The holidays are a special time for self-reflection and sense of community. By extension, many nonprofits often see higher volumes of volunteers in the months around the winter holiday season.
Claire Arnold, associate director of community and civic engagement with Hands On Atlanta, which connects interested people with volunteer opportunities, said community interest inquiries triple from around mid-November to mid-December, and actual volunteer hours double.
The extra hands are always appreciated — especially as Hands On Atlanta has more than a few holiday opportunities that could use some extra hands; however, these surges don’t always align with these surges.
“Food Insecurity nonprofits typically distribute on their same schedule… regardless of the time of year — some even close for holidays,” Arnold said. “Education partners typically work alongside school schedules and also compensate for needs outside of school — so there’s not much interest from volunteers over the summer, but there’s a ton of need from families during that time.”
She added that other holidays throughout the year, too, bring on surges of volunteers, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Earth Day.
Of over 150 nonprofit partners with Hands On Atlanta, Arnold said, only one actually used volunteers on Thanksgiving Day because most of the nonprofits closed so that families and staff could be with their families.
Instead, a sustaining level of civic engagement would bring lasting added capacity to nonprofits that are often strapped for resources and personnel.
“Volunteering for themed holiday activities is a super fun way to make service a family tradition,” Arnold said. “We challenge you to commit to serving quarterly — what our nonprofits need most [are] volunteers who stick with it and show up throughout the year.”
The planning that goes into holiday initiatives highlights why regular volunteers are especially needed.
“A nonprofit who is doing something themed for a holiday — like a toy distribution to families, for example — is thinking way further ahead than the average community member is,” Arnold said. “The nonprofit needs to collect toys in November, then sort and organize them by age and gender, get them to parents in early December, so the parents can plan, wrap, etc. and then give to the kiddos on the holiday. So, try to serve about a month in advance. Great way to kickstart the holiday season!”
That said, anyone still looking to give some extra time during the holiday season shouldn’t be deterred. The holidays can be a great introduction to volunteering opportunities and help people figure out which organizations they may want to volunteer with on a regular basis going forward. And if you don’t quite find the right fit for you, Hands On Atlanta also encourages you to host your own drive.
And to those who only find time to volunteer around the holiday season — even just one outing can make all the difference for someone else. So while regulars are encouraged, all are welcome to serve their community around this time of year.
