A gentle mist filled the air as the sun rose over Woodbridge Village Center, where nearly 200 volunteers in emerald-green “Love Irvine” T-shirts gathered for the start of the city’s fifth annual Citywide Serve Day.

Music from a DJ filled the lakeside courtyard, and volunteers warmed up with coffee, breakfast burritos and a pre-service yoga session. It was a festive yet focused atmosphere, a blend of purpose and community pride.

“This center is a crown jewel for the city,” says Curtis Drever, president of the nonprofit Love Irvine, who launched the event five years ago. “Right in the heart of Irvine – the lakes, the setting – it just has a great feel.”

Drever estimates that more than 700 volunteers took part in 32 projects throughout the city — from writing cards for veterans and packing student wellness kits to assembling thousands of sandwiches for people facing food insecurity.

Hosted for the first time at Woodbridge Village Center, the kickoff was a collaboration between Love Irvine and Irvine Company, which provided the venue, breakfast and support for the event. The ceremony included the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem and blessings in multiple languages — a nod to Irvine’s diversity. Volunteers ranged from young children to seniors, with many families joining to serve together.

At the Lakeview Senior Center, more than 60 volunteers worked with Sandwiches from the Heart, an Irvine-based nonprofit that has delivered nearly 20,000 sandwiches to local shelters and food banks since its founding.

Co-founder Mike Salzman says many people are eager to help but don’t always know where to start. “This is a great way to bring everyone together,” he says. “People are so giving. It’s really good to see that happening here.”

For longtime Irvine resident Al Tello, who has lived in the city for 28 years, the event was a meaningful first-time experience. “Anytime you’re doing something that you feel is benefiting somebody, it gives you a good feel inside,” he says. “We made the right decision moving here. It’s a really nice community.”

After a group photo by the lake, volunteers set out to their assigned locations. Some carried supplies, others carried coffee — all carried a shared sense of purpose.

As Drever looked across the courtyard, he smiled. “Irvine is such a diverse city, with so many languages and cultures, and if you look around today, there’s a great representation of the city here,” he says. “It brings me a lot of joy to see people connect through serving.”