December 2019 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2019 - Silicon Valley  Trail Days County of Santa Clara Date/Time: Saturday December 7, 9am - noon Location: Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear County Park, 10840 Coyote Lake Rd., Gilroy Ages: All ages welcome as long as they participate with close parental supervision. Minors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Time Commitment: Three-hour shift Volunteers are needed to help our Trail Crew staff maintain the more than 350 miles of trails in our Santa Clara County Parks trail system. Trail Days tasks will include some brushing and pruning, but will mostly focus on tread work to help reduce erosion. Please bring sturdy boots, gloves, and a water bottle. Parks will provide light snacks, water and tools. Contact: Eric McFarland, 408.318.4766. Registration is available online. https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/Volunteer/Pages/GetInvolved.aspx Holiday Wish Drive- Lead your own drive! Family Giving Tree Date/Time: Donations are due between December 9 -11. Check website for specific drop-off times. Location: In your own community and network! There are a couple drop off centers depending on location in San Jose, San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Castro Valley. Ages: Great for all ages! Time Commitment: Varies Since 1990, Family Giving Tree has fulfilled gift wishes for over one million Bay Area children from low-income households, holding firm the belief that no child should feel forgotten during the holidays. Your efforts will help provide thousands of children, adults, and seniors in need with wished-for gifts this holiday season. As a Drive Leader, you will... Facilitate donations and participation within your group by posting wish cards or backpack tags in a well-traveled area or distributing them to friends and colleagues. Set up a Virtual Giving Tree (VGT) to allow for online donations. Deliver the donated items collected to Family Giving Tree's donated warehouse. Receive priority when signing up for Family Giving Tree's in-demand warehouse volunteer shifts. Have a direct impact in your own community. Contact: jazmin@familygivingtree.org. Click here to register as a drive leader. To find the closest drop off location near you, contact jazmin@familygivingtree.org. https://familygivingtree.org/ EHP Family Sharing Program (formerly Adopt a Family) Ecumenical Hunger Program (EHP) Date/Time: Gifts are due by Monday, December 16 Location: Ecumenical Hunger Program 2411 Pulgas Ave., East Palo Alto. Call for donation pick-up: 650.323.7781 Ages: The whole family can participate in thoughtful shopping for your adopted family. Time Commitment: Varies Every holiday season, EHP provides low-income families in East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, Menlo Park and surrounding communities with food and gifts. Several years ago, EHP started a special program for families with special needs and/or experiencing extreme hardship, the EHP Family Sharing Program. These families are matched with individuals or groups wanting to experience a more personal and direct donating experience. Family Sharing donors are provided with a wish list of specific food and new gifts items submitted by the families registered for the Family Sharing Program. Donors receive basic information about the family, including names and ages of the children and special needs or requests that the family might have. Out of respect for the privacy of our families and to allow them to maintain their dignity, some personal information may be withheld.  Contact: To sign up to adopt a family, please call 650.323.7781 or email info@ehpcares.org. You will be provided with the name of the family, their wish list and the opportunity to make this a brighter holiday for a family in need through your generosity. https://www.ehpcares.org/ December Events Grassroots Ecology Date/Time: Varies by event Location: Varies by event Ages: All ages are welcome at most events. Minors under 18 require a parent to approve the online waiver when registering. Children under 12 or 13 must be accompanied by an adult, depending on event Time Commitment: Varies by event; typically two to three hours Grassroots Ecology leverages the power of volunteers to create healthy lands across Silicon Valley. They restore native plants to open spaces and neighborhoods, steward creeks and watersheds, and provide hands-on nature education. While volunteering with Grassroots Ecology, you will learn interesting things about the natural world while making a positive impact on the environment. Grassroots offers opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to help with planting, weeding, creek monitoring, or installing rain gardens and rain barrels. Use the clickable links below to register for the right volunteer opportunity for you and your family: Every Wednesday, 9 - 11:30am, Wednesday Weed Warriors: Habitat Restoration at Arastradero Preserve, Palo Alto Sunday, December 8, 9am - noon, Volunteer at Foothills Park, Palo Alto Saturday, December 21, 9 - 11:30am, Habitat Restoration - Sponsored by the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail, McClellan Ranch Preserve, Cupertino Contact: Jeremy Merckling, jeremy@grassrootsecology.org, 650.384.5314 www.grassrootsecology.org Dune's Beach Trail Clean Up Sea Hugger Date/Time: Saturday, December 14, 10am - noon Location: Dunes Beach, Half Moon Bay Ages: All ages are welcome to participate with adult supervision as long as you think your child can actively participate with clean-up activities. Time Commitment: Two hours Are you a sea hugger? Then join us at Dune's Beach in Half Moon Bay for a beach cleanup! Meet at the south end of the Dune's Beach parking lot at the end of Young Avenue and look for the Sea Hugger check-in table. We will be cleaning the beach, trail, and parking lot areas. Please bring your own bucket and reusable gloves - we will provide extra gloves and buckets while supplies last. Sea Hugger focuses on microplastic and has a Nurdle Trommel cleaning device that makes our beach clean ups fun, different and educational. Contact: For questions or to sign up to volunteer, contact the volunteer coordinator, Shell Cleave, shell@seahugger.org http://www.SeaHugger.org Hanukkah Events: Volunteer Events & Holiday Celebrations Jewish Family and Children's Services Date/Time(s): Assembly, Sunday, December 15, 11am - 1pm Delivery, Monday, December 16, noon - 4pm  Location: Koret Family Resource Center, 200 Channing Avenue, Palo Alto Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate Time Commitment: Two to four hours Founded in 1850, the JFCS is one of the largest and oldest family services agencies in the U.S., currently serving over 75,000 people in need per year. You can help brighten the holidays of JFCS clients and community members who otherwise would not be able to observe Hanukkah and other holidays due to frailty, disability, economic hardship, and other challenges in their lives. Volunteer with your children to assemble and deliver Hanukkah treat bags at one of JFCS' five locations in the Bay Area. Each year, caring volunteers gather to assemble and deliver holiday bags filled with festive food and goodies for hundreds of JFCS clients. Children of all ages enjoy coloring, activities, and games as well as a meaningful opportunity to participate in brightening the holidays for those in need. Whether decorating or stuffing bags at an assembly event, or joining parents in hand delivering gifts to clients in need, there is fun and learning for toddlers to teens. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Contact: Miriam Markowitz, MiriamM@JFCS.org or 415.449.3824. Registration is available online. https://www.jfcs.org Toys for Tots San Bruno Marine's Chapter Drive Date/Time: All donations due before December 17 Location: Variety of locations in San Bruno. Click here for drop-off locations. Ages: All ages can participate in collecting toys to donate. Time Commitment: Varies The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. If you are looking to donate a toy to help bring a Merry Christmas to families in San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties this year please collect unwrapped, new toys for both boys and girls of varying ages and drop them off at a local toy drop site. Thank you for your hard work and support! Contact: Local Coordinating Officer: Gunnery Sergeant Francisco Olivas, t4tsanbruno@gmail.com, 650.228.3977. https://san-bruno-ca.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx?nPageID=100&nPreviewInd=200 Toy Drive! County of San Mateo Children's Fund Date/Time: Drop off hours are Monday - Thursday, 9am - 4pm Location: Warehouse location: 1 Davis Drive, Belmont Ages: Everyone can participate in the toy drive! Time Commitment: Varies The Children's Fund Program assists foster and low-income children in San Mateo County access goods and service that are not available through public funds. Every year over 4,500 children and youth, newborn to age 18, receive resources from our program. The Holiday Gift program is our largest program and serves approximately 3,500 children each holiday season. In many cases, the gifts we provide are the only ones that the child receives. Children submit a wish list and volunteers help us fill their "wishes." Help put a smile on a child's face this holiday season! You can help by hosting a toy drive! Collect new toys and gifts with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates, church/synagogue, or girl scout troop. We'll provide the materials and a barrel. We can pick up all your donations or you can deliver them to our warehouse. Don't have time for a toy drive? Your family can still purchase and donate gifts. Contact: For more information or to register to host a toy drive, please contact us for more details at 650.802.5152 or childrensfund@smcgov.org https://childrensfund.smcgov.org/ Deliver Mobile Meals as a Family! Samaritan House Date/Time: Pick up meals from warehouse Monday through Friday, 2:30 - 4pm. Routes take about one to one and one-half-hours to complete. Location: Food pick-up location: 4031 Pacific Boulevard, San Mateo Ages: All ages can participate in the food delivery route. Licensed, adult driver required. Time Commitment: One to one and one-half-hour shifts weekly, or bi-weekly. This is a great opportunity for parents with young children to perform direct service for our clients and create an understanding of community service. Your team will collect pre-packed meal servings from our kitchen and drive them to clients who otherwise would not be able to get to one of our meal services. The regular shift can be a weekly or bi-weekly commitment. We are currently looking for teams of volunteers to help us on several weekdays approximately two times a month.     Contact: For questions or to sign up to volunteer for mobile food deliver, contact info@samaritanhousesanmateo.org or call 650.347.3648. https://samaritanhousesanmateo.org/ Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more!   Celebrate kindness and generosity with Doing Good Together on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd. The holiday shopping season includes Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but for nonprofits and big-hearted donors, there's #GivingTuesday. GivingTuesday harnesses the generosity of millions of people around the world to support the causes they believe in and the communities in which they live. This year, YOU can make kindness, generosity and engagement a routine part of family life by making a gift to Doing Good Together. Thanks to a generous donation from the Kinney Family Foundation, all DGT #GivingTuesday donations will be doubled, up to $2,000! In addition, we are randomly awarding three (3) retail gift cards to select donors as a thank-you for their generosity. Kindly visit DoingGoodTogether.org/donate to make your donation. We are so grateful for your support.       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2019 Doing Good Together™

