The Transformer

WHO HE IS

Jaren Sorkow is all about sustainability. As director of community and volunteer programs for the Pasadena-based Union Station Foundation--the San Gabriel Valley’s largest nonprofit serving the poor and homeless--he recruits and oversees hundreds of volunteers. The agency not only provides free meals and shelter, but also a path to self-sufficiency through transitional housing and career counseling. “It’s not rocket science,” says the 30-year-old with a master’s degree in nonprofit management from the University of San Francisco. “Our mission is to transform lives.”

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WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT HIM

“He has an attitude of service for a group of people who don’t expect service,” says Michelle Mitchell, who has done work for the United Way and invited Sorkow to be a guest speaker. “He refers to them as ‘clients.’ He’s giving them dignity.”

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WHAT’S NEW

This year, he helped create the agency’s Government Relations Committee, which tracks legislation affecting the homeless. He and local politicians were on hand at the opening of the Raymond Avenue shelter’s new women’s wing in September.

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WHY IT MATTERS

Los Angeles County has the largest homeless population in the nation, with more than 73,000 on the streets. “I’ve always had a natural affinity for the underdog. Homelessness is not going to go away.” Volunteers can make a huge impact, and by giving their time they also help the agency keep down costs.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO

Get your hands dirty. Sign up to make hot meals or bag lunches. Donate toys. Participate in Union Station’s jazz concert or golf tournament fundraisers. Volunteer at its Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at Pasadena’s Central Park. And, of course, act with compassion. “I try to always see people as individuals, not as a number.” For more information, go to www.unionstationfoundation.org.

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At a Glance

Sphere

Aiding the homeless

Influence

Recruiting new volunteers

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Know somebody who’s out to save the world, or at least Southern California?

E-mail elizabeth.khuri@latimes.com