With all of the excitement of the holiday season, it is easy to forget that there are still so many in need. It takes an abundance of volunteers to prepare, supply, and deliver meals to people in need that they cannot do themselves. If you want to take the time out of your busy schedule this season, here are some places you can volunteer your time.
The Nashville Rescue Mission works in collaboration with the community to provide hope for the homeless, hungry and hurting. They always have a need for volunteer help as they host many events throughout the year. Take a look at the abundance of events in the coming weeks to plan a time to give back.
The Nashville Food Project focuses on how food can be a tool to build up communities and be able to feed those in need. Their mission “is to bring people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city.” They grow their own organic foods in their gardens across town, cook in their kitchens with recovered, donated and their own grown food, and use their food trucks to share and distribute those foods to the people in need. How can you contribute? You can volunteer to work in on of their three gardens, prep food in their kitchens, or join on their many food runs.
The Room in the Inn provides programs that revolve around human development and recovery through education while providing long-term support. Thousands of people volunteer on their campuses during the winter months, and they could still use more help. You can help just with your skills to be able to teach others.
The Rutherford County Emergency Food Bank has helped feed over 3,000 families and over 8,000 individuals across Rutherford County last year. All of the food they use to feed the people in need are donations from local schools, churches, youth organizations, food drives, and businesses. You can volunteer by becoming an ambassador at your place of business or organization by planning food drives, or help unload the food after the food drives, or volunteer a day each month at the food bank.
There are an abundance of ways to volunteer in Middle Tennessee not just for the holidays, but year round as well. Make sure to find local organizations that could use your help.
