Good Morning everyone!  Are you getting into the holiday spirit yet?  You will notice in my blog posts over the next few months that I try to give tips for the holidays so we can move through this time of year with a little less stress and enjoy the important moments more.  For me, the fall always makes me think about my friends and family and how blessed I truly am, which is why giving back is always in the forefront of my mind even more this time of year.

Finding Volunteer Opportunities Near You

I really strive to find opportunities to give back to those who need help throughout the year and not just at this time of year, but my desire grows stronger as the holidays get closer.  Maybe it’s because I realize just how blessed I am and how much I have in my life.  But I truly believe that you can help others any time of the year in so many ways.  I always receive such joy when I am able to help someone, even in a small way, and I wanted to share some ways to find these volunteer opportunities so you are able to enjoy the blessing that you receive when you give to others as well.

I want to start out by listing some volunteer opportunities you can consider taking part in – some are available throughout the year and some are available specifically at the holidays.

Opportunities to Help Others:

Throughout the Year-

• Reading to children in libraries, schools, or hospitals
• Helping take care of rescue animals at animal shelters humane societies
• Visiting the elderly or ill in nursing homes and hospitals
• Feeding the homeless at soup kitchens
• Taking clothing to your local homeless shelter or women’s shelter
• Giving blankets and supplies to the homeless
• Donating food to the local food bank
• Making Blessing Bags to hand out to the homeless
• Visiting a Veteran in the hospital
• Providing support to military families

At the Holidays-

• Sponsoring a family for Thanksgiving or Christmas (read my blog post on November 27^th for tips for sponsoring a family for Christmas)
• Participating in an Angel Tree
• Donating toys to Toys for Tots
• Filling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child
• Donating food to your local church toward holiday meals
• Sponsoring a military family for the holidays

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Where to Find Opportunities:

Contact local elementary, middle, and high schools for reading to children

Contact local churches for donating to food and finding families you can sponsor

Contact local humane societies and animal shelters for helping to take care of pets

Contact local nursing homes and hospitals for visiting the elderly and reading to children who are ill

Contact local homeless shelters and soup kitchens for serving meals

Contact local homeless shelters and women’s shelters for donating clothing and needed items

Contact local Salvation Army to locate an Angel Tree in your area

Contact local VA Hospital for visiting Veterans who are ill

Go to Toys for Tots to find a drop off location near you

Go to Samaritan’s Purse to find a drop off location near you for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes

Go to thriftynorthwestmom.com for ideas on making Blessing Bags for the homeless

Go to Operation Homefront to support families of soldiers financially and emotionally

Go to Soldier’s Angels to support families of soldiers who have died in battle, give gifts to military families, and adopt a military family for the holidays

You can also check out these websites for other volunteering opportunities:

• volunteermatch.org
• Serve.gov
• givepulse.com
• createthegood.org
• idealist.org
• pointsoflight.org
• networkforgood.org

I hope this has inspired you to become more active in helping others – whether it’s for the holiday season or year round.  You will never regret giving to others who are in need, and you will be amazed how much you will benefit from the experience!  I’d love to hear some volunteering ideas you may have that I did not touch on, so please leave a comment below to share the opportunities you’ve taken part in before.  And don’t forget to share this post on your social media sites so your friends and family can be inspired to help others as well!