Ways to Give the Gift of Volunteerism at Christmas

 ‘Tis the season to help others! If you’ve included “Giving back to the Community,” on your holiday gift list, you might want to consider volunteering for an organization that helps local individuals finding themselves in significant need this year. Luckily, there are a variety of opportunities to help available in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area this Christmas Season. They include . . . City Rescue Mission 800 W. California Ave. OKC, OK (405) 232-2709   The City Rescue Mission provides opportunities for families to help serve during the Mission’s Christmas Banquet on Christmas Day. Help is also needed in the toy store where homeless parents shop for presents for their children. Volunteers are also needed in the Food Resource Center and to help organize collections of food, toys, socks, or underwear in their neighborhoods year-round. You can register online, where you can also browse your various opportunities and sign up to help.   Center for Children and Families 310 S. Cockrel Norman, OK (405) 364-1420   The Holiday Wishes Program operated by the Center for Children and Families provides gifts to children and important essentials to families in need. Volunteer families who participate in the program can do any of the following: adopt a child’s wish list and shop for those items, donate $25 gift cards to be used to purchase a youngster’s clothing, or conduct a drive for books, toys, gifts and cold weather clothing essentials needed by families who find themselves struggling this holiday season.   Sharing Tree 5728 S. May OKC, OK (405) 634-2006   Sharing Tree changed its name from Christmas Connection because it now provides clothing, household items and basic necessities to Oklahoma families in need year-round. Laid out like a department store, Sharing Tree allows families in need to have a dignified shopping experience at no cost to them. Volunteers are needed to stock shelves, sort donations and generally help make the shopping experience possible in time for Christmas shopping days. Volunteers as young as 13 can help with the holiday preparations, but they must be at least age 15 to help during the Christmas shopping days.   Red Andrews Christmas Dinner   An Oklahoma City tradition since 1947, the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner has grown to the point where it serves toys and warm meals to approximately 5,000 individuals at the Cox Convention Center each year. Last year they also gave away 1,200 coats. Volunteers for the dinner can just show up at the Cox Convention Center. They are asked to enter from the southwest corner and are needed between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve and/or between 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (or starting at 2:30 p.m. for clean-up) Christmas Day.   Citizens Caring for Children 730 W. Wilshire Creek Blvd., Suite 112 OKC, OK (405) 753-4099   Through its Joy 4 Kids program, Citizens Caring for Children collects thousands of gifts for Oklahoma’s foster children. Volunteers are needed to help at the gift drop-off location. Families can help collect, sort and organize the donations. Kids grade 9 and up can help without a parent present and younger children can help on a case-by-case basis.   Salvation Army 1001 N. Pennsylvania Ave. OKC, OK (405) 246-1101   The Salvation Army needs volunteers to adopt an angel from an Angel Tree, to serve as bell ringers or to organize a toy drive for their neighborhood, business, school or church group. Volunteers are also needed to help clients with their groceries in the Client Choice Food pantry and spending time with seniors at one of the five senior centers. Click here to learn more about the various volunteer opportunities the Salvation Army offers.