The holidays are upon us and it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season. In recent years, it seems that Christmas items are hitting the shelves of stores earlier and earlier, and major emphasis is placed on the more materialistic aspects of the holiday. With fears of scarcity and supply issues putting a damper on our holiday buying, it is quite easy to buy into the propaganda that the holiday season is all about shopping, spending, and splurging.
A bleak reality is that while many of us are worried about providing piles of presents for our loved ones, there are members of our community who are struggling just to feed their loved ones. While Christmas can certainly be a joyous time of year, for the many who are struggling it can be an especially difficult time.
While you are busy filling your schedule with fun-filled events and outings, consider carving out some time to show some goodwill to your neighbors in need this holiday season. Pay it forward and spread a little extra light and love this year by volunteering or donating to one of the many organizations devoted to serving and bettering our communities.
Where can you serve in the Northern Neck area?
The Haven Shelter & Services, Inc. is dedicated to serving individuals affected by domestic and sexual violence and abuse. The dedicated and well-trained staff members and volunteers work one-on-one with individuals to provide support, safety, and assistance. Some of the services they provide include support groups, job assistance, affordable housing options, and counseling and referral services. The Haven also strives to impact future generations through education and outreach programs in local schools. In the month of October alone the shelter provided physical assistance to 11 adults and 23 children.
The shelter has many needs as the holiday season approaches. Currently, the Haven is in need of volunteers to help with their Christmas Market, which is being held from December 2nd to December 5th. As a volunteer for this event, you may expect to help with set-up/break down, baking cookies and other baked goods for their Christmas bake sale, monitoring the auction, and more. Volunteers are also needed at our local farmer’s markets with responsibilities including collecting donations, passing out brochures, etc. These are just a few of the many physical volunteer opportunities. To learn more or to sign up click here.
In addition, the Haven is in need of donations for the holiday season. Some of the items they are requesting include gift cards, batteries, bath towels, frozen dinners, canned foods, and disposable face masks.
For more information about the Haven and its specific holiday needs visit https://www.havenshelter.org/
The Healthy Harvest Food Bank in Warsaw serves six counties in the Northern Neck
and Upper Middle Peninsula by providing our most vulnerable neighbors with access to healthy, nutritious foods. Healthy Harvest estimates that 1 in 8 of our community members in need struggle with food insecurity. The services they offer are crucial for struggling families, children, and seniors. In addition to providing food, the bank strives to educate and empower our community members and encourage self-sufficiency.
Healthy Harvest runs with the help of volunteers and donations with 94% of the organizations operating expenses going directly to feeding those in need through its programs and services. There are a variety of ways in which individuals can serve the food bank. Join the gleaning and harvesting crew to help pick fresh produce. Join the sorting team to help organize incoming donations. You can even assist in the Warehouse with the daily operations or lend a hand with administrative duties. Individuals of all ages and groups of all sizes are welcome to pitch in.
If you are unable to physically volunteer your time, you can easily contribute through donations. The Healthy Harvest website features an easy to use “Donation Shop” in which you can select from various giving options. Give a one-time gift or sign up to give monthly.
To learn more about volunteer and donation opportunities visit https://www.hhfb.org/.
As the holidays approach the need also grows for our furry and four-legged friends. The Animal Welfare League of the Northern Neck works to reduce pet overpopulation through spay/neuter programs. They also strive to relieve the suffering of animals and to
prevent cruelty while also providing veterinary care for stray or injured animals. AWL also works to seek quality homes for unwanted animals.
AWL is fully run by unpaid volunteers. One of the best ways to support AWL is by volunteering (or simply shopping) at the thrift shop. If you are unable to commit to a specific schedule, you may be able to offer services such as donation pick-ups, animal fostering, education outreach, etc.
To learn more about the Animal Welfare League of the Northern Neck, to donate, or to sign up to volunteer, visit https://www.animalwelfareleagueofthenorthernneck.org/.
Where can you serve in the Middle Peninsula?
Christmas Friends Inc. will be serving Middlesex County for its 36th year in 2021.
Christmas Friends is dedicated to providing gifts to needy children and elderly or disabled adults in Middlesex County. Christmas Friends is a collaboration between the Middlesex Department of Social Services and the Southside Sentinel. Social services work with its clients to create wishlists and volunteer shoppers work to make those wishes come true.
As their season kicks off, Christmas friends Inc. is in need of monetary donations and will soon need physical volunteers to assist in shopping, wrapping, and delivery.
For more information or to sign up to volunteer please contact the Sentinel office at 804-758-2328.
HANDS Across Middlesex provides food, clothing, and other services to individuals
across the county. The Cryer Center in Topping serves as the home base for HANDS and offers a monthly food pantry and a monthly clothing closet for its clients. In addition, HANDS also holds yard sales and clothing closet sales that are open to the public throughout the year. The organization also offers a mobile food pantry that travels to various churches across the area. According to HANDS, their services are more critical than ever due to the financial burdens and stresses of the pandemic.
The organization relies on the efforts of its volunteers to make its services possible. Those that are interested in volunteering have numerous options for how they may serve. Volunteers are needed for the food pantry, office, yard sale, clothing closet, backpack buddies program, and more. In addition to physical volunteers, the center is always grateful for monetary donations as well.
To learn more about the services provided by HANDS, or to sign up to volunteer, visit www.handsacrossmiddlesex.org.
For animal lovers in the Middle Peninsula, Middlesex Pet Friends for Life is a great
option for volunteering your time or resources. MPFL was created as a way for animal lovers to contribute directly to the feeding, housing, and medical care of homeless pets.
The largest physical need is for volunteer dog walkers at the Middlesex County Animal Shelter. Volunteers can work one day or many as a great way to enjoy the benefits of spending quality time with furry friends. In addition, foster families are needed for some of the dogs and cats.
The shelter is also in need of physical donations for the upkeep of the shelter. Some requested items include dry dog food, liquid laundry detergent, paper towels, bleach, dog biscuits and chew treats, and canned dog and cat food. Donations of these items can be dropped at the Middlesex County Animal Shelter. To make drop-off arrangements, call Ruth Williams at (804)695-7772. Monetary donations are always welcome as well.
To learn more about MPFL and available volunteer opportunities, visit https://middlesexpetfriends.wordpress.com/.
As we jump into the holiday season, consider rolling up your sleeves and using your time and energy to make a positive impact in our community. These are just a few of the wonderful, dedicated organizations in our area. Local churches are also great places to offer volunteer services or to connect with other opportunities. Together we can make this holiday season a little brighter for our many friends and neighbors.
