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3 Hands-on Ways to Donate Your Time this Holiday
Serve meals, wrap gifts or sell Christmas trees to give back this year
From giving change to Salvation Army bellringers to donating gifts to homeless shelters, there are countless opportunities to give money and goods to worthy local causes throughout December. If you prefer the face-to-face experience, though, or are short on cash, here are a few feel-good, hands-on activities to help restore the season’s original spirit.
1. Serve holiday meals and more at Union Gospel Mission
The Union Gospel Mission, a Pioneer Square-based nonprofit providing emergency care and long-term services to struggling and homeless people in the Seattle area, has a plethora of volunteer opportunities this holiday: serving meals on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, working the Welcome Center at its men’s shelter on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, gift wrapping or assembling food baskets throughout the month and more. For more information and to sign up, call 206.723.0767 or email volunteer@ugm.org.
2. Gift Wrap for the YMCA
The YMCA will be wrapping gifts at Northgate Mall through Christmas Eve to raise funds to support the University Family YMCA and the Simon Youth Foundation, which funds meals for homeless youth, academic support programs, summer camps and more. Ages 13 and up; groups and all skill levels welcome. Contact Amalia Larson (alarson@seattleymca.org) to learn more and get on the schedule.
3. Sell Christmas trees for El Centro de la Raza
El Centro de la Raza, a Latino community organization working for social justice, is fundraising by selling Christmas trees—all supplied by a small, locally owned Latino business run by brothers Adran and Evencio Gonzales. The lot operates Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday 12 to 8 p.m. through Christmas Eve; click the I’m interested in this opportunity button on the United Way King County volunteer network website to seek more information or sign up.
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