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December 2018 - Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2018 - New York City Volunteer One-Night-of-Chanukah Dorot   Date/Time: Sunday, December 2 or Thursday, December 6   Location: At the home of an elderly Dorot client -Upper East or Upper West side Set aside one night of Chanukah to light the menorah with an elderly client of Dorot. Together, you and your family will create a memorable and meaningful Chanukah tradition, while fulfilling the mitzvot (commandment) of lighting Chanukah candles with a homebound elder who may have no family with whom to celebrate the holiday. Your family will be assigned to an elder and you call to schedule a time to visit and deliver a care package from Dorot filled with treats, a small menorah and candles.   Ages: Families with children age four and up are welcome to participate   Time Commitment:  Each visit should last approximately a half hour.   Contact: Quinn Lockwood, qlockwood@dorotusa.org, 914.441.5051. Register online now through November 28. www.dorotusa.org Adopt a Family for the Holidays Catholic Charities   Date/Time: Now through December 8   Location: Catholic Charities NY, 1011 First Avenue, New York Become a Secret St. Nick for a New York family in need! You and your family can help Catholic Charities make sure children and their families receive the gifts they need most during the holidays this year such as coats, gloves, blankets and more. Catholic Charities NY wants to help the families we serve have one less thing to worry about so that they may have a cheerful holiday season. Last year Catholic Charities provided winter necessities to more than 800 families. Family sizes range from a family of one to as many as eight. Catholic Charities will give you a brief description of your "adopted" family and their needs. If you cannot adopt a family this year, we ask that you please consider a monetary donation that will be used to purchase gifts for our families this winter season. All donations are tax-deductible.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: lakisha.morris@archny.org, 646.794.2436. Click here to Adopt a Family https://archny.org/ St. Nicholas Shopping Project - Astor Place Catholic Charities   Date/Time: Saturday, December 8 from 7am - 3pm and 11am - 5pm   Location: Astor Place Kmart, 770 Broadway, New York Despite hard work that often includes holding more than one job, many New York residents do not earn enough to pay for food, shelter, and utilities. The needs of struggling families with children, the working poor, frail seniors, and other residents in our communities continue to grow. Catholic Charities wants to help the families we serve have one less thing to worry about and ensure that they have a cheerful holiday season! Volunteers are needed to help support the St. Nicholas Project Shopping Day. This is a fun-filled day at the Kmart in Astor Place. Volunteers will be shopping for approximately 600 families on this day. Volunteers will be asked to help us "shop" at Kmart to select winter clothing items, process these items through the Kmart registers, and load everything onto Catholic Charities trucks for delivery. Volunteers will: Shop for families (volunteers will receive a family profile and shop for winter items - Catholic Charities provides this budget). We are unable to guarantee that each volunteer will be able to shop for families (earlier shifts will have first priority). Help at the cash registers Bag and sort donation items Load trucks Provide other assistance as needed Volunteers will be asked to assist in one or more of these areas. Kmart has changed its store layout, and we will depend on volunteers to help us with moving, bagging, and storing items. TEAM REGISTRATION: This is a great opportunity for corporate groups, school groups, friends, and family teams. If you wish to sign-up multiple people you can create a team -- however, you must first create your own log-in to do so. Click for CREATE-A-TEAM Instructions.   Ages: Families with ages nine and older are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Up to six hours   Contact: Registration is available online. https://www.catholiccharitiesnyvolunteer.org/ Community School District 17 Feast and Talent Show Seeds in the Middle   Date/Time: Saturday, December 8, 10 am - 1 pm   Location: Community School District 17 Office, Maggie L. Walker Educational Campus, 1224 Park Place, Brooklyn This is a special event held every year for families from schools in this district that spans Crown Heights, Flatbush and Brownsville, central Brooklyn. Volunteers are needed to help make and serve food, help with talent show, and bring special gifts and donations that are healthy and will make everyone happy! This event focused on children and families who come from difficult circumstances. Feel free to bring new toys, gently used toys, or clothes for any age in good condition. Please bring a delicious, fresh dish for their potluck. We are located in a food desert area, where access to fresh fruits and vegetables is limited. We may be making fresh orange juice, so children can help make that, too!   Ages: All ages are welcome with a parent   Time Commitment: Two hours at any time. Volunteers may also be needed to help with set-up and breakdown.   Contact: Nancie, info@seedsinthemiddle.org, 917.697.3745 seedsinthemiddle.org   13th Annual - Mom's Christmas Stocking Campaign Mom's Christmas Stocking   Date/Time: Sunday, December 9, 1 - 3pm   Location: Grassroots Fitness Project, 371 Amsterdam Avenue, second floor. D. Wendy Strauss started this project in honor of her own mother. After her Mom passed away, Wendy found a request from her mom that she continue to fill a Christmas stocking for her each year, and to give it to a woman in need. Mom's Christmas Stocking fills upwards of 200 stockings for women and children each holiday season to be distributed to shelters in NYC through Women In Need (www.women-in-need.org). Volunteers are needed to purchase stocking stuffers for women and babies and to participate on event day; filling stockings and transporting bags of filled stockings to the final location before pick up. Suggested stocking stuffer items include: Makeup Travel size toiletries, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant  Feminine products Jewelry Hair accessories Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss Nail kits, emery boards, polish Socks, trouser socks, slipper socks Candy, chocolates, mints Specialty gift items, hats, gloves, slipper socks, pashmina scarves Pens, markers, notebooks, note pads, pocket calendars, date books Baby clothing such as bibs, socks, onesies  Child safe toys, bottles, pacifiers, baby care kits, wipes, diapers Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Shop in advance at your convenience, "stuffing" event is two hours but drop in and stuff for as long as you'd like!   Contact: D. Wendy Strauss, darylwendy@msn.com or mom.stocking@gmail.com, 212.920.4719 http://momschristmasstocking.com/ Become a Santa! Stockings with Care   Date/Time: Please fulfill your child's wish list and deliver gifts to the SWC Santa's Workshop in midtown Manhattan (location TBD) on Thursday, December 13 or Friday, December 14   Location: SWC Santa's Workshop in midtown Manhattan (location TBD) Stockings with Care is a nonprofit partnering with homeless shelters and assistance agencies to support struggling families. The goal this year is to provide Christmas magic for 1800 kids. "Santas" receive a list with 3 Wishes for one New York City child whose family either lives in a homeless shelter or is in danger of being homeless. Santas do the shopping for their child's 3 wishes, wrap the gifts, then drop them off at the Stockings with Care Santa's Workshop (a borrowed raw space). To be a Santa for a child in need, please fill out the form and let Stockings with Care know how many children you wish to sponsor and any specific comments, such as budget limitations (the average cost of an entire wish list is $100-$150). You may also specify if you have an age or gender preference from newborns to teenagers and we will see if we can match you up. Many companies offer employee gift matching programs. Please be sure to take advantage of this if your office offers a program! Every gift makes a difference in a child's Christmas.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@stockingswithcare.org www.stockingswithcare.org Food Pantry Volunteers Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger   Date/Time: Ongoing, Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30am - 4 pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30am - 6 pm   Location: 2010 Fulton Street, Brooklyn (take the C train to Ralph Ave) Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger needs volunteers year-round for a variety of roles, including stocking shelves, distributing food, bagging produce for seniors, creating birthday or holiday bags, etc. Ages: Families with children ages 10 and older are welcome to assist with bagging produce, creating birthday and holiday bags and other tasks as needed. Individuals need to be 16 or older for general food pantry volunteering;   Time Commitment: Four-hour shifts   Contact: Miriam Ehrlich, mehrlich@tcahnyc.org, 718.773.3551 (x115) http://bedstuyagainsthunger.org/ Deliver Meals on Christmas Day Citymeals on Wheels   Date/Time: Tuesday, December 25, morning - shifts vary   Location: Manhattan, Queens, The Bronx and Brooklyn Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to frail aged New Yorkers. Volunteers are needed to deliver a nourishing meal on Christmas morning, along with warm companionship. Ages: Families are welcome to volunteer   Time Commitment: Two to three hours   Contact: Sheila Clay, sheila@citymeals.org, 212.687.1234 www.citymeals.org  Holiday Toy Drive Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)   Date/Time: Now through December 31   Location(s): The Bronx Zoo, NY Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo. Check individual sites for specific drop-off points Donations of new, unwrapped toys are being collected for the families of veterans and active duty members of the military and New York City families in need. From November 5 through December 31, drop off a new, unwrapped toy and you will receive a voucher for one free general admission ticket to the Bronx Zoo or New York Aquarium (up to 4 vouchers per family). Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Check individual sites (above) for more information https://www.wcs.org/giveback Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time(s): Saturday, December 8, from 10am - 2pm (Special Holiday Party) Saturday December 15, 22 and 29, from 10 am - 2 pm Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up. All shifts are family-friendly, and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. On Saturday, December 8, we will also be having our holiday party and gift bags will be distributed!   Ages: All ages, families are encouraged to volunteer together.   Time Commitment: Varies. The full lunch program is four hours but volunteers are welcome any time during the day.   Contact: Volunteers should email Rev. Carl Garrison to sign up to volunteer.  carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org  A Special Collection! Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Please contact Reverend Carl to coordinate drop off times   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street The Manhattan Church of Christ is collecting the following items for community members who live marginally or are homeless. These items will be distributed at their holiday party in December. All items can be dropped off at the church: New socks, hats and gloves Small toothbrushes/toothpaste Deodorant, small soaps, shampoo, lotion Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Rev. Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org Holiday Toy Collection Toys for Tots   Date/Time: At your convenience, until Christmas   Location: Toys for Tots partners with major retailers every year, and you'll find donation boxes all over the city.   Toys for Tots is a well-know charity, established in 1991 by the US Marine Corps Toys For Tots Foundation. Their mission is simple: to provide a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. Every child can relate to the idea that they receive so many gifts for the Holidays, and yet some children in our community may not receive a special toy for Christmas. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: brooklynt4t@usmc.mil, 718.269.8786 https://brooklyn-ny.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx Letters to Santa Macy's Believe Campaign - Make-A-Wish   Date/Time: Until December 24   Location: Any Macy's retail store This is the 10th year of Macy's Believe campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish. Kids of all ages can download a "letter to Santa" template from the Macy's website, and drop their stamped letter, addressed to Santa At The North Pole, in the Santa Mail letterbox at any Macy's retail store. For each letter received through December 24th, Macy's will donate $1 to Make-a-Wish, up to $1 million. Make-A-Wish provides magical, life-changing experiences for terminally ill children and their families.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Click here to learn more. www.macys.com/social/believe/  30th Annual Coat Drive New York Cares   Date/Time: Now through February 1, 2019   Location: Donation sites are located across the city, in Police Stations, at major transportation terminals and at participating merchants. Check website for details on drop-off locations. You may also consider setting up a personal collection site/coat drive in your apartment building, church/temple, school or office. As the weather begins to get colder, New York Cares starts to distribute coats to our Community Partners. You may donate gently used coats at any one of the public donation sites (here is an interactive map of drop-off locations) or you may start your own family coat drive. All coats need to be delivered to the New York Cares warehouse located in midtown. Recipients of the coats include churches, schools and shelters, all of which serve New York's most in-need populations. Both adult and child-sized coats are welcomed. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@newyorkcare.org, 212.228.5000 https://www.newyorkcares.org/ Letters of Gratitude Operation Gratitude   Date/Time: Ongoing   Location: Put all loose artwork and letters/cards (no individual envelopes) in a large envelope or box according to their recipient type, and ship to: Operation Gratitude ATTN: Letter Writing Program 21100 Lassen Street Chatsworth, CA 91311-4278 Write letters to our military, veterans and first responders. Operation Gratitude sends care packages to our active duty military, veterans, first responders, and new recruits. Each package includes a bundle of letters from the American people, thanking them for their service to our country. Package recipients tell us these letters, notes, and drawings are the most cherished items in their box. Visit the Operation Gratitude website for full instructions. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@operationgratitude.com www.operationgratitude.com Top Three Holiday Giving Opportunities Family-to-Family   The holidays are around the corner, and this the year national poverty relief nonprofit Family-to-Family wants to make it easier than ever for families with "more" to help families with "less" celebrate the season. Family-to-Family's programs help families, veterans, seniors, Holocaust survivors and refugees in need receive food, personal hygiene products and other basic life essentials.   