Madeline Black, Corona’s volunteer program coordinator, told the Parks and Recreation Commission she’s seen strong growth in the city’s centralized volunteer program: the office answered 1,175 web inquiries this year compared with 613 last year and recorded about 287 long-term volunteers.

“Last year we answered 613 of these emails. This year, we've answered 1,175, connecting people to the city's opportunities,” Black said, summarizing intake and placement work. She asked residents to register through the city’s web interest form and noted that staff and a new part-time assistant now manage requests.

Black listed a range of opportunities—from single-day community cleanups to long-term assignments at the senior center, animal shelter and park ambassador program—and said the city’s volunteer pipeline includes many neighboring-city residents. She highlighted partnerships with the Corona-Norco Unified School District that place students in paid work-experience roles.

The coordinator provided two program metrics the commission flagged for attention: the program reported 28,500 volunteer service hours over the past year, which Black estimated converts to about $991,500 in in-kind value, and she said the city has expanded recognition practices for volunteers, including milestone certificates and lifetime-hour markers.

Commissioners praised the program’s growth and asked staff about repeat volunteers and tracking methods. Black said the monthly reports show event-level counts and the city does not yet track individuals across single-day events, though staff are exploring recognition that would let them identify repeat participants.

The commission did not take formal action; staff said registration for the first half of 2026 Corona Beautiful cleanup events will open Dec. 1 and encouraged commissioners to participate in upcoming volunteer days.