The Friday Café Lunch Cooks, Bakers, Prep Volunteers

First Church in Cambridge

Date/Time(s):

Food drop off: Every Thursday, 5:30–7:30 p.m., and every Friday, 9:30–10:45 a.m. 

Volunteering: Every Friday:

Kitchen Crew: 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (opening), 1:30–3:30 p.m. (closing)

Meal Service: 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (opening), 1:15–3:15 p.m. (closing)

Resource Crew:11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (opening), 1:15–3:15 p.m. (closing)

Location: First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge. Pull into one of the parking spaces in front of the cloister on Mason St. (under the Church Tower). Someone will be waiting at the door of the Tower Room to assist you!

Ages: All ages are welcome to prepare and bring food. A parent or guardian must accompany on-site volunteers 13 years old and younger.

Time Commitment: Two to four hours, depending on the shift.

The Café features hot coffee, nourishing food, and community seating. We regularly need volunteers to make everything run smoothly including cooks, bakers, line servers, meal packers, and donation sorters in our resource center for clothing distribution.. We ask that the entree, side dish, or dessert be enough to serve 12 adults. No lunches will go to waste! Leftovers are walked down to Harvard Square to be delivered to the homeless. Learn more about the Friday Cafe here.

Contact: fridaycafe@firstchurchcambridge.org, 617.851.5074. Click here to sign up to prepare and drop off food. Please click here to register for a volunteer shift.

www.thefriday.cafe

Help our Food Insecure Neighbors

Food Shelf Thanksgiving Support

Date/Time: Ongoing.

Location: Find the food pantry nearest you.

Ages: Everyone can help donate food.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Millions of children and families living in America continue to face hunger and food insecurity every day.

• According to the USDA, more than 48 million people, including 14 million children, in the United States are food insecure.
• Every community in the country is home to families who face hunger, including rural and suburban communities.
• Many households that experience food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs and visit their local food banks and other food programs for extra support.

Thanksgiving means a time to give thanks and many families incorporate helping with holiday meals for their neighbors in need and those living with food insecurity. Demand at food pantries has continued to grow due to the pressures of inflation, supply chain issues, and decreased federal support. Your family can help our food-insecure neighbors with your time, food donations, or financial donations. Here are a few ways you and your family can help:

• Reach out to your local food bank in your community to see what support/donations they need this year.
• To find a food bank or location providing holiday meals please use the Greater Boston Food Bank’s food distribution link by entering your local zip code.
• Start a collection drive of specific items (canned goods, etc) and deliver to your food bank before the holidays- https://www.gbfb.org/need-food/. 
• Donate (either to the GBFB or your local food bank of choice).

Contact: Click here to find a food shelf near you.

www.GBFB.org

15th Annual Boston River Run

Andrew Graham Semper Fi Fund

Date/Time: Sunday, November 8:

• Volunteer positions are available from 7–11 a.m.
• Registration opens at 7:30 a.m.
• 5K walk and/or run starts at 9 a.m.

Location: Artesani Park, 1255 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton.

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate in the event. Most volunteer opportunities will be best for older children and adults. Younger children are welcome to walk/run or cheer.

Time Commitment: Three to four hours.

The Andrew Graham Semper Fi Fund is a 501(C)(3) public charitable organization created to honor the life of Corporal Andrew Graham Narcus (USMC). The AGSF Fund is volunteer-based and 100% of donations go directly towards endowing scholarships. The organization's mission is to generate funds through the Boston River Run fundraiser and endow scholarships at Massachusetts community colleges. Bring your family out to enjoy this flat, family-friendly, scenic, safe 5K charity run/walk along the Charles River. 

Contact: Sarah Narcus, sarah@agsffund.org. Click here to register to walk or run. Click here to volunteer.

www.Bostonriverrun.com

Become a Pie Seller - 33rd Annual Pie in the Sky 

Community Servings

Date/Time: Ongoing through Sunday, November 22.

Location: Your home or community.

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Pie in the Sky is a high-impact volunteer opportunity where your efforts directly affect our ability to home-deliver scratch-made medically tailored meals to neighbors and families across Massachusetts and Rhode Island impacted by critical and chronic illnesses.

There’s no fundraising minimum to participate, and you can join as an individual seller or be a part of a larger team. Every $37 pie you sell (or donation you obtain) from a member of your network provides a week of delicious and nutritious meals from our kitchen to a Community Servings client.

Contact: sellersupport@servings.org. Register here to become a pie seller in your community,

www.pieinthesky.org/

The 15th Annual Thanksgiving Family Turkey Trot

Ripples of Hope 

Date/Time: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26.

• 7:30 a.m. - Late Registration and Bib Pickup.
• 8 a.m. - Kids Run.
• 8:30 a.m. - 5K Run/Walk.

Location: Endicott Estate, 656 East Street, Dedham. You can also participate virtually.

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

We hope you will join us by coming together to make an impact. You and your family can participate in three different ways:

• Participate in the 5K Run/Walk or ½ Mile Kids Run.
• Volunteer! Help put together an amazing day for over 2000 people - there are many easy ways to help out.
• Make a donation! 

Race registration will directly support our work in Dedham and other local communities along with South Africa. Our partners work to reduce food insecurity, give young people the opportunities they deserve, and help families in need due to natural disasters and refugee resettlement. Please be as generous as you can – it does make a difference to these wonderful organizations: Dedham Youth Commission, Dedham Food Pantry, and other local and global initiatives.

