Volunteer work is very common around the holidays, but with COVID-19, it is crucial. 

“Your time and service is enough, no cost whatsoever needed,” said Operation Smile sponsor Andrea Smolin. 

Money is not needed to volunteer; visiting the elderly in a care facility is one way to donate time, not money. Free volunteer opportunities consist of helping assemble houses for the homeless, volunteering at an animal shelter, giving free tutoring, or visiting a children’s hospital. 

“Many local charities like the HER [Help and Emergency] shelter often post lists of items they need,” said local volunteer coordinator Katie Stewart. “It would be easy to organize a drive for some of those items amongst friends and family. Arrange a no-contact pick up and then make a similar drop of the supplies to the charity.”

Local charities such as Toys for Tots, Hoodies for the Homeless, Angel Tree, Adopt-a-Family for the Holidays, and Operation We Care make it easy to comply with CDC guidelines.

“Join clubs [to volunteer] throughout the school; for instance, Operation Smile, Kid2Kid, MSAC, MSA, Beach Mentorship Club, and SCA,” said junior Kaitlyn Hertz.

In-person volunteer work can include food drives, homeless shelter visits during the holidays, Meals on Wheels delivery, benefits counselor, and Community Assistance and Resources for Seniors friendly visitors.   

“Volunteering is very eye-opening about how fortunate many Americans are. How many hardships the people in those countries go through,” said Smolin.