Throughout the year I look for different ways to volunteer and get involved in the community. This year when looking at ways to get involved are mostly through donation online due to the pandemic, but personally I like to meet with people face-to-face. My friends also love to get involved so please read the opportunities below.
Care Kits for the Homeless
My husband and I created care kits that we will be handing out on Thanksgiving Day. In addition to the care kits we are writing hand written notes to place inside along with 2 slices of pizza. We did a lot of research in regards to most asked for items. This is what we added to ours, which can also be seen on our Instagram video.
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
- Wool socks and gloves
- Non-perishable snacks: Granola Bars, Tuna and Crackers
- Chapstick
- Band-aides
- Baby wipes
- 1 bottle of water
- 1-2 gallon size plastic bag with a zip
- The person who receives this will get a bonus reusable bag they can use to store important personal items after they use the items from the care kit.
Other items you can consider: Nail clippers/file, Sunscreen, Hand lotion, Maxi pads, Chewable vitamins, Headlamp flashlight, Flashlight, Hand warmers, Can opener, Tarp, Plastic Utensils, Razor, Underwear
What to avoid: Soap (public restrooms have soap), hand sanitizer, mouthwash, anything with fragrance, large items. Hand sanitizer and mouthwash or anything with alcohol in it due to addiction potential. Fragrance because it could insulting and maybe people have sensitivities to smell. Large items, because they are difficult to carry.
Winter Essentials Drive in your Apartment Building or Office
Every year our apartment building does a large donation box for winter essentials. If you happen to be going to the office you can also ask if a donation bin could be set up.
- Coats, Scarf and hat, Shoes, Sleeping bags
- Non-perishable items
- Kids toy drive
Volunteer at Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald House New York provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive, and caring environment which encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. Currently a lot of volunteering opportunities are paused due to the pandemic. There are still plenty of ways to contribute to this amazing place through this link! The links I have placed below are for the New York location but please remember you can go to your location-specific site. I have personally volunteered to make brunch on a Sunday with my coworkers and to bake cookies with my friends at the Chicago Ronald McDonald. It is truly amazing what this place offers for families.
- Support their Amazon wishlist.
- Meal program
- Host a fundraiser through social media
Other websites for volunteering: New York Cares, City Harvest, Toys for Tots
In India, I have had the pleasure of also giving back. Every year, I donate to Akshaya Patra. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in India headquartered in Bengaluru that strives to eliminate classroom hunger by implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in the government schools and government-aided schools. Alongside, Akshaya Patra also aims at countering malnutrition and supporting the right to education of socio-economically disadvantaged children. You can donate to provide meals and utensils to children on the website.
In addition, you could contact your temple or set up a small table to pass out food to the homeless. You can just call ahead to a restaurant a couple of hours before to get food prepared depending on your budget.
I hope everyone has a great week!
Taylor
