Tessa Kientz

Love Yorba Linda is a great way to get involved and connected with the community.

Starting back in 2019, residents of Yorba Linda would come together each spring for a day of giving back to their community. This year, Love Yorba Linda carries on this annual tradition of bringing volunteers of all ages together for a community-wide day of service. 

Created to unite “residents, businesses, city government, faith groups, service groups, schools, and sports organizations” through service, Love Yorba Linda inspires people to go beyond individual efforts and instead dedicate a day for people to work side by side, improving the community together.

Love Yorba Linda is part of a larger campaign, Love Our Cities, which started in Modesto, California, in 2007. Love Our Cities is a national movement that encourages cities across America to hold similar days of service. The idea is that if community members show love to their cities, their community will thrive, becoming stronger and more connected. With almost 100 cities that have joined its initiative, Love Our Cities has continued to grow and spread its goal throughout the country.

This year, Yorba Linda’s day of service is on Saturday, April 25. On this day, a kick-off rally will be held at Hurless Barton Park, where volunteers check in and enjoy food, music, and entertainment. Once check-in finishes, volunteers are released to go to their project site. These projects include beautifying parks, planting trees, writing letters, and so much more. Additionally, there are opportunities found on the Love Yorba Linda website where community members can suggest a project. 

Though these few hours may seem insignificant, the impact of Love Yorba Linda extends beyond just a day of work. While the cleaner, more appealing public spaces are a part of this day, the main aspect is the sense of unity it creates. People work with others whom they might not have known before; families bond together, teaching the younger generation the importance of giving back.

For high schoolers, not only is this a local community service event for service hours, but it is also a chance to develop leadership and teamwork skills. By organizing and leading their own projects, becoming a project leader, or even just being a volunteer, these experiences help build vital skills needed to succeed in the real world, all while making a noticeable difference locally. Faith Saba (12) comments, “This is more than just a way to get service hours. It actually feels like you are helping the community.”

To sign up, residents can register online on their website, choosing from a list of projects based on what they want to be involved in. Whether people volunteer individually, with friends and family, or as part of a larger group, all are encouraged to join this yearly event. 

What once started as a small idea to help improve the community has grown into a key reminder that community still matters. Aileen Vo (10) shares, “For many of us, Yorba Linda residents, Love Yorba Linda helps us give back to the place that has shaped who we have become.  As residents, we owe it to the community to keep this place as one of the most friendly and welcoming places in Orange County.” As a partner of Love Our Cities, Love Yorba Linda continues to demonstrate the lasting impact that occurs when people join together with a shared purpose. Love changes everything.