Check out our Miami Kindness Blog!

Giving back to the community cultivates a sense of belonging and purpose. For families in Miami-Dade, it offers a unique opportunity to bond while making a difference. Whether you’re a parent looking to instill values in your children or someone who simply wants to contribute to a better world, this guide is for you. Click here for our newest blog post.

Light the Night Walk

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Date/Time: Saturday, November 7, 5 p.m.

Location: Miramar Regional Park, 16801 Miramar Parkway, Miramar.

Ages: Families with children of all ages can participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

At Light The Night, we gather as a community to celebrate, honor, and remember those touched by blood cancers. Companies, community partners, families, and sponsors join to bring light to the darkness of cancer. The funds raised by this community fund life-saving blood cancer research around the world, provide free information and support services, and are the voice for those seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care for patients and their families.

Contact: 888.557.7177. Registration is available online.

lightthenight.org

Day in the Dirt 

The Underline

Date/Time: Saturday, November 7, 8–11 a.m.

Location: Location varies. Registered attendees will be emailed the exact location 48 hours prior to the event.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Volunteer and help us beautify The Underline at Day in the Dirt. With four miles of our green corridor, we have numerous opportunities for weeding, pruning, and planting. Wear clothes that can get dirty. Conduct plant bed maintenance led by The Underline’s horticulturist and the horticulture team. Gardening tools and gloves will be provided. Please wear comfortable clothes, apply sunscreen, bring water and a hat. Learn more here.

Contact: hello@theunderline.org or 305.603.9895. Registration is available online.

theunderline.org

Kayak Cleanup Bird Monitoring

Miami Waterkeeper

Date/Time: Saturday, November 14 from 9–11:30 a.m. Please arrive at 8:30 a.m. for check-in.

Location: 4000 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne. We will be launching from Crandon Marina on Key Biscayne.

Ages: All ages are welcome, but young children must be monitored at all times by a parent or guardian. Some heavy lifting is required.

Time Commitment: Two and a half hours.

Miami Waterkeeper is proud to continue our partnership with Miami EcoAdventures to offer public volunteer kayak clean-up events! Volunteers will hit the water on kayaks to conduct a marine debris clean-up in our coastal and mangrove habitats, and we're excited to announce a new addition to the amazing work we do at this event: citizen science bird monitoring!

Volunteer Day main tasks:

• Bird monitoring as citizen scientists around the island
• Removal of marine debris from the water and surrounding mangrove habitats

We've added a citizen science bird monitoring component to this event. Volunteers will go birding around the island by kayak before returning to pick up clean-up supplies and conduct marine debris removal in our mangrove habitats. Binoculars will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own! We will also be using bird data sheets (coming soon!) to record our observations.

Please bring:

• A refillable water bottle. Stay hydrated and be prepared to work outside and on the water.
• Closed-toe shoes are required; long-sleeved shirts and long pants are recommended (clothes that can get wet).
• A hat, sunblock, and insect repellent (recommended).
• Gloves you feel comfortable wearing (otherwise Miami Waterkeeper will provide gloves).
• Binoculars if you have them — we'll provide them, but you're welcome to bring your own!

The kayak clean-up is weather dependent, and the event will be canceled with at least 24 hours' notice if inclement weather is anticipated. We will have double kayaks so if you are RSVPing solo, please plan to be paired up with another volunteer. 

Contact: events@miamiwaterkeeper.org. Registration is available online. If you are finding difficulties RSVPing to this event or would like to participate but have your own craft (kayak or paddle board), please email events@miamiwaterkeeper.org and we will be happy to assist you!

miamiwaterkeeper.org/events/

Community Action Day

Miami-Dade County Parks

Date/Time: Saturday, November 14, 9:30–11:30 a.m.

Location: Greynolds Park, 17530 W. Dixie Highway, North Miami Beach

Ages: Volunteers must be 9 years old or older; participants younger than 15 years old must attend with a parent/guardian.

Time Commitment: Two hours.

On the second Saturday of every month volunteers can assist the Greynolds Park staff to keep our park ecosystems healthy. Depending on the park needs, volunteers may be asked to help clean up East Greynolds Park as well.

Volunteer responsibilities and duties:

• Assessing and removing invasive plant species
• Removing garbage and debris from park grounds
• Additional tasks as needed

Bring a refillable water bottle, closed-toed shoes, and protection from the sun (sunscreen, hats, sunglasses).

Contact: cleanup@miamidade.gov. Click here to register.

