5 Places to Volunteer During the Holidays

From helping out at a school event or blood drive, to donating your time sorting food or playing with homeless children, there are lots of ways to give back this season. Here are a few suggestions:

• Volunteers are needed to help out at the craft tables at the . The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 2, at , 123 Spring St. Volunteers are needed before the event for set up, during the event, and after the event for clean up. To sign up or for more information, email bethcasavant@gmail.com.

• The at 474 Boston Tpke. currently has volunteer opportunities available in food sorting. Volunteers are encouraged to come in weekly for two to three hours. If you are looking to help in another way, call the food bank at 508-842-3663. For more information or to fill out a volunteer application form, click here.

• The American Red Cross needs volunteers to register donors and to work at refreshment areas at blood drives, providing beverages and snacks to donors. If you would like to volunteer, call Ricardo McInnis at 508-791-7444 or email mcinnisri@usa.redcross.org. There will also be a from 2 to 8 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 22, at the . The American Red Cross has more information on volunteering and registering to donate blood. 

• Rachel's Table at 633 Salisbury St. in Worcester helps feed hungry families and individuals in greater Worcester. Volunteers are needed to pick up and distribute donated food and to answer the food donation hotline, arranging for the pick up and delivery of donated food. (Dispatchers use their own touch tone phones and volunteer from their homes once or twice per month.) For more information on volunteering, call Lissa at 508-799-7699 or email lissakasakoff@gmail.com. For information on donating food or money, click here.

• If you can commit two hours per week for the next six months, consider volunteering with Horizons for Homeless Children. The agency is seeking "fun-loving, dependable people to interact and play with children living in family homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters throughout Central Massachusetts." Day and evening hours are available and the agency offers training. The next training in the area will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 7, and Thurs., Dec. 8, at Unitarian Universalist Church, 90 Holden St., Worcester. For more information, call Debra Vanderwerf at   508-755-2615, email dvanderwerf@horizonsforhomelesschildren.org or visit www.​horizonsforhomelesschildren.​org.