By Winn Duvall
It’s only the beginning of the holiday season, but if you already feel yourself reaching the indulgence saturation point, consider spending some of your Thanksgiving days off lending a hand in your community. You can go beyond counting your blessings and instead use them to make a difference in the lives of those around you. Whether you prefer to give money, food or your time, there is an opportunity to pay it forward this Thanksgiving.
1. Check out Food and Friends, a volunteer service that focuses on meeting the needs of those facing serious illness in the D.C. metro area. There are several ways to participate throughout Thanksgiving week: Food preparation shifts Monday through Thursday, delivering turkeys at the beginning of the week, working shifts at pie pick-up locations on Tuesday or meal delivery on Thanksgiving Day. Be sure to sign up early on their website to account for the background check.
2. Northern Virginia Family Service’s Operation Turkey works to provide Prince William County families with a Thanksgiving meal. You can drop off food donations on Nov. 19 and 20 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Manassas Adventist Prep School, or you can donate your choice of $50, which can provide a full holiday meal, or grocery store gift cards. And, of course, you can always volunteer to sort and distribute food donations.
3. Volunteer Fairfax is an expansive volunteer organization that is active in the community year-round, and the holiday season is no different. From helping coordinate the Virginia Run Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day to serving meals at shelters, there are ways for anyone to get involved during the holidays and beyond.
4. Help sort food donations and distribute Thanksgiving Baskets with Community Empowerment NV on Saturday, Nov. 21. Volunteers will meet at the Multicultural Clinical Center in Springfield and spend the afternoon providing meals to people in the community. Sign up here. If the volunteer spots are full, you can still get involved by helping with their food drives throughout November and early December.
5. National Family Volunteer Day is Saturday, Nov. 21, so it’s a perfect opportunity for kids and adults alike to get in the holiday spirit by helping others. The Centreville Thrift Shop will be hosting its 25th annual family volunteer event where people of all ages can help sort donations and organize merchandise.
If you still haven’t found the opportunity that’s right for you, check out this list of Northern Virginia shelters where help might be needed. For more events throughout the holiday season and beyond, Volunteer Match is a helpful resource.
