March 2016 - Boston

 
Brown Bag Lunch Distribution
Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services
 
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 8, 11am - 1:30pm
 
Location: The Arts at the Armory building, 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville
 
Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) promotes the right of all individuals to live with dignity, in the setting of their choice by offering older people, younger people with disabilities, and caregivers the information, services and support needed to make choices which enhance health, well being and independence. SCES, in conjunction with the Greater Boston Food Bank, supplies 650 low-income seniors with a free bag of groceries. Each registered senior receives a grocery bag of fresh and canned food to help them make it through the month. Fifteen to twenty volunteers are URGENTLY needed to help unload the Food Bank truck, sort food, and fill brown bags.
 
Ages: Families with children ages six and older can help with food distribution and sorting; all ages can help with welcoming seniors.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Call the volunteer coordinators at 617.628.2601, x3051 or vol@eldercare.org
eldercare.org/home/
 
Craicfest
Cambridge 5K
 
Date/Time: Sunday, March 13, 7:30 - 10:30am
 
Location: Cambridgeside Galleria, 100 Cambridgeside Pl, Cambridge
 
Cambridge 5K Craicfest is an Irish-themed road race that benefits the East End House and the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation. Volunteers are needed to help with the water stops, finish line and bag check.
  • Water stops: Volunteers pour water in cups, hand water to runners, and rake up used cups.
  • Finish line: Volunteers hand out water at finish line, congratulate and high five runners!
  • Bag Check: Volunteers greet runners, and organize bags after they are dropped off at the VIP Ten.
Ages: All ages are welcome to cheer on the runners. Ages six and up can participate at the water spots and finish lines. Ages ten and up can volunteer at bag check. All children must have adult supervision.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact:  Melissa at melg@onebrick.org or registration is available online
www.cambridge5k.com/craicfest
 
Food Distribution with American Red Cross Boston
Boston Food Pantry
 
Date/Time: Saturday, March 26, 8am - noon. Additional volunteer shifts are available on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
 
Location: 1033 Massachusetts Ave, Roxbury. Please note there are limited parking spaces behind the Red Cross Food Pantry.
 
Volunteers will help distribute food to clients, prepare bags of perishable items for distribution, and pack food bags for the next distribution date. All volunteers are REQUIRED to wear sturdy shoes or sneakers. For safety reasons no open-open toed shoes or sandals will be allowed in the warehouse. In cold weather, dress warmly because work both inside and outside the pantry can be very cold! Gloves, hats and warm coats are recommended. 
 
Ages: Families with children eight and older are welcome to participate.
 
Time Commitment: Four hours
 
Contact: David, david.andre@redcross.org, 617.375.0735
www.redcross.org/local/massachusetts/food-nutrition

 
Land Stewardship at Mass Audubon
Mass Audubon Habitat
 
Date/Time: Saturday, March 19, 10am - noon
 
Location: Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. Click for directions.
 
Volunteers are needed to cut and pull unwanted plants, pile brush, and plant native shrubs. Volunteers will learn how the Habitat cares for the land and its inhabitants. Must wear closed toed shoes. Volunteers will be given gardening gloves and other tools.
 
Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome.
 
Time Commitment: Two hours
 
Contact:  Sandy Vorce, svorce@massaudubon.org or 617.489.5050. Registration is available online
www.massaudobon.org
 
Book Sorting
More than Words (MTW)
 
Date/Time: Saturday, March 19, 1-3:30pm
 
Location: More Than Words, 56 Felton St, Waltham. Look for the More Than Words signs.
 
More Than Words empowers young people ages 16-21 who are court involved, homeless, in the foster care system, or out of school to take control of their lives by taking control of a business. MTW operates an online book business, as well as a brick-and-mortar bookstore and cafe on Moody Street in Waltham. Volunteers are needed to help the youth in various projects to support the daily operations of the store such as pre-scanning and sorting donated books and organizing book store displays. Wear comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting dusty and dirty!
 
Ages: Families with children eight or older are welcome to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: volunteer@mtwyouth.org or call 781.788.0035
www.mtwyouth.org
 
Birthday Giving Project  
Family-To-Family
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Contact birthdays@family-to-family.org to ask for the name of a shelter or pantry where you can deliver the birthday boxes or call your local food pantry to ask if they accept birthday in a box donations
 
It's hard for many of us - adults or children - to imagine celebrating a child's birthday without a party or presents. Family-to Family's Birthday Giving Project is designed to help families by providing a small "party in a box" for a child in need, and at the same time gives children with "more" the opportunity to learn empathy in a concrete way by helping another child. You and your children can decorate and fill shoeboxes with everything needed for a small birthday party. Each box goes to a different child. If you are making a lot of boxes, please make them for different ages!

Directions:
  • Pick an age (or ages), and choose either boy(s) or girl(s) to send your box to.
  • Find a large sneaker-sized shoebox or party bag and buy the things needed for a party.
Include: 
  • Box of cake mix and a can of frosting
  • Birthday candles (no matches please!)
  • Wall decoration (like streamers, or a happy birthday banner)
  • New or gently used children's book
  • Small $5-$10 gift appropriate to the age and gender of child.
  • Optional: goody bag filled with small surprises
Then:
  • Wrap the book and the gift in birthday paper.
  • Wrap the top and bottom of the shoebox separately (so that even wrapped, the box can be opened), and fill the wrapped box with the birthday items.
  • If you want to give your recipient a chance to write you back, include a stamped postcard with your name, c/o Family to Family, P.O. Box 255, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, 10706. Then email kids@family-to-family.org, put "birthday postcards" in the subject line, say you may get a return postcard, and provide your name and address.
  • You can also make a birthday card to put inside the box. Then tie the box closed with ribbon, and label it with the age and "boy" or "girl". (For example, you might write "6-7 year old boy" or "10-11 year old girl".)
  • Ship or deliver the box(es) you've assembled
Visit the Doing Good Together Birthday Giving Project page for more ideas and reflection questions.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org or birthdays@family-to-family.org 
 
DGT FAMILY SERVICE FAIR MANUAL WITH ONLINE TOOLKIT

We've got a great way for you to help your organization help others!
Doing Good Together Family Service Fairs allow groups of all ages to serve others in a two-hour fair-style event. Attendees come together to do simple and fun hands-on projects that benefit non-profit organizations. Want to host a fun fair of your own? Our DGT Family Service Fair Manual with Online Toolkit has all you need to get started.
 

 

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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. 
                                                                            

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