November is a Great Month to Volunteer
We may just be getting into the season of giving, but don’t forget – it will be over as quickly as it starts! Although there are many opportunities to volunteer your time and give generously to your community during this wonderful holiday season, it’s important to start now, as many giving campaigns wrap up in early December. Luckily, November is filled with lots of volunteer opportunities. Here are a few we’d like to highlight:
Soup Kitchen Volunteering Initiative: Although we’ll still have food drives at our smaller Carrington offices as we have in years’ past, this year we’re encouraging Associates to volunteer their time at a local food pantry, soup kitchen, food bank or other organization dedicated to feeding the community. Our Southern California offices are doing an extra weekend of soup kitchen volunteering in both November and December. For all Someone Cares Soup Kitchen volunteer opportunities in Southern California during November and December, we recommend all volunteers bring in pancake mix, syrup and instant oatmeal, as the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen is in constant need of those specific items. We’re also encouraging Associates to bring in other non-perishable food items to donate while they’re volunteering. Look for information soon from your CCF representative about volunteer opportunities near your Carrington location.
CASA Snowflakes In-Kind Donation Campaign (for Anaheim and Aliso Viejo): Back by popular demand, distribution of the CASA Snowflakes starts during the week of November 7th and will continue until we run out! The children of CASA Orange County are some of the county’s most severely abused, abandoned and neglected children who have been placed in foster care for their own protection. We have more snowflakes this year than in 2015; and starting the distribution earlier means Associates will have more time to shop and take advantage of Black Friday sales after Thanksgiving. Unwrapped gifts need to be turned in to the designated spot near a Carrington location security desk, with the CASA Gift postcard attached, no later than December 2.
Giving Tuesday: There’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and, on November 29th, it’s Giving Tuesday! To us, Giving Tuesday is about remembering what the holidays are all about: caring, sharing and generosity of heart, expressed through a global day of giving. We’ll continue to encourage Associates to get out and give during the holiday season, and offer more tips and ideas on how to support your local communities. For more information, visit https://www.givingtuesday.org/.
Wreaths Across America Campaign: Another wonderful opportunity for giving this holiday season comes from Wreath’s Across America. Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 1,100 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states. This year, the Wreath Placing Ceremony date is December 17th nationwide. Click here to find a cemetery in need of volunteers near you. There are opportunities to donate money to the organization through November 27th, and then on December 17th there are several cemeteries where you can volunteer your time laying wreaths on Veteran graves. If you’re interested in supporting Wreaths Across America financially, donations can be made here. You have until our November 27th deadline to get your donations in. The CCF Board of Directors will consider matching the donations made by each office to the CCF Wreaths Across America fund to support this great organization.