Giving Season: Volunteer and service ideas for the holiday season
To celebrate the holiday season by supporting your community, check out ABC4’s list of ideas for volunteering and helping those in need across Utah.
As the holiday season and cold temperatures begin, the need for food begins to rise. Combined with current events, local food banks and pantries are seeing an increase in visitors and families who are requesting help.
A great way to give back to your community, if you have the money or time, is to donate to a food bank or other resource center that provides food. Whether it’s gathering food from your pantry and food storage, purchasing food, or signing up to donate your time, you can help support those in need.
Below are several locations in Utah where you can donate food or volunteer your time. Another great option is to set up or support a free pantry in your neighborhood.
Utah Food Bank has a resource to search for other local food pantries across the state on its website.
If you find yourself with some spare time (and blood) during the holidays, it’s a great time to schedule a donation. Giving blood is a quick process, taking less than 15 minutes for the donation itself, and you can probably squeeze it in between all of the festivities.
ARUP Blood Services and the American Red Cross of Utah provide blood donations to local hospitals. You can find out more about giving blood on their websites.
The American Red Cross is also encouraging platelet donations, which help support those battling serious health conditions. The process takes roughly two hours, and donors are invited to relax, watch a movie, or read a book during that time.
Donating platelets is different from a regular blood donation. According to a press release from the American Red Cross of Utah, platelets have a short shelf life of five to seven days. The process of platelet donation involves “separating platelets from the blood and returning the remaining components to the donor.”
While the holiday season is filled with family and good food for many, some people live far away from their support systems and aren’t able to get their own food anymore. Meals on Wheels supports older adults who are struggling to get around or go grocery shopping.
Meals on Wheels is provided locally through some counties’ aging and adult services, and by some local nonprofit branches. To find which organization is providing meals in your area, visit the Meals on Wheels website.
Delivering food is just one part of the job; when a volunteer makes a delivery, they are also able to check on the senior and have a quick chat that could brighten their day. These volunteer opportunities are also only a small part of your day, meaning you can make a difference even with a busy schedule.
“A warm hello and a quick chat during a Meals on Wheels delivery might seem small, but it’s a lifeline for homebound seniors. These moments of connection help keep them healthy and safe,” the organization writes.
Visit Meals on Wheels to sign up to volunteer.
Furry friends in Utah are also in need of help during the holidays. Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other animals in shelters are looking for foster homes and friendly volunteers who are willing to lend a helping hand.
If you have the means, fostering a pet over the holidays is a great way to make space at shelters for animals who need safety from the winter cold. You also get to provide a warm, loving home to a pet who may not have experienced one before, providing much-needed respite from the shelter.
Many animal shelters in Utah also have volunteers who take the animals on walks or provide assistance to the full-time staff during their daily duties. If you don’t have the space to foster an animal, donating your time is also an amazing way to help out. And, of course, food and toy donations are always welcomed by local shelters.
The following animal shelters are accepting volunteers and/or fosters:
Childhood isn’t always easy, and some nonprofits in Utah are prepared to help support and guide youth who are facing struggles. If you enjoy spending time with children and want to make a positive impact and provide stability, this might be the volunteer opportunity for you.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is likely the most well-known way to mentor children, but other and more casual opportunities are also available. Most of these volunteer opportunities only require one or two hours a week.
Below are some different ways you can volunteer to support youth in your community.
Domestic violence incidents can increase around major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. This is due to a variety of factors, but it means that more victims are in need of support during the holiday season.
There are a variety of ways to support survivors of domestic violence through volunteering, from working on a hotline, sorting clothing, or assisting with service projects. The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition and South Valley Services both offer opportunities for volunteers to help.
Below is a list of domestic violence resource and support centers that are looking for volunteers:
If you’re sewing-savvy, there are several places in Utah and nationwide that are asking for help. For example, the American Fork Hospital is seeking hand-sewn infant stockings, pillowcases, and stuffed animals to give to patients.
Some charities even provide the pattern and fabric you need to get started. Check out the links below to find a sewing project you can do to support those in need.
Every family that celebrates wants to make sure their children have something to open on Christmas morning. If you have the means, donating toys and helping sort and deliver them is a great way to share the holiday joy with others.
One option is supporting Toys for Tots. You can donate toys locally, host a toy drive, or even volunteer to help store and transport toys leading up to the holiday. Toys for Tots gifts toys to children across the nation, supporting economically disadvantaged families.
If you’d like to hand-pick gifts for a family, Community Christmas Giving Trees are available in different locations across the entire state. The trees have a tag with toy and clothing requests from a local family, and you can pick out items to purchase and send to them. Visit the Community Christmas Giving Trees website to find a tree near you.
If you have some gently used coats or clothing that you no longer need, now is the time of year to make sure they’re given to someone in need. Resource centers across the Beehive State are looking for warm clothing and coats to help those in need.
To provide an extra boost, you could host a coat drive in your community. Encourage neighbors and friends to clean out their winter closets and gather all of the items into one place. Gloves, hats, scarves, and other winter gear are also accepted by many resource centers.
Look below for a list of places that you can donate coats and clothing. Make sure to check whether they accept used or new items only:
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