VOR Fall Events — Volunteer Page Content
Join Us This Fall — Love Your Neighbor at the Table
WHAT ARE VOR FALL EVENTS?
Every fall, Voice of Refugees hosts a series of community celebrations that bring refugee and immigrant families together with volunteers from local churches across Orange County and Riverside County.
For many of the families we serve — from Afghanistan, Syria, India, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, and beyond — these events are among the first times they have felt truly seen and welcomed in America.
And you get to be part of that!
We need volunteers who are willing to:
Set up and prepare event spaces
Serve food and welcome guests
Run children's activities and games
Assist refugee families as they navigate the event
Tear down and clean up after each event
And simply be present and celebrate with us
No special skills required. Just a willing heart and committment.
🍽️ THANKSGIVING EVENTS
Thanksgiving Celebration — Anaheim 📅 Saturday, November 14 | 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM 📍 Anaheim, CA
This is our largest event of the year — a homecoming. We expect 200–300 refugee and immigrant guests from across North Orange County, joining volunteers from our church partner community for a full day of food, celebration, and connection. Volunteer roles span the entire day, from early morning setup through evening teardown. You can sign up for a morning, afternoon, or full-day shift.
What to expect: Serving a Thanksgiving dinner, running activities for kids and youth, assisting with our community raffle and gifts, welcoming guests, and simply being a friendly face at the table.
Thanksgiving Celebration — Irvine 📅 Friday, November 20 | 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM 📍 Irvine, CA
This Thanksgiving celebration is hosted in partnership with other international people groups like international students from OC universities. This will be a smaller, more intimate gathering where you build more personal experiences serving alongside international families.
What to expect: Serving dinner, connecting with families, running children's activities, and helping with cleanup.
Thanksgiving Dinner — Corona (details coming soon) 📍 Corona / Riverside County
We are adding a Thanksgiving celebration in the Corona area to serve our growing Riverside County community. Details are being confirmed. Sign up below to be notified when registration opens.
🎄 CHRISTMAS EVENTS
Our Christmas events are child-focused celebrations where families move through stations that tell the story of Christmas — through crafts, games, and interactive activities. Every child receives a gift at the end. These are some of the most joyful days of our year.
Christmas Event SETUP — Anaheim 📅 Friday, December 4 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM 📍 Anaheim, CA
Help us transform the space the day before Christmas! This shift is for volunteers who love setting up, decorating, and preparing — so that Saturday's event is ready to go from the moment families walk in the door.
What to expect: Moving and arranging tables and chairs, setting up activity stations, hanging decorations, organizing gift distribution areas, and preparing materials for each Christmas story station.
Christmas Celebration — Anaheim 📅 Saturday, December 5 | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM 📍 Anaheim, CA
The main event! Refugee and immigrant families gather for a morning and afternoon full of Christmas story stations, games, activities, and gifts for every child. This is a full-day event and we prefer volunteers who can stay for 6-hours shifts in order for our program to run smoothly.
Volunteer roles include:
Station hosts (leading families through each Christmas story station)
Gift distribution team
Games and activities team
Welcome and greeting team
Children's support (helping kids navigate between stations)
Teardown crew (end of day)
And more…
Christmas Event SETUP — Irvine 📅 Saturday, December 12 | 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM 📍 Irvine, CA
Help prepare the Irvine venue for Sunday's celebration. Great for volunteers who will be present on the day of the event, but also perfect for volunteers who can't make it on a Sunday but still want to play a key role in this celebration.
What to expect: Space setup, station preparation, decoration, and gift area organization.
Christmas Celebration — Irvine 📅 Sunday, December 13 | 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM 📍 Irvine, CA
An afternoon Christmas celebration in Irvine for refugee and immigrant families in the South OC area. Same format as Anaheim, we have the Christmas story stations, children's activities, games, and gifts hosted at a beautiful venue in Irvine.
Christmas Event — Corona (details coming soon) 📍 Corona / Riverside County
Our Corona Christmas celebration serves Afghan and Arab families in the Inland Empire. Details are being confirmed. Sign up below to be notified.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need experience working with refugees? No. We will give you everything you need to serve well. The most important thing you bring is a warm heart and a genuine desire to be present with our families.
Can I bring my small group, youth group, or family? Yes — and we love it. Groups are welcome at all events. Please note the minimum age for volunteers is 14, with adult supervision for anyone under 18. Contact us if you're bringing a group of 10 or more so we can prepare.
What should I wear? Comfortable clothes you can move in. Closed-toe shoes for setup shifts. We'll have VOR volunteer badges for you on the day.
Will there be a volunteer orientation? Yes. Each event includes a zoom orientation before the event as well as a brief volunteer orientation before doors open. Detailed instructions will be sent to you by email before each event.
I can't commit to a full-day shift. Can I still help? Absolutely. Several events have morning and afternoon shift options. Note your availability in the interest form is not a commitment. You are only expressing interest in our Fall events, and we'll do our best to reach out to you early with the details of the event of interest.
I want to donate gifts for the Christmas events. How do I do that? We are so grateful! Gift donations for refugee children are needed for all three Christmas events. Please contact us at vor@vorservices.org or text us on (657) 575-0854.
SIGN UP
Fill out the volunteer interest form below and let us know which events interest you. Our volunteer coordinator will follow up with you directly to confirm your registration and send event details.
VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORM « Click Here
Questions? Contact Cheri at vor@vorservices.org
A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM
"We have seen what happens when the church shows up for our refugee community, not just with food and gifts, but with their full presence. Families who have felt invisible become visible. Children who have known so much loss receive so much joy. And volunteers who came to serve end up leaving having received something they didn't expect.
This fall, we invite you to be part of something beautiful. Come be the hands and feet of a God who sees every refugee, who was himself a stranger in a strange land — and who calls us to love our neighbors with the same extravagant welcome He has shown us."
— The VOR Team