October 2001 - Holiday Volunteering

On September 25, CVC members gathered at Catholic Charities' downtown Minneapolis office to learn about Holiday Volunteer Opportunities. Representatives from Catholic Charities, Volunteers of America, and the Volunteer Resource Center shared volunteer opportunities and best practices tips to ensure successful group activities.

Volunteer Resource Center
Holiday volunteering is a great way to learn about an organization and their volunteer opportunities. Whether you are planning your first holiday volunteer activities or have years of experience, consider the following:

• Plan early! Popular holiday opportunities, such as meal serving, fill up quickly. Make volunteer arrangements at least three to four weeks in advance. If you are looking for opportunities for a large group of people, make arrangements earlier.
• Be flexible. This is a hectic time for agencies and needs may change day-to-day. Also, an agency may not be able to accommodate your total group, be prepared to break down into smaller groups to meet the greatest needs.
• Get creative. Make a volunteer outing part of a your holiday celebration. A department could shop for Catholic Charities' Giving Tree, then celebrate the season at one of the many restaurants at the mall. Can't leave the office? Look for an opportunity that employees could complete on site. Food and/or clothing drives are an easy way for a large group of employees to participate. Or try Volunteers of America's Adopt-A-Family. Employees can shop on their own time.

For more volunteer opportunities search the Volunteer Resource Center"s online database at www.volunteertwincities.org or contact 612-379-4900.

Catholic Charities
Adopt-A-Family This program matches anonymous donors with 1200 families in the metro area who are currently receiving services from Catholic Charities programs. Matches are made in early November. Clients register their needs with case managers/social workers and donors purchase 2-3 gifts per person plus a food gift certificate for $10 for each person in the family. Families are registered with the holiday clearing bureau, making them ineligible for holiday programs at other service agencies.

Volunteer opportunities: data entry of clients and donors (flexible day hours), answering phones (flexible day hours), help with gift collection and distribution (day or evening first two weeks in December), food coordinator. Call the Volunteer Information Line: 612-664-8600 or jtriplett@ccspm.org.

The Giving Tree This program is located in the Macy"s Court at the Mall of America November 19 - December 18. Shoppers select an ornament from the tree with the name of a Catholic Charities client and gift request, purchase the gift and return it to the tree for distribution. Since the agency is dependent on shoppers" generosity to donate the requested items, there is no guarantee that all requests will be filled. In 2000, about 3200 gifts were received by clients from the Giving Tree.

Volunteer opportunities: site coordinator (supervise volunteers, sort gifts; 2-3 hour shifts once per week, day or evening); driver/gift transporter (pick up gifts from the Mall and transport to a Catholic Charities site; morning, once per week); booth worker (help shoppers choose an ornament, answer questions, receive gifts from donors; 2-3 hour shifts, day or evening). Call the Giving Tree line at 612-664-8599 or jtriplett@ccspm.org.

Volunteers of America
Fall Rake Up On Saturday, October 27th, in celebration of Make a Difference Day, Volunteers of America is organizing its 4th annual Fall Rake Up event. Fall Rake Up benefits homebound seniors and disabled individuals who cannot rake their yards on their own.

Thanksgiving Baskets On Monday, November 19th, volunteers will gather to assemble and deliver all the necessary items for a Thanksgiving meal to families that would otherwise go without during the holiday. The event benefits families of students enrolled in Volunteers of America"s Alternative Schools, Grandparents as Parents, and Cornerstone programs.

Adopt-a-Family Adopt-a-Family is a special project that assists families during the November/December holiday season. Volunteers can "adopt" a needy family and provide newly purchased, wrapped gifts and food the adopted family for the holiday. Individuals or groups are matched with a family in need. The donors are given a brief description of the family members and their wish list. The list in used as a guideline for shopping for the family.

To find out more about these volunteer opportunities, contact Pam Hoepner at 763-225-4039 or phoepner@voamn.org

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