Holiday Volunteering
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Holiday Volunteering
Dec 2005
Our family does not celebrate Christmas and now that Joshua is
2.5 y/o I'd like to start a family holiday tradition of helping
others less fortunate during the holidays.
Where can we help out with a Christmas dinner? What church,
soup kitchen or other organization usually needs volunteers on
Dec 25th?
Thanks,
Bobbie
Glide Church in San Francisco is a great place to help serve a
Christmas meal to the needy, and if you're lucky after your shift
is over you can slip upstairs and hear the fantastic gospel choir
and uplifting, politically progressive, ultra-inclusive service.
It's a Bay Area institution.
anon
November 2003
Hello; We are ''Thanksgiving orphans'' this year. Single mom and
school-age daughter seeking recommendations for a place in the
East Bay where we could help out on Thanksgiving, that would
include children being present as both recipients and
volunteers. I searched the archives but did not see such a
recommendation. Any ideas? The key points being children, and
in the East Bay. Thanks!
Want to help out on Thanksgiving
I don't know which of these could use help, but try looking at
the list at http://www.berkeleyfreeclinic.org/download/Meals%20Calendar.pdf
(or type into google: berkeley homeless meals,
and select the Berkeley Free Clinic link).
They list all the free.cheap meals in Berkeley, with contact
numbers you can check.
R.K.
Our West Berkeley preschool is providing the food for a Thanksgiving feast (as
we do every year) for Harrison House, a village located in west Berkeley that
offers housing and support services for homeless families. You might contact
them to inquire if it would be appropriate for you & your daughter to volunteer
for this T-Day feast. Harrison House is located at 711 Harrison St, TEL:
(510) 525-0843 and website info: http://www.self-sufficiency.org/village.html
Bruce
November 2002
My family has decided to attempt to with hold buying gifts for
eachother this holiday season (easier said than done) and
instead have a group family ''experience'' in lieu of gifts. We
have been contemplating several ideas including a vacation
(which time is quickly escaping on us to pursue this) and we
have decided to do some kind of charity work. There are 8 of us
adults in this group ranging in age from 22-58. We would like to
do some type of charity work right around or on Dec. 25, and
something that we can all participate in. Are there any
suggestions out there or have other families done
any ''alternative'' things in response to the over-indulgence we
often feel during the holidays? Anywhere in the Bay Area would
be good-- We were thinking about volunteering a children's
hospital or youth shelter...Anyone affiliated with any needy
organizations, please respond. Thanks. Happy Holidays!
Maggie
Raphael House is a homeless shelter for families in SF (plus
they have an outreach program for needy families in Oakland).
In the past they have had opportunities to help with a Christmas
dinner as well as opportunites to provide Christmas gifts for
needy families. (415) 474-4621. I volunteered there for 5+
years and they provide really great services for really needy
people.
elizabeth
Have you thought about volunteering with Glide Memorial Church
in San Francisco? I work at Glide and the holidays are truly
amazing here! We are still looking for volunteers to serve
Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day meals. Families and
groups are welcome - children over age 7 are welcome with
parents. Shifts are typically 1 hour to 2 hours. We also have
a Grocery Bag Giveaway day December 18, and need volunteers for
that as well. Finally, we also have a Toy Giveaway on December
20, and need both toys (especially for babies and young
toddlers, and teenagers - unwrapped, new toys) and folks to
help out at the toy giveaway. You can call Glide's volunteer
office at 415-674-6081 for more details and to sign up.
Ellen
Try Community Impact. I believe their web address is http://www.ci.org.
They are the perfect organization for the kind of charitable
giving of time and energy you seek.
Good luck.
S. Hall
November 2001
I would like to know if anyone has suggestions for doing volunteer work
around the holidays. I would like to involve my 9 and 12 year old
daughters. Hopfully this would extend into a regular post holiday schedule.
If you know of any opportunites perhaps you could post them on the
newletter for all to see. Thanks
My family has volunteered at the Alameda County
Food Bank in Oakland sorting food and putting it in boxes.
Jamie
I can make two recommendations on how to find a volunteer opportunity
for Thanksgiving day or any time of the year. Check out
http://www.volunteermatch.org.
This is the premier website for volunteer
opportunities. Most Bay Area non-profit agencies use this website to
find volunteers for their events.
You can run a search by type of service you want to perform (one-time
or on-going) and also by agency category and by zip code. I also
recommend www.communityimpact.org. Community Impact, based in the
Palo Alto area, organizes one-time volunteer opportunities all over
the Bay Area, mostly evening and weekend events. They coordinate the
activity with the agency and all you do is sign up with them and then
show up for the event which really simplfies the process. Both of
these sites will let you know if their event is appropriate for
children.
Good luck!
Whitney
I'm a long time volunteer (with my husband and 8-year-old son) at Piedmont
Gardens, a retirement/nursing home off of Piedmont Ave. in Oakland. I know
they need volunteers to set up and serve from 10am-2pm on Thanksgiving. You can contact Elizabeth Chamish, the volunteer coordinator at 654-7172, ext. 113.
Lee
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