Volunteer Opportunities: Time and Donations Can Help Local Organizations

Here are five local organizations that are seeking volunteers or donations during the upcoming holiday season. If you know of a need in the community that isn't addressed here, please leave us a comment.

Food Drive at AACC
(AACC) will host the on noon Nov. 23, along with a one-mile jaunt and food drive. AACC will collect food items to stock the campus food pantry in the Student Life Office for students who cannot afford to buy food. Items needed include:

• Microwavable dinners and snacks
• Cups of fruit
• Breakfast bars or granola bars
• Drinks (small juice bottles or pouches)
• Cheese and crackers
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Cereal
• Soup

Salvation Army
Volunteers are needed for the Salvation Army’s Christmas programs. Contact Richard and/or Ruth New at 410-263-4091.

• Community Thanksgiving dinner in Annapolis needs volunteers from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 24.
• Opportunities through Dec. 9 include working at the Angel Tree desk at Westfield Annapolis mall, helping with food and toy drives, and providing clerical help.
• Bell ringers needed through Dec. 24: Ring bells at a Red Kettle location of your choice (you choose the hours).

Arundel House of Hope
Donations of food and clothing items, cleaning, office and kitchen supplies, paper products, toiletry items, landscaping tools, and more are needed at the Arundel House of Hope in Glen Burnie. Call 410-863-4888 or email pbailey@arundelhoh.org. 

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Chesapeake Region
To say “thank you” to police officers for their lifesaving work, MADD Maryland is launching its sixth annual Cookies for Cops campaign this holiday season. MADD needs donations of cookies to be hand-delivered by volunteers and staff Thanksgiving day through New Year’s Eve. For more information contact MADD at 410-964-5757 or brandon.johnson@madd.org.

Giving Back, Linda's Legacy Program
Over the past seven years, Giving Back provided backpacks filled with new sweatshirts, warm thermals (top and bottom), hats, gloves, and socks to the homeless on the streets of Baltimore and Washington, DC. Giving Back will purchase the backpacks and provide them to those willing to collect the materials and stuff the backpacks. Volunteers are also needed to assist with shelter deliveries on Dec. 24. If you would like to help the homeless this holiday season, please contact Rayna Neild at info@homelessdrive.com or 410-295-0889.