18+ Ways to Volunteer in DC this Holiday Season!

‘Tis the season for holiday cheer and holiday parties, funky Hanukkah sweaters and even funkier Hanukkah gifts from your great aunt or your office secret snowflake. Even though everyone loves socks, scarves, and Starbucks gift cards, why not consider making this time of year more about giving gifts instead of getting them? Here are 18+ amazing opportunities to give back this winter – which one will you choose?

Photo courtesy of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

For foodies:

• DC Central Kitchen Volunteering and Brunch with Moishe House Capitol Hill: Sunday, December 17th
  • Join Moishe House (MoHo) Capitol Hill for food prep at DC Central Kitchen, followed by a brunch. Spots are limited – email MoHo to reserve yours.
• Doing Good with JFE at N Street Village: Sunday, December 17th
  • This event now has a waitlist, but check out N Street Village, an incredible organization that serves homeless women in DC, for ongoing volunteer opportunities. Also, Doing Good with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington hosts monthly service opportunities. 
• Patricia Handy Place for Women Volunteering with YP@AI: Sunday, December 17th
  • Join YP@AI for their monthly volunteer project serving dinner at The Patricia Handy Place for Women for women experiencing homelessness. 
• So Others May Eat (SOME) – Join Adas Israel at SOME on Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 19th!
• Hunger Action – EDCJCC hosts monthly opportunities to make food to be donated to DC Central Kitchen .
• Local food kitchens: DC Central Kitchen, Martha’s Table, Miriam’s Kitchen, Food and Friends

For those great with Bubbes:

• D25 Day of Service: Monday, December 25th
  • Spend your Christmas Day with the EDCJCC giving back to the local DC community before hitting the movie theater and eating Chinese food.YP EVENT: There’s a special Columbia Heights-based session for young professionals through EntryPointDC that you can find here. These YPs will be visiting low-income and food insecure seniors through We Are Family DC. If this D25 activity doesn’t sound like you, be sure to check out the other D25 volunteering options including the Cookie Drive going on now through December 23rd!

For the super crafty:

• Pre-D25 Gift Wrapping: Wednesday, December 13th or Sunday, December 17th
  • Going to be out of town for the EDCJCC’s D25 Day of Service? Contribute in advance by putting your best gift-wrapping skills to work! 
• Wrap gifts with “We Are Family”: Wednesday, December 20th

For animal lovers:

• Want to cuddle with cute dogs and cats, help them find forever homes, foster, or even adopt them? 
  • Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
  • Homeward Trails: Check out their cat adoption events every Saturday in Friendship Heights!  
  • Wolf Trap Animal Rescue
  • City Dogs Rescue

For Northern Virginians:

• Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery: Saturday, December 16th
  • Now in its 26th year, the Wreath Laying project at Arlington National Cemetery gives people across DC the opportunity to lay holiday wreaths on veterans’ graves. Find more details on Facebook or the Wreaths Across America site.

For those with really busy schedules:

Photo courtesy of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

• Coat Drive with ThriveDC: Drop off between January 8th and January 11th
  • ThriveDC helps those facing homeless across DC. You can contribute anytime by providing a warm coat to a person in need through their winter coat drive.
• Capital Area Food Bank at Giant
  • Headed to Giant to buy canned beans for your famous chili? Buy an extra can for the food bank and drop it off in the collection cart on your way out of the store.
  • A loyal Safeway customer instead? Make a small donation at the register to help provide food for residents in need.

For those with volunteering in their New Year’s Resolutions:

Consider becoming a committed volunteer in 2018 at one of the organizations below.

• Miriam’s Kitchen, Volunteer Orientation on Friday, December 15th, one shift/month
• DC Books to Prisons, Volunteer Orientation on 3rd Wednesday of the month (Wednesday, December 20th)
• Teens Run DC, Volunteer application and orientation required
• Big Brother, Big Sister, Volunteer application required, commitment of 1 get-together per month
• Reading Partners DC, Volunteer orientation and background check required, 1 hour per week commitment

For those who live through their phone calendars (I’m right there with ya), here’s a list fit for that “Add to Calendar” button:

December 13th, 6:30-8 pm: Pre-D25 Gift Wrapping at the EDCJCC

December 16th, 8-11 am: Wreath Laying at the Arlington National Cemetery

December 17th, 8:45 am-12 pm or later: DC Central Kitchen Volunteering and Brunch with Moishe House Capitol Hill

December 17th, 11:45 am-1:30 pm: Doing Good with JFE at N Street Village

December 17th, 1:30-3:30 pm: Pre-D25 Gift Wrapping at the EDCJCC

December 17th, 6:30-8:45 pm: Patricia Handy Place for Women Volunteering with YP@AI

December 20th, 5-8 pm: Wrap gifts with We Are Family

December 25th, 10 am-2:30 pm: D25 Day of Service with EntryPointDC

January 4th, 7-9 pm: Hunger Action for DC Central Kitchen at EDCJCC

About the Author: Shira Cohen is a part of our “Gather the Bloggers” cohort of talented writers who share their thoughts and insights about DC Jewish life with you! When not writing about volunteer opportunities in DC, she works in student life and disability services at a local law school. Originally from Charleston, SC, Shira loves DC Library $1 book sales and District Taco.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog and on this website are solely those of the original authors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the organization GatherDC, the GatherDC staff, the GatherDC board, and/or any/all contributors to this site.