Want to help Sacramento this holiday season? Here’s how to donate food, be a volunteer
Sacramento is in the season of giving.
With Thanksgiving approaching, and the holidays around the corner, there are several opportunities to give back through donations and volunteering across the region. Below is a list of several nonprofits and other groups who are in need of a helping hand:
Gifts from the Heart
Gifts from the Heart Program provides presents to children, senior and disabled adults with Sacramento County’s Divisions of Child Protective Services and Senior and Adult Services. This program is offering residents to sign up as a community partner to sponsor a gift through an online application. Gifts from the Heart is also accepting monetary donations. More information can be found at https://bit.ly/SACgiftsfromtheheart.
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels, located at 7375 Park City Drive in Pocket, are looking for volunteers throughout the holiday season. Volunteers can serve as drivers, operate the cafe and provide office support, to name a few opportunities. Those interested can arrange to start volunteer orientation by contacting volunteer@mowsac.org. Meals on Wheels does not deliver on holidays themselves, but operates during the season and year round.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. If younger, they must require parental consent and adult supervision. Drivers must be at least 21 years old.
Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services/Run to Feed the Hungry
The Sacramento Food Bank is looking for volunteers for its annual Run to Feed the Hungry event, located at the Fremont Presbyterian Church on 5770 Carlson Drive. Volunteer packet pick-ups are available until 7:30 p.m. on November 27, the day before Thanksgiving.
The Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services also lists other opportunities to volunteer on its online calendar at sacramentofoodbank.org/volunteer. They require volunteers to be at least 10 years old.
Neighbor Program
The Neighbor Program with the Shakur Center on 3230 Broadway in Oak Park provides free groceries on Mondays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m, and delivers to a North Highlands housing complex on Tuesday. Residents can sponsor a bag through the Neighbor Program’s at patreon.com/neighborprogram.
Sacramento Loaves and Fishes
Sacramento Loaves and Fishes have supplied a Fall and Winter needs list for several programs. They ask residents to drop off the following items for their programs at 1351 North C St. in the River District. This location is open on Mondays to Fridays from 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Friendship Park needs: jackets and ponchos, travel sized toiletries, blankets and sleeping bags, tents and tarps, shoes sizes 10 to 13, bar soap, men’s underwear, beanies and gloves and men’s pants.
Sister Nora’s Place needs: coffee pods, health snack items, paper plates and bowls, small and large Ziploc bags, disinfectant wipes, disinfectant spray, new underwear sizes small to XXL, standard wrist watches.
Mary House needs: papers plates, plastic forks, loaves of sandwich bread, travel sized toiletries, new women’s underwear, leggings, jeans, sweatpants, new or gently used shoes, blankets, tampons, diapers in all sizes, backpacks, tote bags, luggage, toothpaste, hairbrushes, combs and hair ties.
Mustard Seed needs: canvases, stickers, ponchos, ball pumps, new teen and adult sized clothing, laundry detergent, healthy snack items, fresh fruit and vegetables, holiday crafts, beginning reading books, and beginning reading puzzles.
Toys for Tots Sacramento
The Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots Sacramento chapter is looking for toy donations at multiple locations, including the following:
Security Public Storage on 6310 Stockton Blvd. Office hours are Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This site is open until Dec. 15.
Arbor Walk Apartments on 3910 Auburn Blvd. in Arden Arcade. Office hours are from Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. This site is open until Dec. 15.
Capital One Cafe on 1151 Galleria Blvd., Ste 145 and Ste 145 in Roseville. This site is open from everyday until Dec. 15.
Floor and Decor on 8330 Delta Shores Circle in Meadowview. Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This site is open until Dec. 15.
The names and contact information for these Toys for Tots Coordinators are available online at sacramento-ca.toysfortots.org.
This story was originally published November 26, 2024 at 2:52 PM.
