Volunteer News | November 2025 | | Volunteer Opportunities and Announcements | | |
Greetings!
The leaves are dropping along with the biggest and best news to share! We have received a temporary Certificate of Occupancy that will allow us to prepare homes for 10 new families at our ADC Family Campus on the Westside. We will be working all month to move families into homes on November 25, just in time for Thanksgiving!
Many hands make light work for getting these homes ready. Please take a look at ways you can help out. As always, we will share photos of the finished spaces in our Home Highlights at the beginning of next month.
In addition to our move-in, we have many MORE ways this month to create welcoming spaces, support families' learning, and help them prepare for the holidays. Please note that we are taking special care to support our families' nutritional needs during this time and have a couple of extra ways below to support families. We are also collecting Walmart gift cards to distribute to our families to help them get what they need until SNAP benefits are restored.
If you have any questions about any of these opportunities, please contact Sunny Holmes, Community Engagement Coordinator, at (505) 377-5086 or sholmes@saranamabq.org.
| | Our volunteers are phenomenal at ensuring our campuses are maintained and our families have what they need. Whether you have just an hour or want to stay involved regularly, join us! | | | |
Furniture Assembly
Date(s): Sunday, November 9
Time: 9am-12pm
Location: Westside- ADC Family Campus (4651 Montano Blvd. NW), donation center
Details: We have beds, desks and more to assemble in our homes. If you are handy with tools, we can use your help! We are meeting at our new donation center at 9 to hand out assignments.
We have some tools, but recommend you bring some as well. Most needed are: drills or screwdrivers, hammers, and allen wrenches.
Requirements: none
| |  | |
Decorator Store Setup
Date(s): Monday, November 10
Time: 7:30-9:00am
Location: Eastside, FoxRidge Apartments (1119 Mary Ellen St. NE), Apt A
Details: We need some volunteers to help unpack and arrange donated household items (lamps, bedding, kitchenware, etc.) to set up Saranam's decorator store. At 9am, decorating groups will "shop" from this store for the new homes.
Requirements: none
| | |
Decorator Store Runners
Date(s): Monday, November 10
Time: 9:00-12:30pm
Location: Eastside, FoxRidge Apartments (1119 Mary Ellen St. NE), Apt A
Details: Help decorators take things to cars, and put away leftover decor for last 30 minutes.
Requirements: none
| | | |
Misc. Moving and Preparation Help
Date(s): Flexible (between Nov 5-23)
Location: Saranam ADC Family Campus Office (4651 Montano Blvd. NW)
Details: Our decorator groups are set but there are always ways to help. If you would like to be involved in the home and office preparations, let us know and we will be in touch.
Requirements: none
| | |
Monthly Supply Sorting (FTA Campus, Eastside)
Date(s): Wednesday Nov 19 and Dec 17
Time: 9:30-11:30am
Location: Eastside-Saranam Classroom (1100 Eubank Blvd. NE, Suite A)
Details: Help us sort and fulfill each family's monthly supply orders. Families order from a set list and we gather and organize them for pick-up.
Requirements: none
| | | |
Monthly Supply Sorting (ADC Family Campus, Westside)
Date(s): Wednesday, Nov 12 and Dec 10
Time: 9:30-11:30am
Location: Westside-Saranam ADC Family Campus Office (4651 Montano Blvd. NW-Home #1)
Details: Help us sort and fulfill each family's monthly supply orders. Families order from a set list and we gather and organize them for pick-up.
Requirements: none
| | |
Leaf Wranglers
Date(s): End of November/Beginning of December
Time: flexible
Location: Eastside-Weil Family Center 10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE
Details: Our two trees outside our family center are about to drop their leaves. We can never predict the day, but sign up and we can work out a good time for you. 3 spaces available.
Requirements: none
| | | |
Meal Kits
Date(s): Flexible
Location: either campus
Details: Providing meal kits is a great way to share a budget-friendly, kid-approved meal that families can make again and again.
Volunteers provide at least 10 meal kits for our families, complete with detailed recipe and the nonperishable items for the meal. Saranam will distribute to families at one of our campuses.
Requirements: none
| | |
Donation Center
Location: Westside-Saranam ADC Family Campus Office (4651 Montano Blvd. NW-Home #1)
The Donation Center is NOT OPEN YET, but we would love to gather a list of individuals interested in helping us set it up and staff it when it is. Sign up and we’ll contact you as soon as we have dates and tasks to see if they work for your schedule! Let us know if:
I’m interested in helping set-up the new Donation Center! This could involve creating the space plan, moving and assembling shelves, reconstructing wooden furniture platforms, unpacking donations, etc.
