Love Your Neighbor This Holiday Season
With the holiday season right around the corner, you may be looking for a new way you can love your neighbor in Durham this time of year. Here are a couple of helpful suggestions to get you started in the right direction. Of course, the best way for you to love your neighbor is to start during the holiday season and continue to be engaged all year long. Our volunteer matching team would be happy to talk with you about how you can use the holiday season as an opportunity to get involved. Let us know how we can help you!
Hold A Winter Coat & Blanket Drive For Refugees
Refugees arrive in the US with what they can carry…literally. In most cases, that means they don’t have the coats or blankets they need for the cold weather. Organizations like World Relief and Church World Service who help these new families settle in rely on donated items to supplement what the family brings with them. Get your kids or your friends together to collect coats, blankets, comforters, socks, hats, scarves, gloves or space heaters to help these families stay warm this winter.
Throw A Holiday Party or Holiday Themed Activity Night at the Caring House
The Caring House is a comfortable and affordable place for adult cancer patients to stay while receiving treatment at Duke. Get your family & friends together to provide a fun social activity for these folks who are far from their own homes during the holidays. This could be anything from cooking a nice meal or deserts to holding a game or craft night to providing a little holiday music!
Wrap Christmas Gifts for Housing For New Hope
This year on December 8th from 10am-6pm, Housing For New Hope will be wrapping presents at the Barnes & Noble at Southpoint Mall to raise money for the services they provide to the homeless in Durham. Cheerful volunteers are needed to wrap gifts with a little holiday cheer: all the tips received benefit the folks Housing For New Hope serves!
Adopt A Family For Christmas
Both the Genesis Home and the Department of Social Services will help you partner with local families who are homeless or economically disadvantaged, or even elderly or disabled neighbors in Durham to share your Christmas by providing gifts off of a wish list. After shopping for gifts for the family you’re matched to, you have the option of delivering the gift directly to Genesis Home or the family, or back to DSS to deliver.
*All Genesis Home families have been adopted but DSS still has families waiting for adoption!
Staff the “Share Our Christmas” Helpline
After you sign up to sponsor a family, consider helping DSS take calls from other volunteers who want to love their neighbors - they need volunteers to help answer phones!
Purchase your Holiday Cards through Urban Ministries’ Holiday Honor Card Program
Are you looking for your family’s Christmas card for the season? Why not purchase Urban Ministries Holiday Honor Cards, available for a minimum donation of $5 each. Individuals who purchase Honor Cards send them to friends and family, indicating that they have been honored by a donation to a local outreach agency.
Staff the Urban Ministries Angel Tree Drop-Off Table
Urban Ministries needs volunteers from November 25 through December 18th for 2-hour shifts at Northgate Mall to accept Angel Tree present donations from shoppers. The Angel Tree is open for 10 hours each day, and daytime shifts are especially needed.
Have an interesting experience during a volunteering experience or just want to share something? Tell us your story and we might publish it.
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