I'm planning on volunteering on Thanksgiving Day. Anyone have any suggestions?

These are some great suggestions above. If you are not sure what places are nearby or are looking for specific volunteering opportunities, I have a few suggestions to add. One great place to find volunteer opportunities is volunteermatch.org/.Its primary focus is longer term opportunities, but I did a search for Thanksgiving, Homeless, and Food Bank in several states and found many results.It is also possible to find virtual volunteer opportunities on the site.

If you know the name of any of the local shelters or service organizations, try doing a local search for your area and/or checking for an online presence with contact information. It is always a good idea to phone ahead. There is a lot of logistics and planning that goes into these events, so the more they know about who will be volunteering, the easier it will be for that planning to occur.

One final note. While these organizations are always happy for the help, they often have excess help on the "high holidays" and have a hard time finding volunteers during the less glamorous times of the year. You might consider volunteering on one or more of these days as well.

Generally the soup kitchens and food service at churches are swamped with volunteers on thanksgiving most people end up standing around wondering what to do. Why not take it as an opportunity to do a job that is not on the most popular list, how about helping a local trail club clear trails, this may sound like a useless job but volunteering to work with a local trail club to clear trails can encourage people to get outdoors and help improve the health of others while helping to keep you in shape. If the outdoors is not your thing, keeping older folks with out any family or friends company on thanksgiving is really important, most nursing homes have volunteer programs.

I would like to urge you to step back and think about whether it is really a good idea to volunteer. Although I volunteer myself for certain things I am extremely suspicious of general volunteer work. Since you are asking here what to volunteer at, you must not have some specific group in mind but are thinking volunteering in general is good.

This is quite debatable. The problems with volunteering include, but are not limited to: You are doing something that someone could and should be paid to do. You are doing something that you should be paid to do.

You may be helping an organization make money or get subsidies which go to paying its leadership when they should be spending money to pay for whatever they are trying to do. You are setting a bad example by preferring self sacrifice to self fulfillment. These are particularly likely for women.

Women have long been persuaded to work for free instead of for pay. That is why the National Organization of Women is officially opposed to volunteerism. The most outspoken opponent of volunteerism is the Ann Rand Institute.

Here is a link to a summary of their opposition. aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&... It's a bit extreme but you can see their argument. Thanksgiving is a holiday to give thanks for one's material goods, in particular the fall harvest and food in general.

You should celebrate and enjoy it. Make sure you have a few beers too, especially Oktoberfest and Harvest Ale brews.

Of course, there are many soup kitchens and shelters that could use an extra hand around Thanksgiving. But you can also make a difference by giving blood that day (one pint can save a life), or volunteering on any of the other days of the year too!

Usually these places accepts volunteers. You can pick any of the three depending on your interest. If you're into animals like me, you can pick animal shelter but I love children and grannies too so maybe I'll just volunteer in those places in different days.

^^ So what are your interest? Start choosing with that. :) I hope you'll enjoy!

^^ It's good to hear that some people like you are kind enough to volunteer and help those who are in need on Thanksgiving day. :).

I would like to urge you to step back and think about whether it is really a good idea to volunteer. Although I volunteer myself for certain things I am extremely suspicious of general volunteer work. Since you are asking here what to volunteer at, you must not have some specific group in mind but are thinking volunteering in general is good.

This is quite debatable. The problems with volunteering include, but are not limited to: You are doing something that someone could and should be paid to do. You are doing something that you should be paid to do.

You may be helping an organization make money or get subsidies which go to paying its leadership when they should be spending money to pay for whatever they are trying to do. You are setting a bad example by preferring self sacrifice to self fulfillment. These are particularly likely for women.

Women have long been persuaded to work for free instead of for pay. That is why the National Organization of Women is officially opposed to volunteerism. The most outspoken opponent of volunteerism is the Ann Rand Institute.

Here is a link to a summary of their opposition. aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&... It's a bit extreme but you can see their argument. Thanksgiving is a holiday to give thanks for one's material goods, in particular the fall harvest and food in general.

You should celebrate and enjoy it.

As most people I would say a soup kitchen . You could check with your church or city for a list of places that are looking for volunteers. If money is not an issue for you something else you may want to do is check with your local government city, county agency that may have a list of families in your area that need assistance.

Then go to the store and buy all the fixings for dinner. When I lived in Illinois I would check with my township office if they had a family in need ( and they always did) I would bring the food to them on the designated day and they would distribute to the families. You may even find a local food pantry that made need assistance in handing out food just before the holiday.

Soup kitchen is good. Also try looking into facilities that house runaways or troubled kids. Pregnant teen housing also.

Consider a local soup kitchen or offer your assistance at your community's Thanksgiving celebration. Here are some other great ways to choose a volunteer program. If you put your metro area in your question, I could be a little more specific.

ehow.com/how_4552965_volunteer-opportuni....

A food kitchen is likely one of the best places to go. They will need quite a few extra hands. If dishing out food isn't your thing, you could also make food and deliver it on that day to area shelters.

How kind of you, no matter what you choose. :).

I suggest you volunteer for Soup kitchens with your friends and neighbors, just follow the steps below and your done. -quote- "Soup kitchens provide a hot meal for people who need it. You can help this Thanksgiving by volunteering your time to serve the holiday dinner.

Things You'll Need: Tables Cars Area Maps Chairs Computers Phone Books Internet Access Instructions Step 1. Find out which soup kitchens are located in your area. Do a search online, look in the phone book, call information or ask your city or town clerk.

Step 2. Contact a local soup kitchen and tell them you'd like to help. Step 3.

Organize a group of people from your church, synagogue or local organization who are willing to volunteer on Thanksgiving. Step 4. Understand that the soup kitchen needs lots of help in other areas besides food service.

Offer to pick up donations, do an inventory on them and store them away. You might also set up tables, prepare the food and help clean up after the meal is through. Step 5.

Include your children in your efforts. This is a great way to teach them the importance of community service. Step 6.

Consider making this a tradition in your family every year. Counting your blessings and helping people in need is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving. " -end of quote.

If it were me volunteerying I would choose to go to a hospital that had small children that were in need of someone special to maybe help feed them or just be there on a holiday with. Many people already volunteer for the soup kitchen and I think doing things kind of volunteering could be so inspiring and could very much touch a small persons life.

My first thought was also to volunteer at a soup kitchen. You could also volunteer to help serve dinners at various churches and charities in your area that advertise free dinners on Thanksgiving for those in need. Perhaps when doing that, you can ask around to learn what volunteers are needed on a regular basis at a church, charity, abused shelter, assisted living for the elderly, children's hospital, rehab center, or wherever your interests lie.

Then you can continue to give some of your time for additional ways to be of help. Doing this for others will give you a warm glow in your own heart and is sure to be deeply appreciated for the often neglected recipients.

You can go to a nursing home and ask to visit those residents who rarely receive visitors-It will make their day so special!

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.