EMOTIONS.DURFEE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIPS SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PROVIDED FOR UP TO EIGHT COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH BAY, HARBOR AND LONG BEACH AREAS OF LOS ANGELES. RECIPIENTS ARE SELECTED BASED ON THEIR ABILITY TO OVERCOME CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE STILL FINDING TIME TO MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION IN THE COMMUNITY. APPLICANTS LEARN ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP THROUGH THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS, AND AWARDEES CAN USE THE SCHOLARSHIP TOWARD THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE. FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM IS GENERATED THROUGH THE INTEREST FROM THE DURFEE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP FUND. MOST RECENTLY, SEVEN SCHOLARSHIPS AT $2,000 EACH WERE PROVIDED TO RESILIENT AND DESERVING STUDENTS.
- $220,894 spent. FOOD FOR KIDS FOOD FOR KIDS IS THE VOLUNTEER CENTERS VOLUNTEER AND DONATION-DRIVEN FOOD PANTRY THAT PROVIDES BAGS OF NON-PERISHABLE FOOD AND HEALTH-RELATED INSERTS TO LOW-INCOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AT PARTNER SCHOOLS EACH WEEK. VOLUNTEERS SORT, PACK AND DELIVER BAGS OF FOOD FILLED WITH ENOUGH ITEMS TO MAKE TWO BREAKFASTS, TWO LUNCHES AND TWO DINNERS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR TO THE SCHOOLS EVERY FRIDAY. THE SCHOOLS IDENTIFY FAMILIES WITH THE GREATEST NEED, AND THOSE STUDENTS TAKE THE BAGS HOME TO SHARE OVER THE WEEKEND.
- $140,466 spent. IMPACT MAKERS BUILDING SKILLS FOR LIFE IS A PROGRAM TO HELP YOUTH GAIN A DEEPERUNDERSTANDING OF THEMSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM. IN THIS 12-WEEK PROGRAM(8-WEEKS FOR SUMMER), PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITYAND THE SUPPORT RESOURCES THAT ARE IN PLACE TO HELP ADDRESS THEM. THROUGH ANIMMERSIVE SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCE, YOUTH HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THECOMMUNITY AND EMPATHIZE WITH THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS. TOGETHER WITH THE CARINGIMPACT MAKERS TEAM AND FELLOW PEERS, THEY UNCOVER THE TOOLS NEEDED TO SUPPORT BOTHTHEMSELVES AND OTHERS. IMPACT MAKERS SERVED 60 HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH DURING THE2023/2024 SCHOOL YEAR.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1966.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.