5 Neighborhoods in Las Vegas for Getting Involved
Whether it’s volunteering, donating, or helping your neighbors, there are many different ways for getting involved in every neighborhood in Las Vegas. Getting involved in your neighborhood means you’ll get to meet new people, contribute to your community, and help others in need. Here are five neighborhoods in Las Vegas for getting involved.
Paradise
Paradise is a large neighborhood and there are many ways for getting involved and giving back to the community. During springtime, the Pet-a-Palooza festival at Sunset Park is the perfect spot to spend time with friends while enjoying live music, outdoor entertainment, and pet-friendly activities. Las Vegas Pride is also held at Sunset Park in October and allows residents show their support for the LGBT community. The two-day event includes a parade, live performances, and fun events all while celebrating diversity. Movies on the Green at Town Square is a free and child-friendly event that takes place Thursdays during the summer months. For those who want to volunteer through non-profit organizations in Paradise, they can do so at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada, Helping Hand of Vegas Valley, or Boys and Girls Club of Las Vegas.
Summerlin
There are lots of ways to get involved in and around the affluent Summerlin neighborhood. Easterseals and Make-A-Wish are in the area and are always looking for volunteers to help out with their charitable causes and events. Residents can also find numerous volunteer opportunities on the Las Vegas Clark County Library District Foundation website. The Park Ambassador Program also regularly seeks volunteers to support and help maintain local parks throughout the county. Summerlin Hospital also has a volunteer program for adults and teens. In order to get involved, teens must commit to the program during the summer, and adults must commit to four hours of volunteer service per week.
If you live in the area and want to stay updated on multiple non-profits at once, join Meetup’s Acts of Kindness group. They have an ongoing list of charities and other non-profit organizations that seek volunteers, as well as provide a list of local events in the community.
Downtown Summerlin is also a great hub and offers plenty of activities and events that allow residents to get involved. The neighborhood hosts the two-day event called Festival of Arts in October, which features music, food, and entertainment. During the summer, residents can enjoy the Summer Screen Series, which is a free outdoor movie screening series and is an excellent way mingle with other movie-goers from the neighborhood. And if you’re looking for farmers markets, the Las Vegas Market LLC has a few locations throughout Summerlin, including Downtown Summerlin, Bruce Trent Park, and The Gardens Park.
Spring Valley
Spring Valley residents can also find plenty of volunteer opportunities through popular organizations like the Ronald Mcdonald House Charities and United Way of Southern Nevada. Local organizations like the Angels of Las Vegas that provide support services and education to people affected with life threatening diseases, and Baby’s Bounty that supply infant essentials to teen mothers, homeless families, and unemployed parents are all great causes for the local Spring Valley community.
If you’re new to the neighborhood and want to meet other locals in the area, Bite of Las Vegas, located in Desert Breeze Park, is a fun family-friendly event happening in the fall. Foodies can also attend The Greek Food Festival that occurs twice a year in Spring Valley.
Downtown
Downtown is a lively neighborhood in Las Vegas and has ample options for those who want to get involved and socialize within their community. First Friday is a popular art and music fest that happens every first Friday of the month in the Arts District. Other events in Downtown include Life is Beautiful, which is held every September and features live music performances, art installations and murals, and culinary experiences.
For fresh produce, stop by the Downtown 3rd Farmers Market held on Fridays and Saturdays. Not only will you get some organic and locally grown food, but you’ll also be supporting local farmers.
If you’re looking for some free ways to get involved, check out Sunset Cinema Night at Downtown Container Park on Thursdays, the Fremont Street Free Concert Series all summer long on the weekends, and Zowie Bowie, which plays in Downtown every Saturday evening.
For those looking to give back, Downtown also has a few non-profits located in the neighborhood. The Southern Nevada Children First, The Center, Golden Rainbow, and the Rape Crisis Center are all worthy causes where you can donate your time or items to help others in need.
Henderson
Henderson is home to multiple non-profit organizations, so residents have plenty of ways to get involved in their own community. Some include Grant a Gift Autism Foundation, Little Miss Hannah Foundation, I’m Positive, Inc, Spread the Word Nevada, and Giving Hope Back Foundation.
You can also go through the City of Henderson website to get information on how to volunteer throughout the neighborhood. The website lists available volunteer opportunities, volunteer applications, and special events opportunities.
The neighborhood also has a few farmers markets like the Inspirada Farmers Market, which is held every other Saturday, and Henderson Farmers Market located at Water Street Events Plaza and is held on Thursdays. The Las Vegas Market at Galleria at Sunset is also a great spot to shop and support the local economy.
Henderson is also home to one of the biggest festivals in the Vegas valley, the Great American Foodie Fest which is over at Sunset Station. At the fest, locals are sure to mingle with other foodie fanatics as well as get to know new people who are attending the event for the first time.