I’m interested in possibly staffing the new Donation Center in the future! This will involve 2-4 hour shifts either accepting donations, filling out donation receipts, sorting donation items, breaking down furniture for efficient storage, etc.
| | |
Click below to sign up via Sign-Up Genius or contact Sunny Holmes at:
sholmes@saranamabq.org; (505) 377-5086.
| | Every week this month, our community nights will offer a meal and some time for learning. If you can support either, we would appreciate your help! | | | |
DIY Holiday Crafts
Date(s): during week
Location: Eastside-Weil Family Center 10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE
Details: Calling all crafters! We would love to teach our families how to make a couple of simple, homemade gifts for the holidays.
If you would like to share your passion for all things crafty, sign up and we'll set up a good day that works.
Requirements: none
| | | |
Holiday Parties
Dates for semester:
Eastside (Weil Family Center, 10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE)
Westside (Saranam Classroom)
Time: 5:00pm
Details: Ready to jingle some bells together? We are looking for people who love to throw a fun children's party for the winter holiday.
Volunteers will help with craft projects, fun activities, and provide a tasty holiday treat.
Requirements: none
| | |
Share a Meal
Dates for semester:
Eastside (Weil Family Center, 10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE)
- December 3
- December 10
- December 17 *Holiday Party
Westside (Saranam Classroom)
- December 3
- December 10
- December 17 *Holiday Party
Time: 5:00pm
Details: A good meal is the glue of community! We are providing weekly meals for our families until SNAP benefits resume. Volunteers will provide a meal for 20-30 people. You are welcome to stick around and join our families for some good community conversation and fun!
Requirements: none
| | |
Click below to sign up via Sign-Up Genius or contact Sunny Holmes at:
sholmes@saranamabq.org; (505) 377-5086.
| | There is no better time to catch up with old friends than around the holidays. We have a couple of special events planned for our alumni to connect. If you have a weekend free to help make them special, we would appreciate your help! | | | |
Thanksgiving Potluck
Date: Saturday, November 15
Time: 11:30-3:30
Location: Eastside- Weil Family Center, 10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE
Details: Our alumni love sharing a meal together. We need a couple of volunteers to help with setup and a holiday craft. Join us for community time!
Requirements: Saranam volunteer training
| | | |
Cookie Decorating
Date: Saturday, December 13
Time: 11:30-3:30
Location: Eastside- Weil Family Center, 10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE
Details: Get ready for holiday baking season! We need a baker to prepare 3-4 dozen cookies for our cookie decorating event for our alumni. Families will decorate and bring home to enjoy. Thanks for sharing your delicious treats!
Requirements: Saranam volunteer training
| | |
Click below to sign up via Sign-Up Genius or contact Sunny Holmes at:
sholmes@saranamabq.org; (505) 377-5086.
| | |
Hope for the Holidays
Make the holidays merry and bright for our families! We have a few ways to provide our families with presents this year.
- Purchase a gift for our "Santa Workshop" where kids get to pick out a present to give to their parents. Link below
- Donate gift cards to allow parents to be gift givers.
| | | |
Tractor Brewing
Looking for an extra-fun way to support Saranam and other local businesses?
We are partnering with Sunward Federal Credit Union and Tractor Brewing Company to support local community and spread the word about Saranam. Sunward and Tractor came together to create a new and delicious lavender-lemon brew called Sol Cider.
When you purchase this drink now through January 22, $2 of the sale will support Saranam- a dollar from each business. WOW!
Read more about this collaboration
| | | |
Target Giving Circle
Did you know that when you do your holiday Target shopping that you can also help Saranam? It's true!
From now until the end of the year, your purchases with Target Circle will earn you votes that you can use for Saranam. The more votes we get, the more of a donation we receive from Target!
Click here to learn more about the voting process.
| | | |
ABQ Giving Machine
If you are shopping at Cottonwood Mall this year, stop by the Giving Machine for a unique way to support local nonprofits.
The Giving Machine is a vending machine that allows people to donate funds towards preselected tangible items to help those in need.
100% of the proceeds will go directly to the nonprofits- including Saranam!
The machine will be available for visitors at Cottonwood Mall near Dillard's on the lower level.
| | | | | |