Here are three easy - yet meaningful - charitable acts that families can do together: Help your child be a giver with Give it Up - Ask your child to give up one gift they likely would have received this holiday season for a child with less. Here is how it works - take your child shopping for the gift, or set aside one present he or she received during the holidays. Then email moreinfo@family-to-family.org with your zip code and the number of family members participating, and Family-to-Family will send you the name of a recipient organization serving families in need. We ask that you call them to arrange a time to drop off your unwrapped gift(s). Include wrapping paper, tape and ribbon too! You'll then bring the gift to the organization we linked you to and the gift will be given to a mom or dad to give to their child as if they had bought it. Stuff a Stocking for a child or grown-up need - Let your child be a stocking stuffer this year! Bring the family on a shopping trip for adult or child stocking goodies. Adult stockings can include gloves, socks, a scarf, personal hygiene items, nail polish, a deck of cards or a Sudoku book. Stockings for kids can have a stuffed animal, mittens, travel size games and puzzles, small toys, lip gloss, pencils or a jump rope. Be creative and thoughtful. When you've finished stuffing your stocking, email moreinfo@family-to-family.org and we'll link you with either a local shelter where you can bring it, or an impoverished community where you can ship it.  Either way, an outreach worker will hand out your stocking to a mom or dad in need to give to their child, or to an adult in need! Last day to drop off stockings to a site near you is December 14. Holiday dinner baskets for struggling families in your town - Ask family or friends to join together and make baskets or bags of holiday dinner staples for families in need. It's simple! If you're making five or more baskets, first email us at moreinfo@family-to-family.org and we'll locate and link you up with a local food pantry that will give out your baskets. Then, ask each volunteer to shop for the items on a list here: https://www.family-to-family.org/holiday-giving/holiday-dinner-baskets/. Bring groceries to a central location, in either reusable grocery bags or a laundry basket. Then, volunteers from your group can drop everything off at the pantry we've linked you with. If you're making fewer than five baskets, we ask that you google "food pantry" along with your zip code to find a nearby pantry, and contact them directly about dropping off the baskets. Help Brighten the Holidays for Others - Adopt-a-Family Do you and your family want to find an opportunity to make the holidays brighter for others? Many community organizations offer holiday food or toy programs to their clients. Here is a list of organizations you can contact to see how your family can help: "Adopting" a disadvantaged child or family at holiday time can inspire a sense of giving in your children. The Doing Good Together website also offers a great page full of ideas:   www.breadandlife.org/support-us/sponsor-family blancashouse.org/volunteer-locally/  www.toysofhope.org/adopt_family.html  www.daymaker.com/give/ www.projecthospitality.org/ www.chcfinc.org/adopt-a-family/ shelteringarmsny.org/winter-wonders-holiday-gift-drive/   Giving Plates Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Your own home or community location Making some baked goods to bring along to a holiday gathering? You and your family can bake up some extra treats to share as a holiday gift with new or isolated neighbors, sick or stressed friends, or even service providers you meet on a regular basis, like the mail carrier or school bus driver. Then your family can design giving plates to place your home baked goodies on as part of your gift! Visit the Doing Good Together Design a Giving Plate for directions to make your plates and for additional ideas and reflection questions.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.DoingGoodTogether.org Shop Kind for the Holidays! Whether you're shopping for birthday gifts, making your holiday gift list, or just looking for big-hearted books, games, and activities for your family, be sure to keep kindness in mind. DGT has compiled a variety of "kind vendors," and we've found some fun Amazon products that could turn online shopping into a big-hearted activity. Best of all, as an Amazon affiliate and having sponsored vendors, DGT benefits from these purchases as well. Want to become a Kind Vendor? Contact us and tell us about your big-hearted product!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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December 2018 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2018  - Silicon Valley  Volunteer at CalTrain Holiday Train Salvation Army   Date/Time: Sunday, December 2, 6 - 7:40pm   Location: Menlo Park Caltrain Station, 1120 Merrill St, Menlo Park In partnership with SamTrans, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots, the Holiday Train is coming your way again this season! A small train decorated with thousands of lights will make its way from San Francisco to Santa Clara, stopping at each Caltrain platform for a 15 minute performance, which will include a sing-a-long from a band and choir, a snow machine blasting out onto the platform, characters in costume interacting with the crowd (Santa, Frosty, etc.) and new toy collection! Volunteers will arrive at Menlo Park station BEFORE the train arrives to assist in arranging toy collection barrels and signs. Volunteers will also direct families and guests to bins where they can donate toys and help return toys and barrels to the Salvation Army vehicles. Please note that volunteers will not ride on the train. Click here for more details about Caltrain Holiday Train 2018. Ages: All ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: About two hours   Contact: Melissa Doppler, melissa.doppler@usw.salvationarmy.org or 415.553.3528. Registration is available online. https://www.salvationarmyusa.org Alum Rock Fall 2018 Bioblitz Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful Date/Time: Saturday, December 8, 9 - 11am Location: Alum Rock Park, 15350 Penitencia Creek Road, San Jose   A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in a place. Join this BioBlitz where you and experts come together to explore the park, and document observations of all living things in a short period of time. Docents will guide you and teach you to use the iNaturalist app on your smartphone or tablet to record all the living things you encounter. Flowers, trees, butterflies, dragonflies, and beetles, birds, and squirrels. We love them all - now let's go find them... Every little piece counts!   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Two hours Contact: Deb Kramer, Program Manager, deb@keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org or 408.372.7053. Registration is available online. www.keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org 'Tis the Season to be Planting Save the Bay   Date/Time: Saturday, December 15, 9am - noon   Location: Bair Island, Redwood City (location details will be provided through email upon RSVP) Save the Bay's mission is to protect and restore San Francisco Bay for people and wildlife, uniting the Bay Area to create a clean and healthy Bay. As climate change and pollution threaten the area, Save the Bay leads initiatives to make the region sustainable for future generations. With planting season in full swing for the next few months, Save the Bay will plant thousands of new seedlings from their nursery in an effort to restore critical habitat in the tidal marshes of Bair Island. Come join and lend them a hand, enjoy time taking in the beautiful landscape, and learn about the exciting changes each season brings to our local wetlands. No experience necessary. Gloves, tools and instruction provided. Each event is led by Save The Bay staff certified in first aid and CPR.   Ages: All ages are welcome. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: info@savesfbay.org or call 510.463.6850. Registration is available online. https://savesfbay.org/  December Events Grassroots Ecology   Date/Time: Varies by event   Location: Varies by event   Grassroots Ecology leverages the power of volunteers to create healthy lands across Silicon Valley. They restore native plants to open spaces and neighborhoods, steward creeks and watersheds, and provide hands-on nature education. While volunteering with Grassroots Ecology, you will learn interesting things about the natural world while making a positive impact on the environment. Grassroots offers opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to help with planting, weeding, creek monitoring, or installing rain gardens and rain barrels. Use the clickable links below to register for the right volunteer opportunity for you and your family: Every Monday, 9:30am - noon, Byrne Brigade: Habitat Restoration at Byrne Preserve, Los Altos Hills Every Wednesday, 9am - noon, Volunteer Weed Warriors, Palo Alto Saturday December 15, 9:30am - noon, Habitat Restoration Volunteer Workday at Cooley Landing, East Palo Alto Ages: All ages are welcome at most events. Minors under 18 require a parent to approve the online waiver when registering. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.   Time Commitment: Two and one-half to three hours, depending on event   Contact: Jeremy Merckling, jeremy@grassrootsecology.org, 650.384.5314 www.grassrootsecology.org Help Provide Valet Bike Parking at Special Events Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) Date/Time(s): Sunday December 16, 10 - 5:30pm, San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks Sunday December 23, 10 - 5:30pm, San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears Monday December 31, 10:30 - 4pm, San Francisco Bowl Location: Levi's Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara   The purpose of SVBC is to create a healthy community, environment, and economy through bicycling for people who live, work, or play in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Valet bike parking is one of many ways that Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition encourages people to bike to public events. Volunteer responsibilities include accepting event attendees' bikes, placing them on bike racks, keeping a watchful eye during the event and then happily returning them to the attendees when they are ready to leave. Perks (such as snacks, free entry, or a meal) are usually provided for volunteers, depending on the event.   Ages: Families with children eight and older are welcome to participate. Volunteers age 13-18 may participate on their own with a signed waiver. If you will be volunteering with children, the expectation is that they can be independent and support the bike parking program without needing to be supervised the entire time. You will be working together but must be able to leave them unattended at times. If you are unsure if this is an age appropriate volunteer activity for your child, please do not hesitate to contact the Community Programs Manager.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Kate Plant, Community Projects Coordinator at kate@bikesiliconvalley.org or 408.813.4485, or Membership and Outreach Coordinator, Jessica Waite at jessica@bikesiliconvalley.org  Register for San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks Register for San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears Register for San Francisco Bowl www.bikesiliconvalley.org  Make Blankets and Plant Flowers for the Community Temple Emanu-El Preschool   Date/Time: Tuesday, December 18, 6 - 8pm   Location: 1010 University Ave, San Jose   At Temple Emanu-El Preschool, the child comes first. They offer a quality multi-faceted, socially and academically developmental curriculum that balances developmental, academic and Judaic learning. Students work on kindergarten readiness skills, such as ABC's and 123's, in addition to science, music, art, and more. The Temple school is community-based and open to children of all faiths. Families will work together to make blankets for the local Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), non-slip socks for a nearby convalescent hospital and plant flowers for a senior center. These types of activities help children learn the value of helping others, and families can experience the importance of working with their children to better our community.   Ages: Families with children ages two and older are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Barbara Smead, barbara@templesanjose.org or call 408.293.8660. Registration is available online. https://templesanjose.org/ Help Students in Need My New Red Shoes   Date/Time: Ongoing   Location: Varies   Since 2006, My New Red Shoes has worked to close the clothing gap for children and youth in-need through their "Clothing for Confidence" Program. Beyond providing the necessities of new shoes and clothing, they strive to create a long-term impact by boosting self-esteem and confidence, providing a sense of normalcy, increasing school attendance, engagement and readiness, and improving the overall educational experience and quality of life of our community's poorest students. Each year, My Red Shoes collects thousands of new shoe donations from shoe drives led by individual donors, community groups and corporate teams. To ensure that they have the variety of shoe sizes and styles that every student requests, they supplement their inventory with wholesale shoe purchases, as needed. There are many ways to volunteer, including: Individual and group opportunities At Home Projects Donating Shoes or Hosting a Shoe Drive Ages: Varies, depending on the volunteering role.