Volunteer opportunities for all – even the very young!
The holidays bring out the giving spirit in us all, and what better way to give than to donate or volunteer some of your time? Check out these special events that let even the youngest members of your family get in on the action, and find more opportunities at our web site!
The Freestore Foodbank kicks off the holiday season with the Sixth Annual Double Your Dollars Day on Wednesday, November 8, from 6 a.m. to midnight. Every dollar donated to the Freestore Foodbank that day will be matched, thanks to gifts from Second Helping matching donors.
Or, Check-Out Hunger from November 15 to January 2, during a trip to your neighborhood Kroger. Simply pull a donation amount at the register and scan it.
Heading to the Bengals Game on Nov. 26? Look for volunteers collecting non-perishable food and monetary donations at each entrance to Paul Brown Stadium. This marks the 31st year that the Bengals have hosted the canned food drive for the Freestore Foodbank. Last year, Bengals fans made enough food and monetary donations to provide nearly 74,000 meals to hungry children and families in the community.
To make a donation, call (513) 482-FOOD (3663) or visit freestorefoodbank.org.
Now through Nov. 30, families can join the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive. A collaboration between CET, Widmer’s Drycleaners, PNC Grow Up Great and The Fred Rogers Company, the drive will accept gently used and new sweaters to be donated to various non-profits in the area. Look for the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive collection boxes at all Widmer’s locations, or email lderkson@cetconnect.org for details.
Head to blue manatee children’s bookstore (3094 Madison Road) on Nov. 28 for Giving Tuesday. Kids can enjoy a reading of Llama Llama Pajama followed by games and songs, and the price of admission is a cozy pair of new pajamas to be donated to a child in need. Best part? For every pair of PJs donated, Penguin Random House will donate a book to the same organization! Learn more at 513-731-2665 or bluemanateebooks.com.
No list of holiday drives would be complete without Toys for Tots (cincinnati-oh.toysfortots.org). The annual campaign is well underway, head to the web site to find your nearest drop-off site. Families can also find a plethora of toy and clothing drives at United Way of Greater Cincinnati – just visit uwgc.org and choose “Volunteer” from the menu.