Contact: cindylaba@ripplesofhope.org, 781.858.2305. Click here to register.: $40.49 in advance for 5k, $45.99 on race day; kids 9 years old and younger race free. Click here to volunteer at the event.

www.ripplesofhope.org/turkey-trot

Jolly Jaunt 5K Walk/Run

Special Olympics Massachusetts

Date/Time: Saturday, December 5, 8 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

• Volunteer shifts: 7:30–11:30 a.m.
• Registration and bib pick up between 8– 8:45 a.m.
• The walk/run starts at 9 a.m.
• Awards: 9:45 –11 a.m.

Location: Boston Common.

Ages: All ages are welcome with an adult chaperone.

Time Commitment: Varies.

If you are looking for a fun 5K in Massachusetts, look no further. This event is professionally timed and holiday-themed. Join us to run or walk and help raise money to benefit local Special Olympics athletes. This flat 5K course through Boston’s Back Bay has a fun holiday theme with prizes for best costume and jingle bells for each participant! Don’t forget to enter our costume contest on race morning near registration. Volunteers are needed to assist with set up, registration, and clean up.

Contact: volunteer@specialolympics.org. Runners/walkers may register here. There is a $35 registration fee. If you wish to volunteer at the event, please register here.

Boston Jolly Jaunt for Special Olympics Massachusetts 

Coats for Kids and Families Annual Coat Drive

Anton’s Cleaners, Enterprise Bank, Jordan’s Furniture 

Date/Time: Ongoing through January 10.

Location: Click here to find local drop-off locations.

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Looking to make a difference in your community? Start a coat drive! We are looking for adult and children-sized warm winter coats. Each year we aim to collect 50,000 warm winter coats to provide to individuals and families in need. Coats are cleaned by Anton’s Cleaners and made available to a network of over 90 distribution partners made up of local nonprofits, social service agencies, and schools to ensure the coats are given to those who need them free of charge. As one of the largest local coat drives, we accept all winter coats – kids, adults, and babies – that are warm and in good, wearable condition. Please only donate coats you would give to a friend to wear. Do not donate coats that have rips/tears, broken zippers, and/or permanent stains and please be sure to empty all pockets.

Contact: antons.com/cfk/about-us/contact-us/

antons.com/cfk/

Operation Sock Drop 

Friends of Boston's Homeless

Date/Time: Anytime (we need socks all year round).

Location: Please ship or drop off anytime at the Woods Mullen Women's Shelter (794 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118), right in the South End.

Ages: Families with children are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Fresh, clean socks and underwear are vital for people's health, warmth, comfort, and dignity and are the least donated items to people in greatest need. The shelters we support give out over 8,000 pairs of socks each year. By participating in Operation Sock Drop you not only help keep our community's neediest, most vulnerable citizens safe, warm, and healthy, but you'll help them maintain their dignity and comfort during this most difficult time in their lives. Friends of Boston's Homeless supports the Woods Mullen Women's Shelter and the 112 Southampton Men's Shelter in the South End. These shelters serve over 800 people experiencing homelessness every day. To get started, just download this flyer and share it with everyone you'd like to participate.

Contact: info@bphc.org.

www.fobh.org

Sponsor a Child or Wrap Gifts and Prepare Holiday Bundles of Cheer 

Spur Holiday Cheer Drive

Date/Time: Click here to sponsor a Bundle starting Monday, November 2. Unwrapped Bundles of Cheer are due on Tuesday, December 1. 

Location: Bundle Drop-off and Wrapping Shifts will occur at our Spur office at 6 Anderson Street, Marblehead. 

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies, flexible.

We are thrilled to share that our annual SPUR Holiday Cheer Drive will begin on November 2! We work with school counselors, social workers, food pantry directors, and other social service providers to give winter essentials along with a few meaningful gifts to over 600 children as well as adults experiencing homelessness in Lynn, Marblehead, Salem, and Swampscott. You may sponsor a wish list on our website. You can search wish lists by recipient age, gender, and even by a specific toy! In addition to sponsoring a Wish List, community members will also have an opportunity to wrap gifts and prepare these Bundles of Cheer. Wrapping Gifts Workshops shifts will run from Saturday, November 21 through Monday, December 14. Click here starting November 14 to sign up to wrap gifts at our office. 

Contact: Bryan Lamoreau, blamoreau@spurnorthshore.org. 781.451.7787.

www.spurnorthshore.org

Treats for Troops

Soldiers' Angels

Date/Time: You can start donating excess candy right after Halloween through the month of November!

Location(s): Most Candy Collection sites host their collections starting on November 1 and run through the first weeks of November. Check back after Halloween to find a location near you! You may drop off a personal amount of candy (no more than 10 pounds). If there are no collection sites near you, please ship your candy (no more than 10 pounds) to our headquarters in San Antonio:

Soldiers’ Angels Candy

1355 Central Parkway S, Ste 700

San Antonio, TX 78232

Ages: Everyone can share their candy!

Time Commitment: Varies.

Families with too much candy after Halloween can donate excess candy to support a good cause. Kids may even earn buyback prizes for their generosity, and families will receive a tax-deductible receipt for their donations. 

You can also help at any time by making candy bags to send to Soldiers’ Angels. Here’s how to participate:

• Get some fun-size candy (this is also a great use for excess candy after holidays like Halloween, Easter, etc.).
• Using a treat bag or clear plastic baggie, place an assortment of candy in the baggie and secure it with a twist tie or decorative ribbon.
• If you would like, you can also attach a small card to the bag of candy that has a simple message like, “Thank you for your service!”

Learn more about creating candy bags here.

Contact: tft@soldiersangels.org or 210.629.0020.

soldiersangels.org