Helping Hands in this Season of Giving

In my last blog I wrote about the benefits that community service provides to teams, individuals and corporations, as well as to the organizations served. Now it’s time to start planning how you and your team are going to be “helping hands” to those in need this year.  Here are a few organizations that have a strong tradition of helping the local community, plus opportunities for both monetary contributions and volunteer work.

Second Harvest Food Bank needs help packing and sorting the food it collects and provides to people in need in the community. This makes a great team event. Your employees may also want to help with food distribution.

You can also help Second Harvest by setting up a food drive at your office. This year some major corporations are promising additional donations when certain targets are met in the food drive campaign.

Another great team activity is volunteering at the Family Giving Tree warehouse.  Volunteers may help in gift receiving or sorting, gift wrapping, quality check, gift distribution or warehouse clean up.

Your company can also help by participating in the Family Giving Tree’s Holiday Wish Drive.  You display “wish cards” in your lobby and other public areas.  Each wish card describes an age appropriate gift for a child in need. Employees select the wish cards and pledge to provide the new, unwrapped gift by the due date. Gifts this year are due at the warehouse by Tuesday, December 10.

Family Support Services has many families who are in need of basics – warm clothes, shoes, etc.  Family Support Services of the Bay Area will provide a list of needs for each family member plus some suggested “dream wish” ideas.

Additional group volunteer ideas are available at Volunteer San Jose.

Also, please don’t forget the many people in the Philippines affected by Typhoon Haiyan.  Financial donations to the American Red Cross will help them provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those in need, many of whom have lost everything.