Volunteering in Fairfield County

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Looking to get more involved in the community? How about volunteering this holiday season!
We want to make sure our residents and other community members have the opportunity to give back this season. We've rounded up some great volunteering opportunities and organizations for anyone who is interested!

Neighbors Link - Stamford
Cause: Provides a comprehensive resource center for recent immigrants in the Stamford area.
Volunteer Opportunities:

• Friday November 22nd and Friday December 20th: volunteers are needed to help with Holiday Family Nights. Volunteers will help with set-up, serving and clean-up for these festive meals that are open to the community.  
• Volunteers can also help by conducting small gift drives among their friends or in their clubs, to collect new children’s books and new warm hats, scarves and gloves for adults. These gifts will be distributed at the December 20th Family night.
• In addition, there is always need for tutors for our year-round ESL programs. ESL classes are offered mornings and evenings, and training is provided to all volunteers.

For information on volunteering and donating please click here or contact Cathleen Stone, Program Manager: 203-674-8585 ext. 106 or Cathleen.Stone@NeighborsLinkStamford.org

Person to Person - Darien & Norwalk
Cause: Responds to individuals and families who lack the basic necessities or resources to improve their lives.
Volunteer Opportunities:

• Friday, November 22, Noon — 3pm in Darien, Food Drive. Help sort and organize more than 5,000 pounds of donated non-perishable food.
• Monday, November 25 & Tuesday, November 26, 9am – 4pm in Norwalk, Thanksgiving Turkeys. Help distribute turkeys and Thanksgiving meal fixings to 500 families.
• Wednesday, December 11, 9am — 2pm, Toy Store Set Up. Help set-up holiday pop-up shop; decorate, move and organize toys and books at a local toy store.
• Thursday, December 12, 9am — 4pm OR Friday, December 13, 9am — 7pm OR Saturday, December 14, 9am — 1pm in Darien, Toy Store Shifts Available. Help clients shop for toys, books and board games for their children; wrap gifts, entertain children, clean-up.
• Monday, December 16 & Tuesday, December 17 at the NEON gymnasium in Norwalk, Gift of Giving. Decorate gymnasium with holiday décor for Gift of Giving program where families receive holiday gifts for their children.
• Wednesday, December 18 at the NEON gymnasium in Norwalk. Take down Gift of Giving decorations.

For information on volunteering and donating please click here or contact Janet King, Director of Volunteers: 203-655-0048 or janetking@p2pHelps.org

Homes With Hope - Westport - one time volunteers welcome!
Cause: A local grassroots response to the tragedy of homelessness.

Volunteer Opportunities:

• Opportunities are available at the Gillespie Center all year.
• During the holiday season, the organization needs people to provide nightly meals to the 30 to 35 people who show up at the Community Kitchen. Food donations are needed for the Food Pantry that provides over 3,000 bags of groceries each year to needy neighbors. There are also opportunities to help organize the Pantry.

For information on volunteering and donating please click here or contact Jeff Wieser (jwieser@hwhct.org) and Rob Lockhart (rlockhart@whwct.org) or Robynne Quinn (rquinn@hwhct.org)

Operation Hope - Fairfield
Cause: To make free enterprise work for everyone.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Thanksgiving:

• Volunteers can conduct a food drive to stock the pantry shelves and deliver to the Food Pantry located at 636 Old Post Road in Fairfield
• Sponsor a “Thanksgiving basket and turkey” for our neighbors who might otherwise go without. Deliver to our Food Pantry by November 21st
• Prepare a Thanksgiving Day meal item for our Community Thanksgiving Meal and deliver to the Community Kitchen located at 50 Nichols Street in Fairfield by November 28th
• “Make a Meal” throughout the holiday season to be served to our hungry neighbors at the Community Kitchen

December Holidays:

• Sponsor an individual or family for the “Hope for the Holidays” gift giving program, now through December 9th. 
• Volunteer to assist with the onsite receiving and organizing gifts during the “Hope for the Holidays” program. 
• Sponsor a Food Drive for the December holidays and deliver to the Food Pantry.   
• People are hungry throughout the month of December, not just on the holidays! Call and sponsor a meal or portion of a meal to be served at the Community Kitchen.

For information on volunteering and donating please click here or contact Donna Schmidt at 203-292-5588; dschmidt@operationhopect.org

If you know of any volunteering opportunities please do not hesitate to share with us on our Facebook page! Big thanks to ilovefc.com for outlining these great opportunities.