Make the Holidays Meaningful Through Giving Back
- Kathleen Ganster
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
The sight of the iconic Salvation Army red kettle in front of a store is a sure sign that it is the holiday season. It is also an easy way to give back to the community during the season of giving.
Many nonprofits depend on the holiday season to help raise imperative funds and volunteer efforts to assist them in accomplishing their goals. “Our annual Red Kettle Campaign is the most critical time of year for us. Donations to the Red Kettle Campaign remain in the community where they are given and make it possible for The Salvation Army to deliver life-changing programs and services throughout the year,” said Nicole Harrell, divisional director of marketing and public relations for The Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania. “Red Kettle donations ensure we can continue critical feeding programs, rent and utility assistance, seasonal assistance, youth empowerment, and spiritual programs for families and individuals across 28 counties of Western Pennsylvania.”
The Red Kettle Campaign not only provides the means to give financial assistance but also the opportunity to provide direct volunteering. “Volunteers are critical to the success of the Red Kettle Campaign. This is a family-friendly, all-ages volunteer activity,” Harrell said. “Individual volunteers can sign up for shifts as short as two hours. Group volunteers are welcome to register for an entire day and can rotate shifts throughout their time slot. Churches, service and community groups, musicians, students, individuals, and families are all welcome.”
Giving opportunities are also available through WTAE-TV’s Project Bundle-Up and the Angel Tree programs, according to Harrell. “These programs serve families and individuals in need,” she said. “We also need volunteers for our feeding program. We provide holiday meals to shelters, senior citizen housing, and families who have been victims of disasters.”
Foster Love Project provides services, goods, and support to children impacted by foster care, including a free shopping center, teen mentoring, hair care support, an annual family retreat, back-to-school event, and more, according to Kelly Hughes, founder and executive director. “We host our annual bag drive during November and December. This involves packing a bag of goods to help support kids’ immediate needs when they are moved to a new foster home. We also have an Angel Tree gift program, which is an opportunity to meet a child’s direct holiday wish. Monetary donations provide vital support, allowing us to respond quickly to the high number of requests we receive,” Hughes said. “Many families choose to support our bag drive as a meaningful way to connect and give back together. Shopping for items and talking about why these bags matter can help even young children understand the importance of caring for kids who enter foster care.”
Hughes created Foster Love Project in 2014 based on her own experience as a foster parent. “Having children placed in my home and arriving without any additional belongings brought to my attention a significant need to provide both tangible goods and support to children going through such a difficult experience of entering a foster home. I started with creating community drives collecting bags of goods that could go with a child at the time of being placed into a new home. That grew into a full free shopping center in 2017, where now they can come choose a week’s worth of clothing, shoes, toiletries, bedding, luggage, toys, books, and more.”
There are also in-person opportunities to volunteer for those 16 and older. Hughes encourages those who are interested to check out the Foster Love Project website for more information.
The bag drive is extremely important to Foster Love’s work. “Receiving one of our bags through the bag drives ensures that they immediately have something to call their own. It is also vital that they do not have to use a trash bag but have a good-quality bag to transport their items. We believe deeply that it is more than just giving items. It is ensuring that kids feel seen and not forgotten as they navigate difficult family situations,” Hughes said.
412 Food Rescue has one of the easiest methods to volunteer via its 412 Food Rescue app. “Once you download the app, you can pick up a rescue close to home any time that you want. A lot of people will take along their kids or their parents to make it a family event,” said Jen England, vice president of external affairs.
The holidays are one of the rescue’s busiest times, and volunteers are always welcome to help with their efforts to reduce food insecurity through food recovery. “I love the generosity during the holidays, and it is easy to work volunteering into your holiday celebrations,” she said.
While 412 Food Rescue does not accept food drive donations, it does accept spices. “We have a whole wish list of spices for our industrial kitchen, where spices are hard to come by. Everyone could bring a spice to a holiday party, or you could collect them through a ‘Flavor Drive,’” England said.
The holidays are the perfect time to give to the newest members of the community. THRIVE Pittsburgh serves newly arrived legal refugees and immigrants as they settle in their new homes and communities. THRIVE, an all-volunteer organization, collects new and gently used clothing, household items, cleaning supplies, and gift cards to provide to families. “We will provide gift baskets for our families over the holidays,” said Pauline Spring, THRIVE’s program director.
THRIVE maintains wish lists for families where needed items may be purchased and delivered directly to families. Knitters and crocheters are always needed to create welcome blankets for families. Volunteers are also needed to assist new families with transportation to medical and other services.
Short on time over the holidays? You can always designate a nonprofit as a recipient for monetary gifts through your office or family. “Choose whatever cause makes your family feel good,” England said.
For more information on volunteering for the holidays:
Salvation Army: salvationarmywpa.org/volunteer
To be volunteer for the Red Kettle campaign visit: RegistertoRing.com
Foster Love Project: https://www.fosterloveproject.org/
To donate to the Bag Drive: https://www.fosterloveproject.org/volunteer/annual-bag-drive/.
More information on the Angel Tree Project can be found at: https://www.fosterloveproject.org/programs/angel-tree-holiday-gift-program/
412 Food Rescue: https://412foodrescue.org/volunteer/
To host a fundraiser: https://412foodrescue.org/host-a-fundraiser/
THRIVEPittsburgh: https://www.thrivepittsburgh.org/volunteer
To purchase items on a Wish List for new families: https://www.thrivepittsburgh.org/lists