Thanksgiving__ is a time to enjoy with family and friends and it's easy to forget about the outside world. While you may have a warm home and a meal to arrive to, there are many people who are not as fortunate. The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy especially makes me think even more about the meaning of Thanksgiving as I know there are thousands of people unable to participate in the festivities. The amount of destruction New York, New Jersey, and neighboring areas faced were so devastating and fatal that it made me want to do something to help.
This is my hometown; my heart is and always will be with New York and seeing the amounts of people affected by this storm, hits me on a personal note. I just knew I wanted to volunteer this Thanksgiving to help the families affected by this terrible tragedy. Volunteering isn't always an easy task this time of year due to the high volume of people who want to help. But if you can, excellent!
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Depending on what you want to take part in, it may be a good idea to call and plan ahead. There's so much to volunteer for, whether you want to help out at your local church or soup kitchen, only good can come from it. It's an amazing opportunity to be able to aid those who aren't lucky to have a home-cooked meal around a dining table this year.
If you are up to the task to volunteer this Thanksgiving or holiday season, here are a few great organizations that will allow you to help those in need.
Habitat for Humanity: Find your local habitat for humanity online to help out in your area. It is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry and allows you to help rebuild homes for those without one.
Salvation Army: You can volunteer to raise money for causes, help out at a local thrift store or helping those in trouble. If you are unable to do so, they also are open to monetary donations and take in lightly worn clothing for their stores.
The Red Cross: This organization is well known for its disaster relief assistance and is always there in times of emergency. Take a class to get trained to respond to disasters and those in need of help or even volunteer to teach kids about the importance of safety protocols.
Feeding America: Take part in a soup kitchen by joining the food bank network with Feeding America. You will help serve meals and provide hunger relief to those who aren't fortunate to have daily meals.
Volunteermatch.org: If you're unsure as to which volunteering organization is best suited for you, take a look at volunteermatch.org. You'll be able to check out a variety of volunteer opportunities depending on your areas of interest.
Whether you volunteer at one of these organizations or another non-profit of your choice, you're only adding good to the world. Committing selfless acts is one of the most spiritually rewarding things you can do. Not only are you enriching the life of another person, but your own as well. I for one know that Hurricane Sandy victims will be in my thoughts this holiday season.
Image via WarmSleepy/flickr
