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The Season of Giving...Time

Thanksgiving through the New Year tends to be a time when folks take stock of all they have to be grateful for and think about giving back to those who maybe have less. Charities and organizations generally see a bump in donations, both physical and monetary, during the holiday season. Giving money or items is always appreciated and generous, but in a season seemingly dominated by presents and impressive credit card bills, it's important to remember that often the greatest gift a person can give is some of their time.

Madison resident Susan McDevitt started "The Pizza People" several years ago as a way to show her kids that even though she was going through chemotherapy at the time, you can always find a way to give something back (the group delivers pizza to homeless people in New Haven). Getting out and helping people directly is a key part of that—the value of volunteering is found in the human connections, not the checkbook.

"There are many reasons to volunteer, but I believe if you are doing it because you need the credit then you are doing it for all the wrong reasons," McDevitt said. "We have had homeless people come to help other homeless people."

As the shoreline is a fairly affluent area and many—but not all—young people in the area want for very little, McDevitt said getting kids out in the community and volunteering gives them a perspective they are not going to get if they just send in a cash donation.

"Many youth today take their lives for granted and all the luxuries that many are afforded (and by that I mean a warm home, good food, shoes that fit... not just the latest Apple gadget)," she said. "When they are put into a situation where they are handing out socks, underwear, toothpaste, and a toothbrush to someone who has waited half an hour in line to get that, it's truly a reality check. Then to be thanked profusely by that same person that you just handed a pair of socks to—there's really no way to explain the feeling that instills."

SHORELINE SOUP KITCHENS & PANTRIES

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries aims to provide food and fellowship to those in need and also educate the public on the realities of hunger and poverty. There are pantries in Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, Old Lyme, and East Lyme that provide three meals for three days for those who come to the pantries. The meal sites are in Centerbrook, Essex, Deep River, Chester, Old Saybrook, Clinton, Old Lyme, and Westbrook, where hot meals are provided family-style.

People can volunteer at meal sites, pantries, or for Heat & Eat Programs. All volunteers must attend an orientation meeting, must be 12 years of age or older, and follow best practice guidelines put forward by the organization. The volunteer work can be physically demanding, such as moving large quantities of food to various locations in all types of weather.

COMMUNITY DINING ROOM

Located in Branford, the Community Dining Room has been around since 1985 and provides food and support to those in need from East Haven to Old Saybrook.

Volunteers can do everything from stocking shelves, to cooking meals, to delivering to homes. The Dining Room runs on the power of volunteers, so volunteers are always in high demand. Those interested in volunteering must set up an appointment and fill out an application before starting. Volunteer positions include kitchen clean up/set up, helping in the dining room, meal prep, drivers, and those willing to put their back into it and help with heavy lifting.

COLUMBUS HOUSE NEW HAVEN

The Columbus House in New Haven serves people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The organization provides shelter, housing, and support to those who come through the door.

Since it is a fairly large organization, volunteers have a lot to choose from. Groups or individuals can contact the kitchen staff and sign up to prepare an evening meal either with food volunteers purchased themselves or with food in the Columbus House Pantry. There are seasonal donation or volunteer opportunities that can be found by contacting Columbus House, and throughout the year the organization is always looking for volunteers to help out with anything from cooking to general office support.

MEALS ON WHEELS

Most shoreline towns have their own branch of Meals on Wheels, some run independently and some run through a department of the specific town. Meals on Wheels provides daily hot meals and frozen weekend meals to those residents in need of assistance.

Volunteers sign up and are given a route with a list of homes to take meals to. There is a lot of opportunity for direct contact with Meals on Wheels clients, especially for those who sign up for a regular route. Drivers can become more than a delivery boy or girl—they become a friendly face clients look forward to seeing each week.

HOW TO PROPERLY DONATE FOOD

Food banks certainly appreciate the surge of donations around the holidays, but the uptick means that sorting through food that shouldn't be donated, like spoiled, expired, or unneeded food, can take up even more time.

Guilford Social Services Director Tammy DeFrancesco said most local food banks have websites with lists of current needs and upcoming food drives. Knowing current needs is particularly important if folks try to coordinate their own food drives.

"If you are going to hold a food drive, make sure you can handle the full task—do not expect the food bank to find you volunteers to come pick up the food once you have collected it," she said. "Ask for a needs list and coordinate on your own with the site to collect the food."

If people are interested in volunteering time at a food bank, DeFrancesco said the most important thing is making sure you can give the time you committed to.

TOY DONATIONS

Toy drives are a big part of the holidays. Organizations both large and small tend to have a drive and participating is easy for residents. Once November rolls around and the Thanksgiving hype gets underway, residents should keep an eye out for booths in front of the supermarkets and posts on social media advertising drives. Plenty of towns as well as police and fire departments in the area hold toy drives and will often list requirements as well as drop off locations on their various websites and social media platforms. You can also find Toys for Tots donation spots at toysfortots.org.