When the Spirit Moves You - Volunteer!

 

For most of us, December is a flurry of activity, from holiday shopping to trimming the tree. But for some, the holidays are not as cheery. Families in crisis and beloved military that are far from home deserve to feel the holiday spirit, too.

This holiday season, you can make a difference by volunteering to help those in need. Take advantage of the wide variety of volunteer programs and opportunities that exist throughout the month of December.

Honoring Our Military

You can send holiday cheer to a veteran by sending a simple greeting card. The American Red Cross “Holidays for Heroes” program delivers cards to members of the armed forces, veterans and their families. This year’s program will deliver cards from communities to local military facilities, veteran’s homes, hospitals, and military family support groups. You can read more about how to send a holiday card to a veteran here.

Want to do more for our wonderful heroes? You can adopt a military family via “Operation Christmas Spirit.” Adopt-a-family by fulfilling their Christmas wish lists with gifts for all family members, or send gift cards so that they can do their own shopping. You can also “adopt” single Marines and Sailors by giving them gifts and gifts cards, so that they can celebrate while away from their families. Read more here.

Serenade a Senior

The holiday can be lonely for seniors who may be separated from family. You can help spread cheer to seniors by serenading them with holiday songs and carols. Pleasant Hill, an affordable housing community, offers the opportunity to be a singing sensation and serenade a senior for the day. Check out the details here.

Travel and Triumph

Combining a unique vacation with volunteerism offers a chance to spread the holiday spirit of goodwill to children and communities in need. The IVHQ’s Peru – Lima program enables volunteers to help out with Christmas-oriented activities in various children’s shelters throughout the city during the month of December. Traditionally, the volunteers also travel to an Andean village to put on a Christmas celebration. IVHQ’s volunteer program in Colombia offers volunteers a special experience and the chance to help communities in need during the festive season. For volunteers who travel during Christmas and New Year, additional activities include assisting with small Christmas parties at elderly care facilities, feeding the homeless and helping with childcare. For more information, go to the volunteer hq website.

Keep it Local

If you would prefer to volunteer in your own community, many churches and local Goodwill or Salvation Army locations offer volunteer programs from feeding the homeless to “playing Santa” and distributing gifts to children. For a list of Salvation Army locations, go here.

Sub Sea Employees Volunteer

Our Volunteerism

For the past 3 years, Sub Sea Systems has participated in an annual coat drive organized by AIT Logistics. Collected coats are distributed to homeless and families in need through the Union Gospel Mission in Sacramento, California. Last year, several volunteers from Sub Sea Systems helped hand out the collected coats, as well as socks, tarps, gloves and blankets to the homeless. The volunteers also assisted in serving a warm holiday meal at the shelter. We’re looking forward to this year’s coat collection and helping serve the homeless in our community.

The Union Gospel Mission serves over 8,500 meals every month to the homeless men, women and children of Sacramento. The Mission also offers chapel services 8 times a week, a 9-month in-house drug and alcohol rehabilitation program along with vocational training and job placement. If you’re interested in volunteering or donating to the Mission, visit: http://www.ugmsac.com/

 For additional volunteer opportunities this holiday season, check out volunteermatch.org. There are over 700 volunteer programs listed! You’ll feel all the merrier, knowing that you have made the holidays brighter for someone in need.