Get Involved and Give Back These Holidays

8 December 2021 | News

Every year, in the lead up to Christmas, Volunteer Marlborough gets a lot of phone calls and emails from people who are looking to give some of their time over the holidays. We know just how difficult it can be to find those holiday volunteer roles. Many of them get filled in the months leading up to now, and those organisations with regular volunteers often rely on them for the special events that they're hosting or the activities that are taking place.

BUT! There are still lots of ways you can give back over the holidays and still have a meaningful experience. Check out the following list for some ideas of how you can get involved and give back these holidays!

  1. Pay it forward - buy someone else a coffee or a scone anonymously
  2. Drop off thank you cards for staff & volunteers at non-profits, community organisations, and charities in your community
  3. Invite an elderly neighbour, a new person to your neighbourhood, or just someone you know might be alone to join you for holiday dinner, a movie night, or just to hang out and have a chat
  4. Bake holiday cookies and deliver them to a local rest home or food kitchen. You could also approach Crossroads to see help they might need for their clients during this time.
  5. Give the gift of life by donating blood and/or signing up to be an organ donor
  6. Compliment a stranger and wish them a happy holidays either in person or by leaving a note. Remember - Christmas isn't the only holiday at this time of year. There are at least 25 other days being observed by various groups and religions in the same time period.
  7. Take some blankets, towels, pet food, toys, etc. to the SPCA. Animals need love too!
  8. Donate gently used DVDs, book, and games to the children's ward at the hospital or to Marlborough Youth Trust
  9. Organise a gift drive for children in foster care - donate them to Oranga Tamariki or Foster Hope
  10. Host a fundraising event in your workplace, school, or sports club for the cause of your choice
  11. Ask a neighbour if you can help them by performing chores or errands
  12. Look for the donation bins in supermarkets and other shops - grab a few items off the shelves to add to your normal shop and then drop them in the donation bin

And remember, if you do any of these things or come up with your own, share your holiday volunteering or random acts of kindness on social media to encourage others to give back too - and don't forget to tag us! Facebook Instagram