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: To learn more about volunteer opportunities, email outreach@mynewredshoes.org or sign up online at https://mynewredshoes.org/signup/ https://mynewredshoes.org Holiday Donation Drives Around Silicon Valley During the holidays, many local organizations are collecting supplies, food, and gifts for families and individuals in need. Consider shopping as a family for some of these needed items, collecting gently-used items from around your home, hosting a fundraiser or donation drive or creating greeting cards to go along with the gifts you provide! We recommend reaching out to the organizations in advance to confirm the dates items are needed by. Sacred Heart Community Services SHCS distributes 7,400 holiday food boxes to families and toys to 6,200 children. Bring joy this holiday season by dropping off turkeys or new toys! Click here for more information, 1381 S. First St., San Jose. Monday through Thursday, 8am - 5pm; Friday 8am - 4pm; Saturday 9am - noon. www.sacredheartcs.org/   City of Saratoga The city is collecting nonperishable food items as well as new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to needy families this holiday season as part of its annual Food and Toy Drive. Drop off new unwrapped toys donations or  non-perishable food through December 19. Toys can be brought to the Saratoga City Manager's Office (13777 Fruitvale Avenue), and food can be dropped off at the Joan Pisani Community Center (19655 Allendale Avenue) or the Saratoga Library (13650 Saratoga Avenue). www.saratoga.ca.us   Unity Care's Santa's Helpers Donation Drive Unity Care uplifts 800 lonely and anxious foster children in our area. They are seeking families or organizations to host holiday parties/drives to collect new unwrapped gifts for children ages 0-24 or $25 gift cards to Target or Walmart. You can also consider adopting or decorating one of 12 teen homes in the Bay Area. To host a party or adopt a home contact Unity Care at 408.971.9822, volunteer@unitycare.org www.unitycare.org/santas-helper   Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos   CSA is seeking gifts and/or gift cards for teens, food donations and volunteers to help provide holiday spirit to hundreds of families in the local community, 204 Stierlin Rd. Mountain View, 650.968.0836 www.csacares.org   Sunnyvale Community Services   SCS is seeking nonperishable food items, new toys, gifts and gift cards for those ages 7-17 for holiday gift distribution to low-income families in Sunnyvale. Food items most needed are healthy cereal, canned tuna and chicken, peanut butter and jelly, canned soup and canned tomato products. Gift cards to Target and Safeway are also greatly appreciated. Sunnyvale Community Services, 725 Kifer Rd. Sunnyvale, 408.738.4298. Donations are accepted weekdays, 8:30am - 5pm, and Saturday, Dec 8, 8:30-11am. All Sunnyvale Fire Stations will also be accepting toy donations for SCS from 9am - 7pm seven days a week through December 15. https://svcommunityservices.org/donate-scs-donation-wish-list-seasonal/ www.svcommunityservices.org   Toys for Tots, Santa Clara County   Join us in our efforts to ensure that every child in need in our community receives a new, unwrapped toy this holiday season! The Marines of San Jose are proud to serve all of Santa Clara County by collecting toy donations and in return, giving thousands of new unwrapped toys to Santa Clara County families in need. Visit the San Jose area page for one of the many Toy Drop-Off Locations in your area. www.san-jose-ca.toysfortots.org Giving Plates Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Your own home or community location Making some baked goods to bring along to a holiday gathering? You and your family can bake up some extra treats to share as a holiday gift with new or isolated neighbors, sick or stressed friends, or even service providers you meet on a regular basis, like the mail carrier or school bus driver. Then your family can design giving plates to place your home baked goodies on as part of your gift! Visit the Doing Good Together Design a Giving Plate for directions to make your plates and for additional ideas and reflection questions.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.DoingGoodTogether.org Shop Kind for the Holidays! Whether you're shopping for birthday gifts, making your holiday gift list, or just looking for big-hearted books, games, and activities for your family, be sure to keep kindness in mind. DGT has compiled a variety of "kind vendors," and we've found some fun Amazon products that could turn online shopping into a big-hearted activity. Best of all, as an Amazon affiliate and having sponsored vendors, DGT benefits from these purchases as well. Want to become a Kind Vendor? Contact us and tell us about your big-hearted product!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try it free today

December 2018 - Boston Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2018 - Boston JF&CS Family Table Distribution Jewish Family and Children's Service   Date/Time: Sunday, December 9 or Sunday, January 13, between two to three hours 9am: If interested, participate in setting up for the food distribution. (This is for returning volunteers only). 10:15-11:45am: Receive your assignment and pack and deliver groceries. You may arrive anytime during this time frame. First time volunteers should plan on arriving at 10:15am to attend a 30-minute introductory session and orientation Location: 1430 Main Street, Waltham   Family Table provides healthy food on a monthly and emergency basis to individuals and families in need. Their mission is to end hunger in the Greater Boston Jewish community while serving people who need assistance, regardless of religious affiliation. Family Table fulfills its mission by providing Kosher food, creating a caring Jewish connection, and empowering people to make healthy eating a part of their daily lives. Family Table serves more than 100 towns across Greater Boston, the North Shore, and the South Area. Currently, Family Table is helping more than 500 families each month with groceries and connections to other services. Volunteers are needed to help with packaging and delivering food orders to recipient families. Packing will take approximately 30 - 45 minutes. Your delivery location will not be more than 30 minutes from your hometown but not in your hometown for confidentiality reasons. The clients know that you are just dropping off the food and not visiting. Ages: All ages are welcome and encouraged to volunteer when accompanied by an adult.   Time Commitment: Two to three hours depending on the activity.   Contact: Email familytable@jfcsboston.org at least two weeks before the distribution date to sign up. All adult volunteers must complete a JF&CS administered CORI background check. If you have volunteered at Family Table previously, you can sign up one week before the distribution date. www.jfcsboston.org/Our-Services/Community-Services/Center-for-Basic-Needs-Assistance/Family-Table Holiday Gift Drive Project Hope   Date/Time: Gift drive drop-off is December 10 through 12, 9am - 4pm   Location: Community Building, 550 Dudley Street, Roxbury Project Hope is a multi-service agency at the forefront of efforts in Boston to move families up and out of poverty. Every parent wants to provide gifts for their children. Help Project Hope provide wonderful holiday memories for children in need! Please deliver your gifts to us unwrapped so the parents can participate in holiday giving by wrapping them. You are also welcome to provide wrapping paper and ribbon for the families. Holiday Gift Wish List: Gift Cards (Target, Marshalls, Old Navy, Best Buy & Stop n' Shop are preferred) Books & Games  Toys  Art Supplies  Sports Equipment  Scarves, Hats & Gloves Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Laura,617.442.1880 x249 or lvincent@prohope.org www.prohope.org Making Lunch for the Ladies On The Rise, Inc   Date/Time: Flexible, meals are needed six days a week. Check the calendar on Meal Train for available dates. The first half of 2019 lunch dates are now available for sign-up. Meals should be dropped off between 8-11am;  prior day delivery can be arranged if needed.   Location: 341 Broadway, Cambridge   For the homeless women at On The Rise, a healthy and hearty meal enjoyed in a safe home is invaluable. They rely on the kind hearts and culinary talents of volunteers to cook a meal in their kitchen and deliver the meal to On the Rise. This volunteer opportunity fills one of their greatest needs by being able to offer a healthy and hearty meal to a woman who otherwise would not have many options. Don't shy away from this opportunity even if you don't consider yourself a cook; store bought and pre-made items are also welcome. As the women are as diverse as their palates, you choose what you would like to make; it is sure to be appreciated and enjoyed! Shopping, preparing and cooking these meals is a wonderful opportunity to give back with your children, as they can get involved at any age. To respect the privacy of the women, volunteers do not serve lunch at On The Rise. The women self-serve lunch; please package lunch buffet or family style (no individually wrapped items). Lunch should be enough to serve 15-20 people. Click here for more specific lunch preparation and delivery information.   Ages: All ages can participate.   Time Commitment: Flexible, this can be a one-time opportunity or you may sign up for multiple shifts throughout the year.   Contact: Keyton Sheely, keyton.sheely@ontherise.org, 617.497.7968. Volunteers self schedule dates on Meal Train. Dates in blue mean a person has already signed up to cook a lunch for that day. Dates in green are available for lunch. Simply click on the day you'd like and register! You'll get a reminder email one week before your scheduled date as well as a day before reminder.  www.ontherise.org Holiday Meal Delivery Community Servings   Date/Time: Friday, December 21 - shifts start at 9, 10, or 11am   Location: 18 Marbury Terrace, Jamaica Plain Join Community Servings during the holiday season to help deliver holiday meals to individuals and families living with critical illnesses across Boston. This is a perfect opportunity for the whole family to bring some holiday cheer to Community Servings clients! Volunteers will need to deliver baskets in their own vehicle. Please note the following requirements: Must have a vehicle and valid driver's license. Must volunteer with a friend or partner - deliveries must be made by a minimum of two people. (Only 1 person required to register.) Must have a clean car with ample storage. (Preferably a cargo van or SUV.) Must have a cellphone. Navigation (Google Maps, Waze) or a good sense of direction. Willingness to deliver/pickup to/from Greater Boston suburbs. Ages: Families are welcome to participate. Adult supervision is required for those under 18.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Caroline Rosa, Volunteer Coordinator, crosa@servings.org or 617.522.7777, ext. 227. To sign up for a shift, please visit our volunteer opportunity website. Only the driver needs to register.  www.servings.org/  Give the Gift of Play - Annual Toy Drive Room to Grow   Date/Time: Holiday Toy Drive runs through December. Drop off donations Monday through Friday, 9:30 am - 4 pm. Please call the front desk at 617.859.4545 when you are five minutes away and staff will meet you outside the front of the building for curbside assistance. If you need to make other arrangements for drop-off, contact Josh.   Location: Room to Grow, 142 Berkeley Street, Boston   Now in its fifth year, Room to Grow's Annual Holiday Toy Drive collects thousands of toys for babies in low-income families. During a child's first three years, toys play a critical role in helping babies learn and grow. At every three-month visit to Room to Grow, social workers guide families in choosing five educational toys to support their baby's development, preparing them for future learning and success.   By providing educational toys to Room to Grow, you are helping babies: Develop new skills such as reaching, grasping, and crawling Learn colors, numbers, and shapes Strengthen memory skills Ways you can contribute: Hold a toy drive in your community. Celebrate your toy drive by sharing your stories and pictures on social media (@roomtogroworg) Donate new or nearly new toys appropriate for newborns through children age three. Purchase urgently needed toys from our Amazon wishlist. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Josh Tingley, josh.tingley@roomtogrow.org www.roomtogrow.org  The Giving Factory Cradles to Crayons   Date/Time: A variety of weekday and weekend shifts are available. Check the website for details   Location: 155 N. Beacon Street, Brighton Cradles to Crayons offers families the opportunity to teach their children the values of service and philanthropy while volunteering together to help children and families in need. A volunteer shift in The Giving Factory Warehouse involves hands-on processing of the donated goods that flow in on a regular basis. Each station in the warehouse includes inspecting, sorting, and packaging donations to ultimately be distributed to the children served by Cradles to Crayons. Please visit the website for more specific information about volunteering. Ages: Children as young as five are allowed to volunteer. Any child under the age of 18 needs an adult present with them for the entire shift when they come to volunteer.   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Interested volunteers are required to register with our volunteer coordinators in advance. Click here to fill out an inquiry form. www.cradlestocrayons.org Giving Plates Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Your own home or community location Making some baked goods to bring along to a holiday gathering? You and your family can bake up some extra treats to share as a holiday gift with new or isolated neighbors, sick or stressed friends, or even service providers you meet on a regular basis, like the mail carrier or school bus driver. Then your family can design giving plates to place your home baked goodies on as part of your gift! Visit the Doing Good Together Design a Giving Plate for directions to make your plates and for additional ideas and reflection questions.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.DoingGoodTogether.org Shop Kind for the Holidays! Whether you're shopping for birthday gifts, making your holiday gift list, or just looking for big-hearted books, games, and activities for your family, be sure to keep kindness in mind. DGT has compiled a variety of "kind vendors," and we've found some fun Amazon products that could turn online shopping into a big-hearted activity. Best of all, as an Amazon affiliate and having sponsored vendors, DGT benefits from these purchases as well. Want to become a Kind Vendor? Contact us and tell us about your big-hearted product!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click  here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try it free today

