The August heat didn't deter more than 60 volunteers who converged on Arroyo High School's Farm Lab in El Monte recently, nearly tripling the typical turnout for a Saturday morning. Folks came from all over Southern California to help with tasks like mulching and weeding, but this surge in community spirit had a specific catalyst: the promise of pop star Olivia Rodrigo.
Rodrigo's upcoming Daisy Chain Fields festival, slated for August 29 at Great Park in Irvine, teamed up with the longstanding local nonprofit L.A. Works to launch what they call "Daisy Chain Reaction." This collaboration offered a unique incentive: 125 free pairs of tickets to the festival, to be distributed via a lottery, for volunteers who collectively reached 1,000 hours of service. The initiative began on July 22 and is set to conclude on August 20, covering dozens of community events across Los Angeles and Orange County.
The impact of this pop-star-powered volunteering drive was immediate and clear. On that hot Saturday morning in El Monte, almost everyone asked at the garden event confirmed they learned about the opportunity through the festival's promotion. The collective volunteer hour goal was not just met, but surpassed, with more than two weeks remaining in the program's scheduled run.
Deborah Brutchey, executive director of L.A. Works, commented on the initiative's success in translating good intentions into tangible action. "Every day at L.A. Works, we see that people want to help," Brutchey said. She explained that "getting from ‘I’d love to volunteer’ to actually signing up and showing up" can sometimes be the harder part, and the Daisy Chain Reaction offered "that extra invitation to take that first step" for Rodrigo's enthusiastic community of fans.
While many Daisy Chain Reaction events are garden-based, the program includes a diverse array of opportunities across the region. Volunteers have been invited to assist with tasks such as cleaning fire-affected yards in Altadena, helping restore habitat at the Audubon Center at Debs Park, and beautifying a community garden in Van Nuys. Other included efforts range from free food distribution events to back-to-school backpack giveaways. Though many listed events are currently full, waitlists are available, and spaces have been known to open up closer to event dates, so persistence can pay off.
For those looking to find other consistent local opportunities, the Los Angeles Community Garden Council offers valuable resources. This volunteer organization, which has supported gardens across the county for a quarter-century, maintains a website featuring a map of community gardens from Santa Clarita in the north to San Pedro in the south, and west to Pomona. Each listing includes contact information for a garden manager. The council also lists ongoing open hours for volunteering at 18 community gardens, such as the Elysian Valley Community Garden, which hosts volunteers on Sunday mornings. While some gardens adjust their hours during the summer, September typically marks a return to their regular schedules. The Daisy Chain Fields festival will take place as planned, with its newly earned volunteer support.
