Volunteering – Holidays
Holiday Feasts for All
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
Each Thanksgiving and Christmas, we serve 300+ take-out meals to those who need to stretch their budgets, who might live alone and not cook a feast for themselves, or who are perhaps unable to do the heavy lifting of a complex special meal.
We work with local farmers to source ingredients whenever possible. Giving Thanks includes turkey, mashed, gravy, squash, greens, stuffing, a homemade roll, and a slice of our exceptional pumpkin pie. The Holiday Feast includes similar sides but substitutes roast beef for the turkey. Vegetarian entrees are available.
How you can help
Starting four days before each feast, the prep begins. We peel, slice, chop, mince, proof, roast, strain, and bake to ready many courses for a whirlwind pick-up on feast day.
Whether you can give three hours of peeling squash or an afternoon tidying or organizing the lobby and take-out station to move 150 meals in an hour, we will find the right space and tools for you.
Holiday Gift Bags for Adults
DECEMBER
Our community does a phenomenal job making sure children have a festive holiday season, but we don’t often consider the emotional needs of adults who might not have a support system, finances, or family bringing cheer. We work with various agencies to identify adults who might get a boost from gifts at Christmas. You can help!
We collect gently-used and new items, wrap each, and put them in a bag hand-sewn from holiday fabric and stuffed with individually-wrapped gifts of practical and fanciful items. The bags are delivered or self-selected by folks here in our meals room.
How you can help
Beginning November 1: Start collecting and buying gently used or new gift items: gift cards, gloves, socks, small games, tchotchkes, pet or bird feeder items, candies, treats, lotions, soaps, candles, mugs, etc. and drop off at The Bearcamp Center.
Week of December 15-19: Wrapping elves wanted! We wrap every gift, no matter how small. Whether you can wrap for an hour or a day, alone or with a group of friends, you’ll have fun while doing a task that transforms Christmas for many.
December 23: Delivery elves needed to drop off bags to those without ability to travel to us.
Contact [email protected] to help with holiday projects.