November 2018 - New York City
PLEASE NOTE:   
THANKSGIVING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FILL VERY QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING WITH YOUR FAMILY ON THANKSGIVING, PLEASE CONTACT THE ORGANIZATION YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ASAP!  
 
Donate Halloween Candy for Our Troops
Operation Gratitude
 
Date/Time: At your convenience, after Halloween. Candy should be shipped no later than November 9.
 
Location: Mail candy to:
Operation Gratitude
Attn: Halloween Candy Program
21100 Lassen Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311-4278

Don't forget to donate your leftover Halloween candy! On November 1st, the piles of left-over Halloween candy may be overwhelming. Operation Gratitude will accept your donations of unopened packages of candy. Their website provides important packaging and shipping information. Consider asking your children to write a letter or draw a picture to include with your donation, as Operation Gratitude strives to include personal notes in every care package they send. NO chocolate candy (chocolate can melt in transit).
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 

 
Encore: Meals on Wheels
Catholic Charities of New York
 
Date/Time: Ongoing, every Saturday, November 3, 10, 17 and 24, 9:30am - 12:30pm
 
Location: Midtown West - full address provided upon registration

Help Catholic Charities deliver meals to seniors in the midtown Manhattan area. Bring the gift of a delicious and nutritious meal, and provide homebound seniors with some company and a bright smile.
 
Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
 
 
Share Your Abundance this Thanksgiving
NY Common Pantry Food Drive
 
Date/Time: Complete this form to schedule a pick-up. The last pick-up day will be Wednesday, November 14.
 
Location: NY Common Pantry, 8 East 109th Street

The NY Common Pantry provides over 2,000 complete Thanksgiving meals each year. Consider organizing your own drive to help the Pantry collect food to be distributed to low-income New York families to ensure that everyone who relies on the NY Common Pantry will have the food that they need to have a festive and memorable holiday.
 
How to Plan a Food Drive:
Choose collection sites that are both highly visible and secure, and promote to neighbors and friends. Click  here to view the full list of requested food items. PLEASE DO DONATE ANYTHING IN GLASS JARS!
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: [email protected]. Click here for more information, or to make a monetary donation to support the 2018 Turkey Drive.
www.nycommonpantry.org
 
 
Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless
Manhattan Church of Christ
 
Date/Time(s):
  • Saturday, November 10 and 17, 10am - 2pm
  • Saturday, November 24, 10am - 2pm (Special Thanksgiving Holiday Meal)
Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street

Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up.  Regular Saturday meal service will occur on November 10th and 17th. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Manhattan Church of Christ opens its doors to serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal to the homeless. 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.
 
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.  [email protected]
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, [email protected]
 
 
7th Annual Thousand Turkey Challenge
West Side Campaign Against Hunger and the WSCAH Community Coalition
 
Date/Time: Drop off a turkey (frozen turkeys up to 14lbs) during the following hours:
  • Monday, November 19 between 9am - 8pm
  • Tuesday, November 20 between 9am - 8pm
  • Wednesday, November 21 between 9am - 1pm
Location: WSCAH - 263 West 86th Street, in the basement of the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew (Between West End Avenue and Broadway)

The West Side Campaign Against Hunger is a grocery-store style food pantry on the Upper West Side which has been serving low-income residents from all 5 boroughs for 38 years. Last year, the Thousand Turkey Challenge collected and distributed nearly 1400 turkeys for WSCAH clients. The goal for this year is 1500 turkeys. Donate online at www.wscah.org or Text TURKEY to 56512 on your smartphone ($18 per turkey).

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
 
 
Package and Deliver Thanksgiving Meals
Feeding NYC
 
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 20, - several shifts, 6am - 3pm
 
Location: Pier 60/Chelsea Piers - 23rd Street and West Side Highway

Since 2001, FeedingNYC has been connecting with families in need throughout New York City. Each year, FeedingNYC hand delivers nearly 3,000 Thanksgiving dinners. Each box contains one turkey, stuffing, gravy, vegetables, juices and dessert. Thanksgiving dinners are delivered to families who are in partnership with Women in Need, Jewish Federation, Catholic Charities and City Harvest. Join over 300 volunteers in this hands-on opportunity. Financial donations are also welcome through the Adopt A Box program sponsored by Manhattan Mini Storage .
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to volunteer. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by adult and have a signed waiver.
 
