Photos courtesy of the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center
Even when in-person volunteering may not be possible for some, there are still many ways to help out and participate in community service. While there are less in-person volunteer opportunities this year, some organizations are offering online activities or socially distanced food drop-off.
Here’s a list of organizations that are offering both in-person and online volunteer opportunities:
D25 Day of Service (EDJCC)
Hosted by the DCJCC, this day of service is the largest of the year. This year, it’s not only a day of service and takes place from December 20th through December 25th. Events include in person deliveries, meal prep, a blood drive, virtual volunteering, education opportunities and more.
Find out more and register at this link: https://www.edcjcc.org/community/community-service-and-social-justice/days-of-service/d25-day-of-service/
Interfaith (Partner of Bender JCC)
Interfaith Works provides services to the homeless in Montgomery County and are the social action partner of the Bender JCC. They offer many different volunteer opportunities sorting and organizing donated clothes, providing meals for the women’s center or assisting at the Interfaith Works Vocational Center.
For more information and to register go to this link: https://www.iworksmc.org/get-involved/volunteer/
JSSA (Jewish Social Service Agency)
The JSSA is a social service agency that assists families around the DC area with emotional, social and physical challenges. They host year long volunteer opportunities. These include healthy meal deliveries, support for seniors (technology tutoring, visitors, shopping, more) and hospice volunteers. (Some of these things probably can’t be done because of COVID.)
https://www.jssa.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/
Food and Friends
Food and Friends is an organization that provides diet-specific food and nutrition services to those with serious illnesses in need of specialized diets. They are offering holiday meal packaging and delivery volunteer opportunities from December 18th to January 8th.
Sign up to volunteer at this link: https://foodandfriends.org/volunteer/winter-holidays/
So Others Might Eat (SOME)
SOME is an organization that fights poverty and homelessness and works to help clients achieve long-term success. SOME provides a dining room with meals, clothing, showers, doctor, dentist and therapist visits, job training and affordable housing to thousands of homeless individuals and families in the DC Area. This holiday season, volunteers can help with meal prep, donation organization and shoebox sorting. Volunteers work directly with SOME staff and signups are open for the next 30 days.
To find out more and to register go to this link: https://www.some.org/volunteer/holiday-volunteering
Capital Area Food Bank
Capital Area Food Bank is working to eliminate food security and hunger by sourcing and distributing meals to those in need. Each year they provide 45 million meals. They host volunteers at all times of day to help with food distribution and they have outdoor opportunities for providing emergency groceries. To find out more go to this link: https://volunteer.capitalareafoodbank.org/calendar
Bread for the City
Bread for the City provides food services, clothing and household items, health care, social services and legal services. With three locations in Northwest, Southeast and City Orchard, Bread for the City is hosting volunteers to help with food, clothing, toiletry distribution, administrative support and baby boutique.
To find out more and to register to go this link:
https://breadforthecity.org/volunteer/
