Holiday Season Volunteer Opportunities on the Hill

image uploaded to Flickr by mysza831

My family is trying something new and remixing our family tradition. This holiday season no gifts will be exchanged, instead we are volunteering on Christmas Day and donating the money we would have spent on gifts to a charity of our family’s choice.

If you are looking to do the same, here is a sampling of opportunities in the surrounding Capitol Hill area:

Northeast Community Meal with Operation Blessings
When: December 8
Operation Blessings serves hot meals to community members in need on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. Location is Douglas Memorial Church at the corner of 11th & H Street.

Northeast Food Pantry Grocery Distribution with Operation Blessings
When: December 16
This project is for people who live/work in Northeast DC. The organization needs assistance with setting up for the event, greeting families who come for groceries, recording data, and cleaning up. This program operates out of Douglas Memorial Church at the corner of 11th & H Street and occurs on the 3rd Saturday of each month.

KEEN Sports DC
When: December 4, 11, & 18
Come join KEEN athletes (children and teens with disabilities) and other volunteers for one-on-one activities with the kids using regular and adaptive sports equipment. Training is provided and no experience necessary.

Greater DC Care Santa’s Secret Workshop
GDCC needs donations of craft items and/or small gifts for adults to help kids at the Joseph H. Cole Community Center give a gift to their parents this holiday season. Call Zenobia Moton at 202.442.9262.

Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church (CHPC)
The fourth Sunday of every month, right after worship service, CHPC volunteers prepare hot meals in our church kitchen that we then deliver to the Church of the Brethren. The meals are then served to our community’s homeless. For additional information contact Tim Connor. On the first Sunday of every month, CHPC worshippers are encouraged to bring food items for the food pantry operated by Lutheran Church of the Reformation. Location is 201 4th Street, SE (4th and Independence Ave., SE) Washington, DC 20003.

Little Lights Urban Ministries
Volunteer and support Little Lights’ family by making a difference in the life of a child, a community, and a city. Email Mijin Paik or call 202.548.4021.

Higher Achievement Program
Volunteers can either serve as mentors and study hall aides. They are currently accepting applications for the school year. Volunteer location is 1503 East Capitol St, SE. Email Matt Thornton.

Capitol Hill Village
Capitol Hill Village provides support for residents of the Capitol Hill community who wish to stay in their homes as they grow older. As a volunteer stand ready to provide free transportation to members for planned trips or at the last minute; help with vexing electronic issues, including computer mysteries, programming thermostats, DVDs, phones, clocks and watches; light home maintenance like light bulb changes, mattress flipping; speeding slow drains and someone to help think through projects; at home assistance with paper work, occasional meal preparation and companionship, regular check-in, sorting and disposing of stuff; and expert gardening advice on small space gardening and weeding.  Email or call 202.543.1778.

Capitol Hill Group Ministry Christmas Adopt-A-Family Program
CHGM invites you to “sponsor” a family by volunteering to purchase presents. Families request a few items of clothing and a toy or book for each child, as well as a household gift like pots or towels.  Some volunteers sponsor an entire family on their own, while others bring together a group to sponsor a family together by splitting up gifts. For more information or to sign up to sponsor a family, please contact Shelah Wilcox at wilcox [at] chgm [dot] net or (202) 544-3150 before December 21.

Check out a similar posting on The Hill is Home and feel free to share any volunteer opportunities for this Holiday with the Hill community in the below comment section.