Volunteering on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a great holiday for so many reasons. Maybe people gather with families and catch up, and others watch football and eat 'til they drop. But some folks are tired of the usual madness that comes with preparing a big dinner, while others are alone without a family to celebrate with. For those who are looking for something to do (or something different to do) this Thanksgiving, here are some ideas for volunteering that will leave you feeling warm, fuzzy, and useful. They just might change your life!

Soup kitchens

This is a really popular one for this holiday that I wouldn't recommend as your top choice, but should be on this list anyway. Why not a top choice? Soup kitchens tend to be overwhelmed with volunteers for this holiday, and often there are many people left standing around that don't have any work to do. A good recommendation is to call your local soup kitchen ahead of time and see if they have any room left for you to help out.

Give blood

Give blood, save a life! This is the perfect holiday to visit a blood center or your local hospital and donate some blood and know that you're truly helping others in need, even if it's not instant gratification. Reward yourself with some treats and a good movie afterwards.

Contact local churches

Many churches put together 'baskets' at this time of year for needy families. You could volunteer in many ways with this kind of situation. You could cook a main dish, bring desserts, supply drinks, or pack the actual dinners together. Call any local church to see if they're doing anything of this nature. And you don't need to actually belong to a church in order to help them in this manner.

Set up your own drive

Weeks before Thanksgiving, start collecting donations from friends, family, and co-workers for clothes, food or books. Then, on Thanksgiving Day, visit a local homeless shelter with these items. The fun part is seeing the reaction of everyone when you show up with all the donations. For an extra special touch, take photos and share with all those who helped donate.

Visit orphanages

Use the internet or phone book to find a local orphanage and see if you can pay a visit. Ask the orphanage if you can bring food, treats, books or toys. Bonus points if you visit and entertain the kids (think magic show or story time).

Visit hospitals

Patients who are stuck in the hospital may need some extra support and company on a day like Thanksgiving. Call your local hospital and see if they're taking any volunteers to visit any long-term patients. This tends to be a popular program in cancer and children's wards.

Help with dinner deliveries

There are plenty of programs across the country that help to deliver Thanksgiving dinners to elderly, homebound, or low-income families. This is another instance where there would be plenty for you to do. You could cook for the program, bring desserts, package the dinners, or drive and deliver them. Check online or in your phonebook for a local group.

Help build esteem

Call facilities that house runaway teens, pregnant teens, or battered women. Unfortunately, these places are often filled with those who have no where else to turn. But Thanksgiving would be the perfect day to volunteer to visit these places and speak to those who currently call it 'home'. You never know whose life you might change just by spending a few hours talking to people and making them feel like they're not alone.

Marathons

Thanksgiving is popular for marathons and 5k races in a lot of major cities. It's a great opportunity to burn off calories instead of taking them in, and raising money for a good cause at the same time. And even if you're not interested in actually running, you could volunteer to pass out drinks and food to the runners, and still feel like a part of the action.

Help thy neighbor

If you have neighbors that you're friendly with, why not ask if they need any help? I had one Thanksgiving when I was alone because all of my family was working. I had a neighbor that was I was friendly enough with, and knew that she had a new baby and she was trying to make her first Thanksgiving dinner for her family. I made a few desserts and brought them over, and voila! I had a new friend, a very thankful neighbor, and a reminder of what this day is all about.

Take care of the local students

Many colleges and universities will have a special Thanksgiving dinner for their students who have no where to go or are too far away from home. There's often a call for volunteers who can cook or serve food.

Visit a nursing home

Speaking from experience, I can tell you that unfortunately, the residents in nursing homes often are neglected on a big holiday like Thanksgiving (believe it or not!). It makes a HUGE world of difference when a visitor comes in to ask how a patient is doing, so why not call your local nursing home and see if they're taking volunteers to visit the patients and talk for awhile.

Work at an animal shelter

Hey, our furry friends need love, too! You might point out that animals don't know if it's Thanksgiving or not, but consider this - they still need love, too. And if you particularly love animals, this is the perfect day to volunteer at your local shelter and show some lonely animals some love.

Just remember, the point of volunteering on Thanksgiving is to not only help someone else out, but to also have fun. Make sure you volunteer to do something that you truly enjoy and can feel proud of.