December 2017 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2017  - Silicon Valley  Hanukkah Holiday Bag Assembly and Delivery Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley   Date/Time: Assembly: Tuesday, December 5, 5 - 6:30pm Delivery: Wednesday, December 6 - Friday, December 15, 9am - 5pm Location: Eleanor Haas Koshland Center, 2001 Winward Way, Suite 200, San Mateo Help brighten the holidays of JFCS clients and community members who otherwise would not be able to observe Hanukkah and other holidays due to frailty, disability, economic hardship, and other challenges in their lives. Volunteer with your children to assemble and deliver holiday bags filled with festive food and goodies for hundreds of JFCS clients. This is a wonderful volunteer opportunity in which the entire family can participate.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: RSVP to Pauline Shulman by Thursday, November 30, 650.931.1858 or PaulineS@jfcs.org www.jfssv.org/  Hanukkah Holiday Bag Assembly and Delivery Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley   Date/Time: Assembly: Friday, December 8, 4:30 - 6:30pm Delivery: Friday, December 8 - 15, 9am - 5pm Location: Koret Family Resource Center, 200 Channing Avenue, Palo Alto Help brighten the holidays of JFCS clients and community members who otherwise would not be able to observe Hanukkah and other holidays due to frailty, disability, economic hardship, and other challenges in their lives. Volunteer with your children to assemble and deliver holiday bags filled with festive food and goodies for hundreds of JFCS clients. This is a wonderful volunteer opportunity in which the entire family can participate. The Friday assembly opportunity is geared towards families with school aged children, this event includes a special Shabbat program and after-school snacks.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: RSVP to Bobbi Bornstein by December 3, 650.688.3090 or BobbiB@jfcs.org www.jfssv.org/ Embrace-A-Family 2017 Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley   Date/Time: Now through December 19   Location: Find JFS SV Dreidl boards at the following locations. Dreidel gifts can be delivered to JFS SV office at the Levy Family Campus at 14855 Oka Rd, Los Gatos Help Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley (JFS SV) make Hanukkah brighter for those in need. JFS SV invites you to be a part of our 10th annual Embrace-A-Family program which brings hope and smiles to those in need. Your gifts will help ease holiday pressures and stress for needy families, senior citizens, and adults. Frail, isolated seniors are often overlooked at this time of year. Providing gifts for them is a special mitzvah that will make a huge positive difference in their lives. Your gift will bring a smile - and be a blessing - to someone in need. How You Can Help: Look for JFS SV dreidel boards in the community from now through December 19. Select a gift dreidel from the board, purchase the gift listed, and bring your unwrapped gift to the JFS SV office at the Levy Family Campus. Gifts can also be purchased online. You can also choose from these special dreidels: Emergency Food Bags for families, seniors, and individuals Shabbat Meals from Pars Emergency Fund for Refugees donations Gift cards to supermarkets and discount stores Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate. There are volunteer opportunities in late November and December for children 10 and up with their parents.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Lori Cinnamon, Manager of Community and Volunteer Engagement, 408.357.7467 or loric@jfssv.org. Volunteers are also needed to help create and stock dreidel boards, greet donors, wrap gifts and more. www.jfssv.org/  Family Activities for the 2017 Holiday Season Second Harvest Food Bank   Date/Time: Flexible   Location(s):   750 Curtner Ave. San Jose 4001 North First St. San Jose 1051 Bing St. San Carlos This holiday season, kids can help the Food Bank make the holidays brighter for their neighbors in need. Prepare an at-home family project or youth group project and bring to any of the three Food Bank locations. Once you choose an activity, fill out this form and bring it with you when you come to drop off your donation. Activities and Projects: Create colorful grocery bags for our seniors with glitter, color crayons, holiday themes, etc. Make holiday cards for seniors and families  Do mini food drives that focus on collecting specific items like meals in a can, peanut butter or tuna  Create family food baskets for a family of 4 to 6. Fill it with lots of goodies that you and your family would enjoy. Food items need to be non-perishable and consist of a meal for each breakfast, lunch and dinner. Suggested nutritious menu items: Breakfast: cereal, canned fruit, breakfast bars, pancake mix, maple syrup, canned or dehydrated milk Lunch: canned chili, soup, tuna, crackers, healthy snack bar, 100% juice Dinner: Pasta, marinara sauce (canned or in jars), canned vegetables, muffin mix, canned fruit Create lunch bags - including nutritious menu items such as: Cheese & cracker packets, 100% juice boxes, granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, pop-top cans of ready-to-eat foods such as tuna, meals in a can or fruit cocktail. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Volunteer Services, volunteer@shfb.org, 408.266.8866. For the form and information on family projects visit: www.shfb.org/docs/volunteer/family_and_youth.pdf www.shfb.org/ Collect Diapers for Families in Need Help A Mother Out   Date/Time: Varies   Location: Deliver to Earth Baby Warehouse, 3250 Victor St., Santa Clara Help a Mother Out (HAMO) works to improve baby and family well-being by increasing access to diapers for families in need. A family's access to a reliable supply of clean diapers reduces the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, improves baby's health and comfort, and enables baby's participation in early care and education programs. Our vision is a day when every baby has a healthy supply of diapers. To host a diaper drive at your home, school or organization, just grab a box and go! All the materials you need can be found in our online diaper drive toolkit! Other ways to support HAMO: Order diapers or host a virtual drive with HAMO's Amazon wishlist  You can also drop off open or new packs of diapers to one of HAMO's donation bin locations around the Bay Area Create new baby kits at home - HAMO can send you a list of materials to purchase (like diapers, board books, and a newborn care kit), assemble them at home and we can distribute to our community partners. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Anu Menon, anu@helpamotherout.org, 415.938.6667 www.helpamotherout.org  Saturday Habitat Restoration at McClellan Ranch Preserve Grassroots Ecology   Date/Time: Saturday, December 16, 9-11:30am   Location:  McClellan Ranch Preserve, 22221 McClellan Road, Cupertino Help us continue our ongoing efforts to increase wildlife habitat at McClellan Ranch by planting native plants, removing invasive plants, sheet mulching and this is a great opportunity to do a bit of wildlife watching and learn about our local native habitat. Please bring: A reusable water bottle Dress for outdoor work (sturdy shoes and long pants recommended) Minors under 18 must bring a waiver form signed by a parent We provide gloves and tools Ages: Volunteers of all ages are welcome; minors under 18 require a parent to approve the online waiver when registering for this event, and children under 12 require an accompanying adult unless prior approval is obtained from the workday supervisor.   Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours   Contact: Jeremy Merckling, Jeremy@grassrootsecology.org, 650.419.9880. Registration is available online. If after you have registered, you find you cannot attend, please notify Jeremy@grassrootsecology.org. www.grassrootsecology.org Adopt-A-Grandparent - Donate, Wrap and/or Deliver! Ali McCarthy, MaryKay Consultant   Date/Time: Gift wrapping: Thursday December 14, 6:30 - 8pm Gift delivery: Saturday December 23, 2 - 4pm Location:  Gift wrapping: Sports Basement, 1875 S Bascom Ave #240, Campbell Gift delivery: Willow Glen Convalescent Hospital, 1267 Meridian Ave, San Jose Help make the holidays special for local elderly residents through a program called Adopt-a-Grandparent. Each year Ali McCarthy puts together festive gifts for elderly residents in nursing homes. (She does not make any profit on these donations). This year her goal is to provide gifts to 140 "Grandparents." Many of the residents have few if any visitors and receive little, if anything, during the holidays. That's where we all come in! By delivering the packages, we can make their holidays feel special! Each festive gift is $20, which includes Mint Bliss Energizing Lotion for Feet and Legs, Satin Lips Shea Butter Balm, fuzzy socks and a holiday card. Two days before Christmas we make the rounds and personally deliver the gifts. Thank you for your help in making the holidays brighter for some very special people. You can also donate to Adopt-A-Grandparent. You can adopt one senior for $20 or you may adopt multiple grandparents. You can also have your children make the holiday card(s) to go along with the gifts as well! Send donations to: Ms. Alexandra McCarthy 1993 Cherry Ave San Jose, CA 95125 Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Please RSVP to Ali McCarthy for any of these options by December 6th as there is limited space! Ali McCarthy, ali.marykaybeauty@gmail.com, 408.623.7012  Christmas Toy Festival Cityteam San Jose   Date/Time: Thursday, December 21: Noon - 4pm Thursday, December 21: 3:30pm - 7:30pm Friday, December 22: 10am - 2pm Location: Cityteam Community Services Event Center, 1297 North 13th Street, San Jose. Parking is limited so please carpool or use drop off services. Cityteam San Jose will provide new toys, food and clothing to families in need in a festival setting including some games and prizes. Please join us to help with the festival and hand out these holiday gifts! Wear comfortable clothes and closed toed shoes. Volunteers may help with any of the following tasks: Handing out toys, food and coats Assisting with festival games Assisting with prize room Ages: Children must be 9 years or older to volunteer (under 13 years old must be accompanied by a parent)   Time Commitment: Approximately four hours   Contact: Erin Campos, Volunteer Program Supervisor, ecampos@cityteam.org, 408.232.5620 Registration is available on the Volunteer Event Calendar. Each child and adult must be signed up individually. No group registrations larger than 5. www.cityteam.org/san-jose/ Holiday Donation Drives Around Silicon Valley During the holidays, many local organizations are collecting supplies, food and gifts for families and individuals in need. Consider shopping as a family for some of these needed items, collecting gently-used items from around your home, hosting a fundraiser or donation drive or creating greeting cards to go along with the gifts you provide! We recommend reaching out to the organizations in advance to confirm the dates items are needed by.   Sacred Heart Community Services SHCS distributes 7,400 holiday food boxes to families and toys to 6,200 children. Bring joy this holiday season by dropping off turkeys or new toys! Click here for more information. Donation Station: 1381 S. First St., San Jose Donation Station Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8am - 5pm; Friday 8am - 4pm; Saturday 9am - Noon. Closed on National Holiday weekends. www.sacredheartcs.org/   The Salvation Army of Silicon Valley Help make the holidays merry for those in need by donating new items! For children ages 0-12: Baby dolls, soft plush toys, building toys, Barbie, board games, ride-on toys, sports equipment, educational/musical toys, gift cards or warm clothing.   For seniors: body/personal care bags and blankets. For the homeless: thick warm socks, knit hats, underwear, gloves, cold weather jackets, ponchos and sleeping bags. Donation Station: 359 North Fourth St., San Jose, between 9am and 4pm, 408.282.1165 www.salvationarmysiliconvalley.org     City of Saratoga The city is collecting nonperishable food items as well as new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to needy families this holiday season as part of its annual Food and Toy Drive. Drop off new unwrapped toys through December 16 and donations of non-perishable food through December 21. Toys can be dropped off at City Hall, the Joan Pisani Community Center, Senior Center, and Historical Museum. Food donations can be delivered to the Joan Pisani Community Center, Senior Center, Saratoga Prospect Center, and Saratoga Library.  