Monday, November 28, 2011

Where to Volunteer for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is often the time when college students reunite with their friends and families after being away (or at least busy) with school during the year. With the weekend free from classes, many college students volunteer during Thanksgiving and earn the double reward of giving back and returning to school with a little more perspective.

6 Places for College Students to Volunteer for Thanksgiving

1. A Homeless Shelter. Nearly every community has a homeless shelter that will need volunteers over the Thanksgiving weekend. You can prepare meals, serve meals, and even talk to guests.

2. A Domestic Violence or Women and Children's Shelter. Volunteering here can be a little tricky, since they may not take walk-in volunteers for safety reasons (some shelters need to keep their locations secret to protect their guests). But volunteering at a domestic violence or women and children's shelter can be incredibly rewarding.

3. A Church, Temple, Mosque, or Other Religious Location. Many religious institutions provide services, particularly around the holidays, for their members who are facing difficult times -- and even for community members in general. Keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to be a certain religion to volunteer at a religious location, either.

4. A Hospital. Who wants to spend Thanksgiving sick in a hospital? See if your local hospital takes volunteers. You can help distribute food to guests or even visit with someone who may not be able to spend the day at home with their family.

5. A Government Location (City Hall, etc.). Check with your local government to see what services they are providing for citizens who need a little help around Thanksgiving. And then see how you can help!

6. A College or Other School. Your own college might be providing meals or services for community members over the Thanksgiving weekend. You may even be able to help -- by delivering food baskets, for example -- before you head home yourself.


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