Volunteer opportunities during the holidays

People can spend their time with friends and family giving back to their community through simple acts of service. Not only does giving back help your community, but it also helps you have better feelings about yourself.  

There are many opportunities to volunteer and donate around Utah State University and Logan.  

If you want to volunteer with homeless people, you can check out the William A. Burnard Warming Center. A warming center provides shelter to homeless individuals within the community, offering a place for them to stay during the cold winter nights.  

You can volunteer through this link.  

If you are one of those young, strong and willing USU students, you can rake leaves or shovel driveways. USU’s Christensen Office of Social Action and Sustainability needs volunteers to rake and shovel leaves, as well as those who can shovel driveways for people who can’t do it themselves, like the elderly or disabled.  

You can find more information through this link. 

You could also volunteer by creating clothing kits for people in need. A clothing kit usually includes hats, socks, hoodies and underwear, as well as hygiene items like a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo.  

Clothing kits can be made and donated through this link. Children’s kits can be made and donated through this link. 

You can bring the gift giving to your workplace with a giving tree. A giving tree is a tree with paper ornaments that have instructions to purchase some kind of item to give to someone else. Those items are collected and transferred to an organization that sends them out to those people who need them.  

Lifting Hands International is doing a giving tree donation in Logan. You can get ideas for the giving tree through this link. 

The Children’s Service Society of Utah is a program that helps families who are raising a relative’s child due to the parents being unable to provide the needed care.  

This can put high financial strain on families. You can help through financial donations or by buying presents for children. You can find more information through this link. 

 Many USU students volunteer and donate during the holiday season.  

Ben Booth, a first-year student at USU, said, “I feel like people should do it more often.”  

Fell said service can help you feel better but it can also be beneficial locally.  

“It makes the community better when you got more people helping,” Fell said.  

They each will be doing something to help the community during the holidays.  

“There is this one organization that my church likes to help out with called ‘Five Low.’ It’s kind of like a food bank that is run by the church,” Fell said.  

With so many opportunities to serve and donate, you can help your community through your efforts and hard work.  

-Jack.Johnson@usu.edu

Featured photo by Josh Bengtzen