www.saratoga.ca.us   Teen Challenge Holiday Gift Drive Teen Challenge's mission is to provide successful recovery for men, women, teens, children, and families with destructive, abusive, and addictive lifestyles through mentoring, education, training, and spiritual direction. They are seeking new clothing, new toys, hygiene products, cleaning products and food for the men, women, teens and children in their program. Donation Station: Teen Challenge Office, 390 Matthew St. Santa Clara, 408.703.2001 www.teenchallenge.net/blog/    Unity Care's Santa's Helpers Donation Drive  Unity Care uplifts 800 lonely and anxious foster children in our area. They are seeking families or organizations to host holiday parties/drives to collect new unwrapped gifts for children ages 0-24 or $25 gift cards to Target or Walmart. You can also consider adopting or decorating one of 12 teen homes in the Bay Area.      To host a party or adopt a home contact Unity Care at 408.971.9822, volunteer@unitycare.org www.unitycare.org/santas-helper   Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos   CSA is seeking gifts and/or gift cards for teens, food donations and volunteers to help provide holiday spirit to hundreds of families in the local community. Donation Station: 204 Stierlin Rd. Mountain View, 650.968.0836 www.csacares.org   Sunnyvale Community Services   SCS is seeking nonperishable food items, new toys, gifts and gift cards for those ages 7-17 for holiday gift distribution to low-income families in Sunnyvale. Food items most needed are healthy cereal, canned tuna, and chicken, peanut butter and jelly, canned soup and canned tomato products. Gift cards to Target and Safeway are also greatly appreciated. Donation Station: Sunnyvale Community Services, 725 Kifer Rd. Sunnyvale, 408.738.4298 Donations are accepted 7am - 8pm from December 1-11. Donations are also being accepted at all Sunnyvale Fire Stations. www.svcommunityservices.org   Hopes Corner   Hope's Corner is sponsoring our 6th Annual Hope's Corner Children's Christmas Party on December 16. We invite area families in need to come celebrate with us and give parents an opportunity to put something special under the tree for their children. To ensure that we can make a difference for dozens of children in our community, please donate to our annual Christmas Toy Drive through December 15. New, unwrapped gifts for children ages 1-18 and $20-25 gift cards for teenagers will be accepted December 13-15 from 3-5 p.m. Donation Station: Los Altos United Methodist Church parking lot, 655 Magdalena Ave., and at Trinity United Methodist Church on December 15, 9 - 11 am. Area community groups and organizations are encouraged to organize their own toy drives to benefit the Hope's Corner Christmas Toy Drive. If you have any questions please contact us at 650.254.1450 www.hopes-corner.org/ Toys for Tots, Santa Clara County   Join us in our efforts to ensure that every child in need in our community receives a new and unwrapped toy this holiday season! The Marines of San Jose, CA are proud to serve all of Santa Clara County by collecting toy donations and in return, giving thousands of new unwrapped toys to Santa Clara County families in need. Visit the San Jose area page for one of the many Toy Drop-Off Locations in your area. www.san-jose-ca.toysfortots.org  Jewish Family and Children's Services   Help make the holidays bright for children affected by the North Bay fires and for low-income families. This is a great way to involve your children in the meaning of tzedakah and in helping others during the holiday season. New toys for children of all ages (unwrapped please)  Gift cards-often great for all ages, (ToysRUs, Target, Amazon, etc.)   Wrapping paper, ribbon, and gift tags   Donation Stations: Palo Alto: 200 Channing Avenue Palo Alto, Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm San Mateo: 2001 Winward Way, Suite 200, San Mateo, Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm www.jfcs.org/  Create a Kindness Quilt Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Anytime   Location: Your home   During this busy holiday season sharing kind acts can be a wonderful way for your family to reconnect. Your family can take time to celebrate small acts of kindness with a paper quilt. Designed to accompany The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, this project will have your family doing a kind act, drawing a picture of it, and sharing it with one another in the form of a beautiful, continuously growing paper quilt. Find project templates and more information on the Doing Good Together Display a Kindness Quilt project page.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org   Just in time for Holiday Shopping... DGT™ debuts a SHOP KIND Store! You've relied on DGT for tips, activities, book recommendations, and more. Now we have another resource to offer: our SHOP KIND Store. This online store features a page of kindness-themed Amazon store items (because, yes, DGT is an Amazon Affiliate Advertiser). And we have just launched another SHOP KIND page featuring like-minded organizations offering outstanding, mission-driven products. You can try these unique items for your next service project or when you're shopping for big-hearted gifts for yourself or others. We'll be  continually adding more items, so revisit often to find something new. We think you'll like what we've found, and we look forward to your feedback and suggestions for more SHOP KIND products!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2017 Doing Good Together™

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December 2017 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2017 - New York City Stuff-A-Stocking Family-to-Family, Inc.   Date/Time: Stockings should be delivered by December 14   Location: Email moreinfo@family-to-family.org and they will link you with either a local shelter where you can bring your stockings or one of the impoverished communities where you can ship it. Either way, an outreach worker will hand out your stocking to a mom or dad in need to give to their child, or to an adult in need!   It's that time of year again! With the holidays approaching, Family-to-Family is providing lots of great opportunities to help kids and families living in poverty, and to allow them to celebrate the holiday with dignity. You and your family can help by participating in the Stuff a Stocking campaign. Choose from the following items to stuff your stockings. You can stuff as many as you'd like! Interested in more ways to give back at the holidays? Visit the Family-to-Family Holiday giving page for more ideas. CHILD'S STOCKING A child size fleece blanket A snuggly stuffed animal A child's toothbrush & toothpaste Travel size games like Sorry, chess or checkers Mittens Pinky ball Perfume or fragrances for 9-12 yr. olds Nail polish Lip gloss Holiday pencils Lego sets Small puzzles Small blank journal & pen Tube socks Small flashlight with batteries Harmonica Jump rope ADULT'S STOCKING Winter gloves Socks Scarf Soap & soap case Body cream or moisturizer Toothbrush and toothpaste Fragrance Small shampoo and conditioner Lip balm or chapstick Nail manicure kit Crossword or Sudoku book Deck of cards Current magazine Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: kids@family-to-family.org, 914.478.0756 www.family-to-family.org 12th Annual - Mom's Christmas Stocking Campaign Mom's Christmas Stocking   Date/Time: Sunday, December 17, 1 - 3pm   Location: Grassroots Fitness Project, NEW LOCATION!  371 Amsterdam Avenue, second floor. D. Wendy Strauss started this project in honor of her own mother. After her Mom passed away, Wendy found a request from her mom that she continue to fill a Christmas stocking for her each year, and to give it to a woman in need. Mom's Christmas Stocking fills upwards of 200 stockings for women and children each holiday season to be distributed to shelters in NYC through Women In Need (www.women-in-need.org). Volunteers are needed to purchase stocking stuffers for women and babies and to participate on event day; filling stockings and transporting bags of filled stockings to the final location before pick up. Suggested stocking stuffer items include: Makeup Travel size toiletries, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant  Feminine products Jewelry Hair accessories Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss Nail kits, emery boards, polish Socks, trouser socks, slipper socks Candy, chocolates, mints Specialty gift items, hats, gloves, slipper socks, pashmina scarves Pens, markers, notebooks, note pads, pocket calendars, date books NEW baby clothing such as bibs, socks, onesies  Child safe toys, bottles, pacifiers, baby care kits, wipes, diapers Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Shop in advance at your convenience, the "stuffing" event is two hours but drop in and stuff for as long as you'd like!   Contact: D. Wendy Strauss, darylwendy@msn.com  or mom.stocking@gmail.com, 212.920.4719 www.momschristmasstocking.com/ The Saturday Lunch Program Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Saturday, December 23 and December 30, 10am - 2pm   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street   The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals to the homeless with dignity and compassion. All shifts are family-friendly, and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up.   Ages: All ages, families are encouraged to volunteer together.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Volunteers should email Rev. Carl Garrison to sign up to volunteer. carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org Winter Wishes Amazon Wishlist New York Cares   Date/Time: For the holidays - at your convenience   Location: Online   Every holiday season, New York Cares works with over 250 Community Partners to provide holiday gifts for children, teens and seniors who might otherwise go without holiday cheer. New York Cares collects thousands of wish letters from Community Partners and distributes them to volunteers, who purchase gifts and grant the wishes. Thanks to New Yorkers like you, holiday gift requests of over 35,000 children, teens, and seniors will be fulfilled. Although traditional letter registration has now closed, you can still participate in our Amazon Wishlist, a quick and easy gift granting approach to ensuring all remaining winter wishes get granted and delivered on time.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@newyorkcares.org, 212.228.5000 www.newyorkcares.org/winter-wishes Holiday Toy Collection Toys for Tots   Date/Time: At your convenience, until Christmas   Location: Search the Toys for Tots website for a local toy drop-off location site Toys for Tots is a well-known charity, established in 1991 by the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation. Their mission is simple: to provide a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. Every child can relate to the joy a holiday gift brings, but some children in our community may not receive a special toy for Christmas. Toys for Tots partners with major retailers every year, and you'll find donation boxes all over the city. You children can pick out a toy for a child in need and bring it to a local donation box. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: BrooklynT4T@usmc.mil, 718.252.3100, ext 715. We are extremely busy during the holiday season. Please be patient and leave a clear and detailed message so we may return your call as soon as possible. www.toysfortots.org Annual Coat Drive New York Cares   Date/Time: Now through December 31   Location: Donation sites are located across the city, in Police Stations, at major transportation terminals and at participating merchants. Check website for details on drop-off locations. You may also consider setting up a personal collection site/coat drive in your apartment building, church/temple, school or office. If you have more than two bags of coats to donate, please drop them off directly at the Coat Drive Warehouse. The Coat Drive Warehouse's loading dock, located at 157 West 31st Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan will stay open through December 31. The hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30am - 4:30pm. For the last 29 years, New York Cares has organized the city's largest winter coat drive gathering over 1.8 million winter coats. Just last year, with the help of caring New Yorkers, we collected and distributed 109,000 winter coats to families who would have otherwise faced a long cold winter without one. As the weather begins to get colder, New York Cares starts to distribute coats to Community Partners. You may donate gently used coats at any one of the public donation sites or you may start your own family coat drive. Recipients of the coats include churches, schools and shelters, all of which serve New York's most in-need populations. Adult and child-sized coats are welcomed. Learn more about the Coat Drive here.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: coat.drive@newyorkcares.org www.newyorkcares.org/coat-drive Beacon of Hope Christmas Party Catholic Charities   Date/Time: Tuesday, December 5, 3 - 8pm   Location: Address will be provided to registered volunteers Beacon of Hope House operates residences and a day program in Staten Island and the Bronx for approximately 400 individuals for persons with serious and persistent mental illnesses. Volunteers will assist staff during our annual Christmas party. Volunteers are needed to: Assist with set-up and break down Serve food and drinks Photograph groups and print and assemble photos into frames Staff and organize our raffle items Ages: Teens 16+ accompanied by an adult   Time Commitment: Five hours   Contact: Registration is available online www.catholiccharitiesny.org  #GetThere Transportation Fundraising Campaign Good+Foundation   Date/Time: Now through December 31   Location: Online A lack of transportation limits a parent's ability to take their children to school, to seek and retain a job, to visit the doctor, and to access the transformational services provided by our program partners. Two-thirds of the families Good+Foundation™ serves cannot afford basic transportation. They struggle to feed their families, pay rent and utilities, and keep up with living expenses. Using metropolitan transportation is a significant and regular drain on their limited resources. For the working poor, transit expenses often exceed 10 percent of their family budget. Basic transportation is not subsidized for the working poor or people living in poverty. This is where Good+Foundation comes in - by providing a stroller, or car seat, or transit pass, we can make traveling with children just a little bit easier. All day, every day families are forced to choose between meeting the most basic needs and getting where they need to go. Parents should not have to jump turnstiles or walk countless blocks in inclement weather to do what they need to do to earn a living and take care of their children. This holiday season, Good+Foundation is asking supporters to help provide 100 families with transportation resources (strollers, car seats, transit passes) to ensure they can get to work, provide for their families, and participate in programs that will help their families forge brighter futures. You can read here about how advocates are working for discounted transit fares for the working poor in New York City. Help support this campaign by taking a selfie using your favorite mode of transportation with our #GetThere hashtag to help Good+Foundation reach our goal of 100 families.