The hustle and bustle of the holidays often push volunteer opportunities far back on a business owner’s to-do list. Volunteering as a work team, however, can help bring cohesiveness as employees give back to the community. These volunteer opportunities are perfect for companies to implement during the holiday season.
Host a Toy Drive
Toys for Tots is a national nonprofit organization that collects brand-new toys each holiday season and distributes them to underprivileged children. The organization has corporate opportunities for hosting toy drives. On a smaller scale, simply place a large container in the workplace and drop off donated toys at collection sites.
Serve Food at a Soup Kitchen
Smaller groups of 10 to 15 employees can sign up for time slots to volunteer at local soup kitchens. Employees can help prepare, serve, and clean up after the meals that feed the homeless and the underprivileged. Check out foodpantries.org for local volunteer locations.
Gather Canned Food Items
Most food shelters and pantries accept donations of non-perishable food items throughout the year. These items are then distributed to those in need. Make gathering food items fun by making it a competition between teams in the workplace.
Write Letters
Many people feel as though they are alone when going through difficult periods of time. Cheer up someone’s day with a letter. More Love Letters is a letter-writing organization that sends anonymous kind notes and love letters to people going through a hard time. Put out paper, envelopes, and fun writing utensils in the workplace and encourage employees to write a note. Gather the responses and send them to More Love Letters for distribution.
Build Homes for Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity builds homes for individuals in need. Select a day and ask employees to volunteer for different time slots. Volunteers will be instructed on how they can help build the home. Companies that can spare a day may consider giving everyone the day off in order to help build the home together.
Adopt a Family
Make a family’s holiday wishes come true this season by adopting them. Local Salvation Army Angel Trees and Boys and Girls clubs often have opportunities for families or organizations to adopt a family and provide them the items on their wish list.
About The Author
Yuri Vanetik is an Entrepreneur, Private Investor, Coalition Builder, and Philanthropist in Orange County, California. He is the Managing Partner of Vanetik International, LLC, a management consulting firm which offers advisory services and strategic planning to businesses and industries. He is also the Managing Partner of Dominion Asset Management, a technology-driven opportunity real estate fund that invests in undervalued real estate throughout the United States. Yuri Vanetik brings over 20 years of professional experience in a variety of roles, and has been featured in notable publications, including the Wall Street Journal, California Business Journal, Forbes, and Bloomberg Law.