Holiday Volunteer Opportunities For Families In East Bay

It's that time of year again when you might be looking for a way to give back to your local community. The East Bay area offers numerous volunteer opportunities to show your support. If you're looking to spend some quality time with your family and teach your children the joy and importance of showing compassion to those less fortunate, look no further than your backyard for opportunities to aid everyone from seniors to newborns.

Serve Thanksgiving Dinner
Satellite Housing
1521 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 647-0700
www.satellitehousing.org

Click here for specific dates and locations.

Satellite Housing is a non-profit organization devoted to providing affordable, dignified, assisted-living options to disadvantaged seniors, families and adults with disabilities. Throughout the month of November, volunteers have the opportunity to help serve a catered Thanksgiving meal to residents of numerous Satellite Housing properties. Duties include set up, dinner service and post-meal clean up. Dinners require a three-hour commitment and volunteers ages five and older are welcome.

Answer Letters to Santa
The Volunteer Center of the East Bay
700 Ygnacio Valley Road, #140
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 472-5760
www.volunteereastbay.org

Click here for a list of times.

Throughout December, the Danville Community Center's Santa's Mailbox will be accepting children's letters to Santa, with the promise of a return letter from Santa by December 24th. Volunteers are needed to help with writing personalized responses to the letters. The Town of Danville has requested volunteers be middle-school aged or older. Volunteer time slots are in two-hour increments.

Related: Best Places to Volunteer With Your Kids in San Francisco

Elf Workshop
Danville Community Center
420 Front St.
Danville, CA 94526
(925) 314-3400
www.ci.danville.ca.us

Date: December 8 from 8:30 a.m to 2 p.m.

The Town of Danville's annual Elf Workshop is a hands-on holiday craft workshop where children can make crafts, eat snacks and get their picture taken with Santa. Help local children get into the holiday spirit by dressing as an elf and assisting with face painting, craft making and Santa photos. Families with children over 13 are welcome to volunteer.

Grand Baby Campaign
Loved Twice
4123 Broadway, Suite 815
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 652-2229
www.lovedtwice.org

Loved Twice is a non-profit devoted to providing disadvantaged newborns with desperately needed clothing for their first year of life. The organization collects gently used baby clothing and blankets and sorts and distributes them to newborns at over 30 area safe houses, shelters, homes and hospitals. Since 2005, the group has delivered boxes to over 4,000 Bay Area babies. This holiday season, Loved Twice is challenging community groups to raise $1000 for newborns in need. It will provide individuals and groups with a fundraising kit that includes over 100 ideas to raise the money. Any type of group from families to scout troops and church groups to clubs are invited to participate.

Related: Where To Volunteer Your Time - Kitchens

Sponsor a Family for the Holidays
Family Support Services of the Bay Area
401 Grand Ave., Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 834-4006
www.fssba.org

Family Support Services of the Bay Area is dedicated to supporting Bay Area families who have major difficulties supporting their children due to disabilities, substance exposure, medical problems and abuse. This holiday season, the FSSBA is looking for volunteers to sponsor families in need. Volunteers will receive a wish list from the sponsored family, which will include both necessities and wanted items. There are over 160 families available for sponsor, ranging in size from two to eight members. The Sponsor-A-Family program is a great opportunity for both individual families and community groups to reach out to those in need.

Joanna Metheny is a freelance writer covering all things South Bay. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.