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Alexia@goodplusfoundation.org. Click here for more information. www.goodplusfoundation.org/ Letters to Santa Macy's Believe Campaign - Make-A-Wish   Date/Time: Until December 24   Location: Any Macy's retail store This is the 9th year of Macy's Believe campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish. Kids of all ages can download a letter to Santa template from the Macy's website, and drop their stamped letter, addressed to Santa At The North Pole, in the Santa Mail letterbox at any Macy's retail store. For each letter received through December 24th, Macy's will donate $1 to Make-a-Wish, up to $1 million. Make-A-Wish provides magical, life-changing experiences for terminally ill children and their families. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Click here to learn more. www.macys.com/social/believe/  Letters of Gratitude Operation Gratitude   Date/Time: Ongoing   Location: Put all loose artwork and letters/cards (no individual envelopes) in a large envelope or box according to their recipient type, and ship to: Operation Gratitude ATTN: Letter Writing Program 21100 Lassen Street Chatsworth, CA 91311-4278 Write letters to our military, veterans and first responders. Operation Gratitude sends care packages to our active duty military, veterans, first responders and new recruits. Each package includes a bundle of letters from the American people, thanking them for their service to our country. Package recipients tell us these letters, notes, and drawings are the most cherished items in their box. Visit the Operation Gratitude website for full instructions. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@operationgratitude.com www.operationgratitude.com   Help Brighten the Holidays for Others - Adopt-a-Family   Do you and your family want to find an opportunity to make the holidays brighter for others?  Adopting a disadvantaged child or family at holiday time can inspire a sense of giving in your children. The Doing Good Together Adopt a Child or Family project page provides more ideas and resources. Many community organizations offer holiday food or toy programs to their clients. Here is a list of organizations you can contact to see how your family can help: Family to Family - www.family-to-family.org Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island - www.bbbsli.org/ Bianca's House - www.blancashouse.org/volunteer-locally/  Toys of Hope - www.toysofhope.org/adopt_family.html Daymaker - www.daymaker.com/give/  Project Hospitality - www.projecthospitality.org/ Catholic Charities - www.catholiccharitiesny.org/blog/play-santa-season-adopt-family-through-holiday-gifts   Create a Kindness Quilt Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Anytime   Location: Your home   During this busy holiday season sharing kind acts can be a wonderful way for your family to reconnect. Your family can take time to celebrate small acts of kindness with a paper quilt. Designed to accompany The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, this project will have your family doing a kind act, drawing a picture of it, and sharing it with one another in the form of a beautiful, continuously growing paper quilt. Find project templates and more information on the Doing Good Together Display a Kindness Quilt project page.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org   Just in time for Holiday Shopping... DGT™ debuts a SHOP KIND Store! You've relied on DGT for tips, activities, book recommendations, and more. Now we have another resource to offer: our SHOP KIND Store. This online store features a page of kindness-themed Amazon store items (because, yes, DGT is an Amazon Affiliate Advertiser). And we have just launched another SHOP KIND page featuring like-minded organizations offering outstanding, mission-driven products. You can try these unique items for your next service project or when you're shopping for big-hearted gifts for yourself or others. We'll be  continually adding more items, so revisit often to find something new. We think you'll like what we've found, and we look forward to your feedback and suggestions for more SHOP KIND products!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2017 Doing Good Together™

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December 2017 Boston Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2017 - Boston Playmats Family Volunteer Opportunity Room to Grow   Date/Time: Saturday, December 2, 10am - noon   Location: 142 Berkeley St, Boston Room to Grow is dedicated to enriching the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development. Parents receive developmental information, customized support, and all of the needed baby items to ensure a healthy and secure start for their child. You and your family can make a difference in the lives of babies being raised in poverty by crafting playmats for Room to Grow clients. Ages: Families with children ages eight and older are welcome to volunteer. A parent must accompany all children.   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Email infoboston@roomtogrow.org for more information. Registration is available online. Space is limited. www.roomtogrow.org Holiday Basket Delivery Community Servings   Date/Time: Saturday, December 9 - shifts start at 9, 10, or 11am   Location: 179 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain Join Community Servings during the holiday season to help deliver holiday baskets to individuals and families living with critical illnesses across Boston. This is a perfect opportunity for the whole family to bring some holiday cheer to Community Servings clients! Volunteers will need to deliver baskets in their own vehicle. Please note the following requirements: Must have a vehicle and valid driver's license. Must volunteer with a friend or partner - deliveries must be made by a minimum of two people. (Only 1 person required to register.) Must have a clean car with ample storage. (Preferably a cargo van or SUV.) Must have a cellphone. Navigation (Google Maps, Waze) or a good sense of direction. Willingness to deliver/pickup to/from Greater Boston suburbs. Ages: Families are welcome to participate. Adult supervision is required for those under 18. Registration is available online. Only the driver needs to register.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Alexandra Fioretti, afioretti@servings.org, 617.522.7777x228 www.servings.org Winter Break Kits Heading Home   Date/Time: Winter Kits should be delivered by December 14. Contact Zoa Mish to schedule delivery at zmish@headinghomeinc.org, 617.935.1236   Location: Deliver kits to The Schrafft Center, 529 Main Street, Suite 100, Charlestown Heading Home's mission is to end homelessness in Greater Boston by providing a supported pathway to self-sufficiency that begins with a home, together with critical services such as life skills, financial literacy and job training. Holiday vacation week, the time when children are off from school between Christmas and New Year's Day, is always a challenging time for our families. Beyond relying on school for child care, our families depend on school to provide two meals a day for their children. Fighting homelessness and poverty causes stress and anxiety on a daily basis as families worry about meeting basic needs. As a new holiday tradition, Heading Home would like to partner with YOU to help our families ENJOY winter break together, alleviating parents' burden and stress of providing healthy meals; entertainment; and the opportunity for creativity. These kits, supplied by our community, should be designed for four people and include a restaurant gift card, grocery gift card, passes to an activity (museum, Skyzone, movies, pottery studio, etc.) and a board game. Once the essentials are included, each kit can take on a theme by adding enhancements. Following are suggestions, and we welcome other ideas! Outdoor Winter Adventure Kit: sled, hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, hats, gloves; Boston Adventure Kit: T pass, Children's Museum or Legoland passes, books about Boston for kids, ice skating passes for Frog Pond (including skate rental); Arts and Crafts Kit: art project kit, markers, coloring books; Lego Kit: passes to Legoland, The Lego Movie DVD, Lego sets; Tea Party Kit: muffin tins, muffin mix, measuring cups, icing, decorations, tea set Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Leora Kimmel Greene, lkgreene@headinghomeinc.org or 617.864.8140. www.headinghomeinc.org  Holiday Meal Deliveries to Seniors Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly   Date/Time: Christmas Day, flexible between 10am and 2pm.   Location: Multiple neighborhoods throughout Boston   Little Brothers volunteers make holiday visits and deliver meals to elders throughout the city who are without family or friends to celebrate the holiday. During the holiday season, volunteers are needed to provide companionship while delivering nutritious meals and beautiful flowers to the homes of elders throughout Boston. A car is helpful, but many elders are located on public transportation. Ages: All ages can participate. Youth under 18 years must be accompanied by an adult.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Airlie Parham, aparham.bos@littlebrothers.org. Online registration for new volunteers begins December 8th at www.littlebrothersboston.org www.littlebrothersboston.org Give the Gift of Play - Annual Toy Drive Room to Grow   Date/Time: Holiday Toy Drive runs through December. Drop off donations Monday through Friday, 9:30am - 4pm. Please call the front desk at 617.859.4545 when you are five minutes away and staff will meet you outside the front of the building for curbside assistance. If you need to make other arrangements for drop-off, contact Emma.   Location: Room to Grow, 142 Berkeley Street, Boston Now in its fifth year, Room to Grow's Annual Holiday Toy Drive collects thousands of toys for babies in low-income families. During a child's first three years, toys play a critical role in helping babies learn and grow. At every three-month visit to Room to Grow, social workers guide families in choosing five educational toys to support their baby's development, preparing them for future learning and success.   By providing educational toys to Room to Grow, you are helping babies: Develop new skills such as reaching, grasping, and crawling Learn colors, numbers, and shapes Strengthen memory skills Ways you can contribute: Register to hold a toy drive in your community. Celebrate your toy drive by sharing your stories and pictures on social media (@roomtogroworg) and using #Giveplay Donate new or nearly new toys appropriate for newborns through children age three. Purchase urgently needed toys from our Amazon wishlist. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Emma Milford, emma.milford@roomtogrow.org www.roomtogrow.org  Donation Sorting and Kitchen Help Daily Table   Date/Time: Monday - Saturday, 9:30am - 12:30pm, 1 - 4pm, 4:30 - 7:30pm; Sunday, 11am - 2pm   Location: 450 Washington St., Dorchester   The Daily Table is a not-for-profit retail store that offers a variety of tasty, convenient, and affordable foods. The store offers both "grab-n-go" ready to eat meals, and a selection of produce, bread, dairy and grocery items at prices designed to fit every budget. Daily Table receives donations of surplus produce that must be sorted and organized for quality assurance. Volunteers are needed to sort through donations and triage produce for use in the commissary kitchen, for sale on the floor, and for composting. Volunteers may also help in the kitchen with food preparation, packaging, and labeling, or by preparing and distributing samples in our engagement zone. Plan to be busy and on your feet! By volunteering, you and your family will be helping to address the wastefulness of our food system, and actively contributing to increasing food security and improving diets in Boston. Ages: Ages 18 and up; 15 and up with parental supervision   Time Commitment: Three hours (or more if you'd like!)   