Time Commitment: Two to three hours, depending on shift
 
 
 
Where You Can Food Drive
CAMBA
 
Date/Time: Now through November 30
 
Location(s): Drop off food at any of the following CAMBA locations in Brooklyn:
  • 1720 Church Avenue, 2nd Floor
  • 2241 Church Avenue
  • 885 Flatbush Avenue, Room 202
  • 19 Winthrop Street
  • Park Slope Women's Shelter, 1402 8th Avenue
Since 1977, CAMBA has helped New Yorkers transform their lives by providing holistic programs to individuals, families and communities. Brooklyn is renowned as a center of fine cuisine. Yet more than half a million borough families live in poverty and cannot afford to buy enough food. CAMBA sponsors a food drive each Fall. Volunteers are needed to donate nutritious, nonperishable canned or packaged foods. Needed items include: canned tuna, salmon and chicken, dried milk, beans, fruit, vegetables, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, 100% fruit juice.
NOTE:  Please do not donate moldy, expired or dented cans.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: To organize a food drive or another activity to support the pantry, please contact [email protected] or Barbara Diaz, [email protected] or call 718.282.3082.
www.camba.org
 
 
Thanksgiving Turkey Drive for Families in Need
Family-to-Family
 
Date/Time: At your convenience, before Thanksgiving
 
Location: Online
 
Your family can help make Thanksgiving happen for families in need. Consider making a $25 donation to purchase a turkey plus one side dish (e.g. potatoes or stuffing) for one recipient Family-to-Family family. Or, buy a "flock of turkeys" (you choose how many) to feed more than one family. If you currently sponsor a family through Family-to-Family, send an email at [email protected] after you donate, with your name, the name of your sponsored family and the community where they live. Family-to-Family will make sure they receive your turkey, and will let them know you've purchased it specifically for them. If you don't sponsor a family, they will donate the turkey to a family that didn't get one. Click here to learn more about sponsoring a family.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: It only takes a few minutes to donate online, but you and your family can use this opportunity to talk about what it would be like to not be able to afford a Thanksgiving dinner, and why it's important to you to help other families.
 
Contact: [email protected], 914.478.2641. Click here to learn more and to make your Turkey Drive donation.
www.family-to-family.org
 
 
Thanksgiving Morning Meal Delivery
God's Love We Deliver
 
Date/Time: Thursday, November 22. Times vary, three hour shifts between 8:45am and 1pm
 
Location: Various delivery locations city-wide
 
God's Love We Deliver is the New York City metropolitan area's leading provider of nutritious, individually-tailored meals to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. Every day at God's Love We Deliver, an army of dedicated volunteers prepare and deliver meals to our homebound elderly and ailing neighbors. On Thanksgiving morning, they need even more help - and volunteers with cars are in demand. Can't volunteer on Thanksgiving? Consider decorating holiday bags or birthday cards! God's Love We Deliver provides a birthday cake to all clients celebrating a special day.  You and your kids can create birthday cards to be included in these deliveries. You can also decorate holiday bags that are used to package Thanksgiving meals. Contact [email protected] for more information and guidelines.
 
Ages: All ages, with an adult.
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact:  [email protected] or 212.294.8158. Registration is available online. First time volunteers must create an account online before they register.
https://www.glwd.org
 
 
Thanksgiving Meal Service
Bowery Mission
 
Date/Time: Thursday, November 22, 8am - 6pm
 
Location: 227 Bowery, New York City

At the Mission's flagship location ( Bowery campus), over 500 volunteers will prepare traditional turkey dinners and serve 1,600 guests in the Mission's century-old chapel, with music and festive decorations for the holiday.
 