Miamidadeparks.com

Give Miami Day Beach Cleanup

Clean Miami Beach

Date/Time: Tuesday, November 17, 3:30–5:30 p.m.

Location: The Beach at 29th St., Miami Beach.

Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Two hours.

Join us for an amazing day helping to protect the ocean. Closed-toe shoes are recommended for cleaning along the dunes. Bring your own water (no plastic, please). We will have a refill station available. We will provide sanitized garden gloves, but bring your own if you prefer. We will provide buckets and pickers. Wear reef-safe sun protection. We will meet at the oceanfront. Look for the turtle flag! 

Contact: Jennifer Byington at info@cleanmiamibeach.org. Registration is available online.

Cleanmiamibeach.org

Thanksgiving Meal Delivery and Donations

Branches

Date/Time: Branches' Thanksgiving Meal Delivery will take place on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, at varying times and locations. 

Location: Thanksgiving Food Drive items can be dropped off Monday–Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Branches,11500 NW 12th Ave., Miami.

Ages: Children nine years old and older can participate. Those who are 15 years old and younger must have a parent/guardian present to volunteer.

Time Commitment: Two hours.

When Branches first began its Thanksgiving Meal Delivery in 2001, Branches and a few dozen volunteers delivered over 600 meals. This year, Branches is getting ready to celebrate its 26th Annual Thanksgiving Meal Delivery and prepare and deliver 6,500 meals. In addition to volunteering on Thanksgiving Day, Branches needs non-perishable food donations to help make the Thanksgiving meals. The needed items include instant mashed potatoes, boxed instant stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Food donations are due the first week of November. 

On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, hundreds of volunteers will come together at sites throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties to package and deliver 6,500 meals to individuals and families in need. There will be opportunities to volunteer to package or deliver food at various times, depending on the location. To learn more about how to get involved, please visit this website. 

Volunteers can sign up either to help package the meals or deliver the meals to those in need. 

Contact: For questions please email volunteer@branchesfl.org. To sign up to volunteer, please visit this website. Registration will be open the first week of November. 

Branchesfl.org

Opa-Locka Distribution Volunteer

Health in the Hood

Date/Time: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: Mt. Zion AME Church Parking Lot, 15250 NW 22nd Ave, Opa-locka/Miami Gardens, FL 33054

Ages: Everyone can help; however, participants under 18 years old must attend with a parent or guardian. 

Time Commitment: Four and a half hours.

Do you love giving back? You can help us grow a healthier community! Our pantries provide free groceries to neighborhoods with limited access to healthy food, and we could use your help! At Health in the Hood, we are dedicated to addressing food insecurity and promoting health equity in underserved neighborhoods. Through our urban gardening initiatives, wellness workshops, and food distribution programs, we empower families to cultivate healthier lifestyles and build resilient communities. Volunteers help Health in the Hood by:

• Organizing donated food into pantry boxes
• Welcoming and register participants
• Handing completed pantry boxes to our participants
• Breaking down the distribution space

No experience is needed-just a willingness to jump in. Every little bit makes a difference. Come volunteer with us!

Contact: info@healthinthehood.org, 305.714.2262. Registration is available online. 

healthinthehood.org

Farm-Tastic Fridays 

Fertile Earth Worm Farm

Date/Time: Saturdays from 2–4 p.m. 

Location: 15150 Southwest 264th Street, Homestead. Street parking is available along 264th Street, or park along the edge after you enter the farm.

Ages: Everyone can participate.

Time Commitment: Two hours.

Have a great weekend at Fertile Earth! Each Saturday, we'll work on the land together, get our hands dirty, make new friends, and get grounded with Mother Earth.

Kid-friendly and people of all ages are welcome. This is a fun way to make an impact in your community, for those looking to complete community service or volunteer hours, or just get involved. Bring a water bottle and wear closed-toe shoes. Sun protection and bug spray is also recommended! 

Contact: Registration is available online. Contact 786.232.3002 ext. 8 for more information.

fertileearth.net

Help our Food Insecure Neighbors

Food Pantry Thanksgiving Support

Date/Time: Ongoing.

Location: Click here to learn more about sharing food this Thanksgiving.

Ages: Everyone can help donate food.

Time Commitment: Varies.

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

• 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. 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 a local food pantry in your community to see what support/donations they need this year.
• Start a collection drive of specific items (canned goods, etc.) and deliver them to your food bank or food pantry before the holidays.

Donate to your local food bank or food shelf.

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

feedingsouthflorida.org, feedingamerica.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