FRIDAY FIVE
It definitely doesn’t feel like it outside, but (gasp!) next week is Thanksgiving, a holiday associated with thankfulness and gratitude. And if you’re reading this on your smartphone or laptop and living in the Bay Area, there’s a lot to be thankful for. But as you know, it’s not as easy for everyone here in the Bay Area. There are thousands of people on our streets without homes or access to resources. Every day, many do not know where or when they will get their next meal.
The holidays are a great time to help our neighbors and let them know that people are thinking of them, and also to ensure that they have a meal on Thanksgiving. (This isn’t the only time of year you can help out, of course—people need help year-round.) If you’re looking to give back this November, here are our recommendations.
1. Thanksgiving Day Block Party
Do you like block parties? Do you want to help the homeless in the Tenderloin? If you answered yes, you might want to consider spending the holiday at the Thanksgiving Day Block Party. The event aims to serve 300 people a sit-down Thanksgiving and deliver 500 grocery bags and 5,000 hot meals. But it can’t do that without the help of hundreds of volunteers. To participate, volunteers must pay a $25 registration fee, which supports day-of expenses for the event. As a volunteer, you can be a greeter, be part of a medical-care team, conduct outreach to youth, and more. The event takes place on Thanksgiving — Thursday, November 28 — from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 230 Jones Street.
Volunteer now: cvent.com
2. Glide Thanksgiving meals
One of San Francisco’s finest institutions, Glide is an organization that focuses on the most vulnerable of the vulnerable: people of color, LGBTQ folks, and others facing oppression, isolation, and stigma. One way the organization supports this community is with its Daily Free Meals Program, which delivers 2,000 daily free meals to people in the city. The effort requires 85 volunteers each day to fill the breakfast, lunch, and dinner shifts, and they help with everything from bussing tables to serving food—and Thanksgiving is no different. The good news: this isn’t something you can only do on Thanksgiving, so if you want to give thanks past the holidays, consider Glide.
Volunteer now: glide.org/volunteer
3. Meals on Wheels dinners
The holidays can be a tough time for many, and even those who have roofs over their heads may need support on Thanksgiving. Loneliness is an epidemic in our country, particularly for older adults whose families have already passed. On Thanksgiving, Meals on Wheels — which addresses the issue of senior hunger and isolation — delivers nearly 3,000 turkey dinners to seniors around the city.
As a volunteer, you’ll deliver meals to at least 10 people, which means you need to have a valid driver’s license and proof of car insurance. While all jobs are full at the moment, there is a wait list available for meal delivery in case of an emergency. And if you want to volunteer no matter what time of year it is, this is another organization that needs volunteers year-round.
Volunteer now: mowsf.org
4. Feed the need with the SF-Marin Food Bank
Since 1987, this organization has been dedicated to finding innovative solutions to feed the hungry. From hosting ongoing food drives to feeding the evacuees and victims of the Kincade Fire, the SF-Marin Food Bank has made a real difference in our part of the world. On November 23, the day before Thanksgiving, the SF-Marin Food Bank needs help spreading the word at various grocery stores to encourage shoppers to donate to the food bank. There are still plenty of open shifts.
Volunteer now: volunteer.sfmfoodbank.org
5. Macy’s holiday windows
If you can’t volunteer on Thanksgiving Day, don’t sweat it. You can still help dogs and cats find their furever homes this holiday season too. Starting on November 22, Macy’s holiday windows in Union Square will be filled for the holiday season with adoptable homeless pets instead of clothes or jewelry. It’s a treasured San Francisco tradition that changes the lives of those who volunteer just as much as those of the animals who need homes. If you’d like to volunteer with the SF Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and connect holiday shoppers with the newest members of their family, we recommend that you sign up for this meow.
Volunteer now: sfspca.org