Contact: Register at http://dailytable.org/get-involved/volunteer www.dailytable.org/ Holiday Meal Drive Greater Boston Food Bank   Date/Time: Through December 31   Location: Your home or community   For too many people, their dinner plates will be empty this holiday season. In fact, 1 in 10 people in eastern Massachusetts is facing hunger and seeking help. That's why the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is holding their annual Holiday Meal Drive, which provides children, seniors, veterans, and families with a warm, traditional holiday meal. That means that families in need here in Eastern Massachusetts will sit down to a hot meal of turkey (or an alternative main dish), stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, corn, green beans, and potatoes. Help the Greater Boston Food Bank reach their goal of providing 12 million healthy meals during the 2017 holiday season. Just $20 will provide a nutritious, complete holiday meal to a family of five in need in our community. You and your family can help in a variety of ways: Make a donation for an immediate impact. Include your children in this process by asking them to contribute as well. Start a fundraising team with your children, friends, and/or coworkers Donate Food or Create a Food and Fund Drive. Go shopping with your children and bring them into the process. Learn about the Kids Who Care Program for children 10 and older. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: For Food Donations: Food Drive Coordinator at food_drive@gbfb.org. For Holiday Meal Drive questions, Melanie Gordon, mgordon@gbfb.org www.gbfb.org Create a Kindness Quilt Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Anytime   Location: Your home   During this busy holiday season sharing kind acts can be a wonderful way for your family to reconnect. Your family can take time to celebrate small acts of kindness with a paper quilt. Designed to accompany The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, this project will have your family doing a kind act, drawing a picture of it, and sharing it with one another in the form of a beautiful, continuously growing paper quilt. Find project templates and more information on the Doing Good Together Display a Kindness Quilt project page.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org   Just in time for Holiday Shopping... DGT™ debuts a SHOP KIND Store! You've relied on DGT for tips, activities, book recommendations, and more. Now we have another resource to offer: our SHOP KIND Store. This online store now features a page of kindness-themed Amazon store items (because, yes, DGT is an Amazon Affiliate Advertiser). Coming soon: Another SHOP KIND page will be featuring like-minded organizations offering outstanding, mission-driven products. You'll be able to try these unique items for your next service project or when you're shopping for big-hearted gifts for yourself or others. We'll be launching soon and then continually adding more items, so revisit often to find something new. We think you'll like what we've found, and we look forward to your feedback and suggestions for more SHOP KIND products!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2017 Doing Good Together™

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December 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteering

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December 2016 - Silicon Valley  Adopt A Family 2016 Holiday Giving Program Bill Wilson Center   Date/Time: Adopt-A-Family Donor Pledge forms are due by December 1   Location: 3490 The Alameda, Santa Clara The Bill Wilson Center provides services to more than 5,100 children, youth, young adults and families in Santa Clara County through our various programs. Join us in providing holiday cheer to local foster youth and their families through the 2016 Adopt-A-Family Holiday Giving Program. More than 1,500 foster youth and their families will be served through our Adopt-A-Family program. Churches, school groups, local businesses, corporations, individuals, and families are encouraged to participate. Bill Wilson Center's annual Adopt-A-Family Program works directly with the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children's Services linking caring donors to local foster youth who would otherwise receive few, if any, gifts for the holidays. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: 408.850.6143 or adoptafamily@billwilsoncenter.org. The Donor Pledge form is available online. www.billwilsoncenter.org   ESL Conversation Club Mountain View Public Library   Date/Time: Wednesdays, 5 - 6pm   Location: 585 Franklin St., Mountain View The library's ESL Conversation Club welcomes English speakers interested in helping those who are learning. The Club meets every Wednesday, and welcomes all ages and levels. Native English speakers participate in the week's exercises, which may include conversation groups, short one-on-one conversations, and other activities such as potlucks and photo scavenger hunts. Native speakers provide the encouragement that helps learners gain confidence and understanding.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: One hour   Contact: Maynard Martinez, maynard.martinez@mountainview.gov, 650.526.7043. No commitment is required, simply drop-in and participate. www.library.mountainview.gov   No Sew Blankets for Children in Need Project Linus   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Schedule a time to bring completed blanket(s) to one of the following Project Linus volunteers: Sharon Lee (Cupertino) - sjlinus@comcast.net Barbara Ross (Rose Garden) - sjlinus@gmail.com Mary Kelly (Willow Glen) - mary@gofigureinc.com Deb Bragen (South San Jose) - bragen@sbcglobal.net Project Linus provides homemade blankets to children in need. Our blankets are lovingly made by adults and children from all walks of life and many different sources. Volunteer blanket makers help provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans. You and your family can make easy, warm, cozy, no sew blankets to donate to children in need. Click here for blanket making instructions. Though most 'blanketeers' choose to work on their own, some organizations have hosted their own "Make A Blanket Day"' for their group.  It can be a fun team-building event and Project Linus can help you with planning and preparation.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Sharon Lee, sjlinus@comcast.net, 408.252.1858 www.sjlinus.org/index.html    Family Volunteering Opportunities with SCS Sunnyvale Community Services   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: 725 Kifer Rd., Sunnyvale Sunnyvale Community Services works to prevent homelessness and hunger by providing emergency services to our neighbors in need. Exposing children to the concept of giving back is very important to many families and to SCS.  We encourage and appreciate the following family activities, which are very helpful to SCS and can stimulate great conversation and discovery for you and your children. See our wish list page for specific donation needs. Feel free to bring your children with you when you donate items to SCS. Monthly family shopping trips to purchase items specifically for donation to SCS. Establish a relationship with a local retailer to pickup damaged food, cleaning products, toilet paper, or other staple household items on a regular basis. Collect hotel/motel toiletries while traveling or on vacation. We distribute hygiene kits of toothpaste, shampoo, soaps, lotions, and disposable razors to low-income and homeless clients. Buy new books for low-income children. Feel free to wrap them and include a personal note (first names only please). Buy new socks and or gloves for the homeless. Feel free to wrap them and include a personal note (first names only please). Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: SCS Volunteer Manager, 408.738.4321 ext. 211, volunteer@svcommunityservices.org www.svcommunityservices.org   Learn more about how to help fight poverty Collect Diapers for Families in Need Help A Mother Out   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Deliver to Earth Baby Warehouse, 3250 Victor St., Santa Clara Help a Mother Out works to improve baby and family well being by increasing access to diapers for families in need. A family's access to a reliable supply of clean diapers reduces the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, improves baby's health and comfort, and enables baby's participation in early care and education programs. Our vision is a day when every baby has a healthy supply of diapers. To host a diaper drive, feel free to use the online diaper drive toolkit!   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Anu Menon, anu@helpamotherout.org, 415.938.6667 www.helpamotherout.org/   Embrace-A-Family 2016 Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley   Date/Time: Now through December 23   Location: Varies. Dreidel gifts can be delivered to 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos Jewish Family Services invites you to be a part of our 9th annual Embrace-A-Family program, which brings hope and smiles to those in need. Your gifts will help ease holiday pressures and stress for needy families, senior citizens, and adults. Frail, isolated seniors are often overlooked at this time of year. Providing gifts for them is a special mitzvah that will make a huge positive difference in their lives. What You Can Do to Help: Look for JFS SV dreidel boards in the community from November 17th through December 23rd. The boards will be at these locations. Select a gift dreidel, purchase the gift listed, and bring your unwrapped gift to the JFS SV office at the Levy Family Campus, 14855 Oka Rd, Suite 202, Los Gatos. Your gift will bring a smile - and be a blessing - to someone in need. You can buy online through the Embrace-A-Family Target Gift Registry. Purchase gift cards (gas station, supermarket and discount department store) for struggling families and isolated seniors to help them throughout the year. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Lori Cinnamon, Manager of Community and Volunteer Engagement, 408.357.7467 or loric@jfssv.org http://www.jfssv.org/home.html     Family Activities for the 2016 Holiday Season Second Harvest Food Bank   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Deliver completed projects to one of their three office locations between 8am - 4pm 750 Curtner Ave., San Jose 4001 North First St., San Jose 1051 Bing St., San Carlos This holiday season, your family can help the Food Bank make the holidays brighter for your neighbors in need. Prepare an at-home family project or youth group project and bring to any of the three Food Bank locations. Once you choose an activity, fill out this form and bring it with you when you come to drop off your donation. Activities and Projects: Create colorful grocery bags for seniors with glitter, color crayons, holiday themes, etc. Make holiday cards for seniors and families Prepare comfort kits that contain toothpaste, toothbrush, hair comb, brush, travel-sized shampoo, soap, etc. to be given to the homeless or other individuals in need. Place items in clear plastic bags and decorate! Do mini food drives that focus on collecting specific items like meals in a can, peanut butter or tuna Create family food baskets for a family of 4 to 6. Fill it with lots of goodies that you and your family would enjoy. Food items need to be non-perishable and consist of a meal for each breakfast, lunch and dinner. Suggested nutritious menu items: Breakfast: cereal, canned fruit, breakfast bars, pancake mix, maple syrup, canned or dehydrated milk Lunch: canned chili, soup, tuna, crackers, healthy snack bar, 100% juice  Dinner: Pasta, marinara sauce (canned or in jars), canned vegetables, muffin mix, canned fruit  Create lunch bags - including nutritious menu items such as: cheese & cracker packets, 100% juice boxes, granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, pop-top cans of ready-to-eat foods such as tuna, meals in a can, fruit cocktail Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Volunteer Services, volunteer@shfb.org, 408.266.8866. http://www.shfb.org/ Learn more about helping the hungry Assist Older Adults With Activities Webster House Health Center - Episcopal Senior Communities   Date/Time: Varies   Location: 437 Webster St. Palo Alto Webster House welcomes volunteers of all ages to come spend time with residents doing various therapeutic recreation activities such as singing, reading, arts and crafts, jewelry making, bowling, gardening, and much more. We also have volunteer opportunities for one-on-one visits to residents in their rooms, dining room assistance, assisting residents with their meals, and musical performances. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies. Webster House would like to have volunteers weekly or more if possible. Contact: Enrichment and Volunteer Director, Natalie Bedell, at 650.617.7355 or nbedell@jtm-esc.org http://www.jtm-esc.org/webster-house-health-center/volunteer/     Giving Plates Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Flexible   Location:  Your own home or community location Making some baked goods to bring along to a holiday gathering? You and your family can bake up some extra treats to share as a holiday gift with new or isolated neighbors, sick or stressed friends, or even service providers you meet on a regular basis, like the mail carrier or school bus driver. Then your family can design giving plates to place your home baked goodies on as part of your gift! Visit the Doing Good Together Design a Giving Plate for directions to make your plates and for additional ideas and reflection questions   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.DoingGoodTogether.org   Thank You for Your Giving   During this season of thanks, we want to thank each one of you for your commitment to making a positive difference in your communities. We are especially thankful for all the families who are living our mission of kindness and volunteering by using these monthly lists to find local volunteering opportunities. These free offerings would not be available if it weren't for the generosity of our donors. If you believe these lists are a value to you and your family, please include Doing Good Together in your #GivingTuesday donations tomorrow or in your year-end giving. Choose Kindness       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2016 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try it free today