Ages: Volunteers must be age 14 or older. Minors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: 212.674.3456. Volunteer registration will open at bowery.org/thanksgivingvolunteer on November 1 at 7am! Plan to sign on as close to 7am as possible in order to ensure a spot - the shifts go quickly! Unfortunately, because of the extremely high demand to volunteer on Thanksgiving Day, and the relatively small size of our facility, we cannot accommodate everyone who wants to volunteer that day. This protects the experience of our community and the safety of everyone onsite. Volunteers MUST sign up through online Thanksgiving registration to be allowed onsite that day
 
 
Deliver Meals to Homebound Elderly
City Meals on Wheels
 
Date/Time: Monday - Sunday (most dates available), 9:30am - 1:00pm
 
Location: Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx

The heart of the City Meals on Wheels program is the hand-delivery of nutritious meals to homebound elderly. Meal recipients look forward to these essential meals; the personal visits that come with them help brighten their days. Meal delivery is done on foot, within walking distance of a senior center, rain or shine (seniors are counting on these meals).

Volunteers should wear weather appropriate clothes and comfortable shoes, and should not bring any large bags or bulky items as Citymeals does not have storage for these items while deliveries are being made. Volunteers will deliver in pairs or small groups. 

NOTE: Families are also encouraged to make beautiful hand-made cards and notes to include with delivered meals. The Volunteer Coordinator can email you a template and guidelines.
 
Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate but volunteers age 16 and under require adult supervision.
 
Time Commitment: Two to three hours
 
Contact:  Sheila Clay, Volunteer Programs Coordinator, [email protected], 646.866.6286  
www.citymeals.org
 
 
9th Annual Tie-Dye Cupcake Bake-Off
She's the First
 
Date/Time: All during November
 
Location: Wherever you are

She's the First provides scholarships to girls in low income countries with the goal of creating first generation graduates and our next generation of global leaders. This Fall, She's the First is expecting hundreds of bake sales to happen between November 1st and 30th during their 9th Annual Tie-Dye Cupcake Bake-Off. Sign up online to add yourself to the map of people who plan to have bake sales at their school, office, club or girl/boy scout troop, fundraising to send girls to school with She's the First. Then, share all over social media to recruit your friends and family, using the hashtag #bakeachange. Visit the website for a tie-dye cupcake recipe and more information.

Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 

 
30th Annual Coat Drive
New York Cares

Date/Time: Coat Drive will officially kick off in mid-November
 
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.
 
It is never too early to start collecting coats for the New York Cares Coat Drive. 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. All coats will 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. Adult and child-sized coats are welcomed. If you don't have any coats to donate, you can Text-to-Give and donate $20 to buy a coat for a New Yorker in need.  Text the word COAT to 41444.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: [email protected] or 212.228.5000. To register your own coat drive, email [email protected]
https://www.newyorkcares.org/coat-drive
 
 
Spread Some Joy - Create Greeting Cards for DOROT!
DOROT
 
Date/Time: Ongoing- for the Holiday Season and all year long
 
Location: Mail your cards and a  Volunteer Return Form to:
DOROT
Attn: Card Making Project
171 West 85th Street
New York, NY 10024
 
DOROT's greeting card project helps bring joy and celebration to some of our frailest and most isolated seniors. Each month, DOROT mails over 200 birthday cards to seniors. Every card is designed and created by you, our volunteers. Often, this card is the only recognition a senior receives on his or her birthday. Making a card is easy and fun! Whether you're looking for something to do on a rainy day, or planning an activity for your synagogue youth group, all you need is a bit of paper, a few pens, and a little imagination. Be sure to use colored paper for the outside, but white for the inside to make it easier to read.
  • The card you create should be able to fit into a 6x9 standard envelope. This is the type DOROT uses to mail out the cards to our seniors.
  • Write in large block (print) letters. As people get older, many have a hard time reading small print.
  • After you finish your cards, our office volunteers will address and mail them to seniors.
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: 217.769.2850
www.dorotusa.org
 
 
Sponsor a Family
Family-to-Family
 
Date/Time: Ongoing, monthly donation
 
Location: Family-to-Family will connect you with a family to sponsor.

Teach your children the importance of sharing your bounty with others by sponsoring a family in need with a monthly box of groceries. Choose one of the six options on the Family-to Family website and your family can help ease the burden of hunger and poverty in one of America's poorest communities. Depending on the option you choose, you'll need to buy groceries and personal care items, along with a box and postage. Visit the Doing Good Together Sponsor a Family project page for reflection questions and other ways your family can make a positive difference in the lives of others.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
 
Shop Kind for the Holidays!

Whether you're shopping for birthday gifts, making your holiday gift list, or just looking for 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!
 

 

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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. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2018 Doing Good Together™