+ HOW YOU CAN Help
Season of
Giving
The holidays are about more than
giving and receiving gifts. It’s a
time to be thankful for what you
have and give back to those in your community
who are in need.
Some prefer to adopt a family, providing
Christmas gifts and ingredients to
prepare a holiday meal, while others look
for opportunities to serve meals to the
homeless. These opportunities tend to
fill up quickly as the holidays approach.
This year, consider donating your
time at these local nonprofits, which
have volunteer opportunities throughout
the year.
Child Life Program at
Nemours Children’s Hospital
Child Life specialists at Nemours
work to ensure that life remains as normal
50 Central Florida Lifestyle | December 2019
as possible for children in healthcare
settings. This is done through
effective coping methods such as
play, self-expressive activities and ageappropriate
medical preparation and
education. Volunteers are welcome to
participate in these activities alongside
the childcare experts to enrich a child’s
day in one of the toughest times of
their young lives.
Pet Alliance of Greater
Orlando
Give back to our furry friends
by working with the Pet Alliance of
Greater Orlando to exercise, socialize
and provide enrichment for the facility’s
dogs and cats or by donating your
time at one of the organization’s special
events. There are also opportunities for
your gift to last throughout the holiday
season and beyond by fostering underage
puppies and kittens before they are
taken to their forever home.
Ronald McDonald House
Charities of Central Florida
Gather a group of family members
or friends to provide lunch or
dinner for families staying at one
of the three Orlando houses. The
kitchens at the Arnold Palmer Hospital
for Children, AdventHealth
for Children or Nemours Children’s
Hospital houses vary in size
so check the website in advance for
needs. Volunteers are responsible
for providing the ingredients for a
healthy meal, preparing and serving
it, and cleaning up.
Second Harvest Food Bank
of Central Florida
There are plenty of ways you can
volunteer at Second Harvest, whether
you’re looking for individual or
group opportunities. From sorting
donations in the warehouse to putting
together meals for a variety of
Head Start programs in the production
kitchen (age 16+ only), you can
do your part to fight hunger in the
community.
Shepherd’s Hope
A more individualized opportunity
to give back happens at Shepherd’s
Hope, which relies on volunteer
physicians, nurses and other
licensed health care professionals to
provide quality health care for uninsured
and underinsured men, women
and children in the community.
Not a medical professional but want
to help? There are also front desk and
administrative positions. Volunteer
shifts last three to four hours, one
day per month.
During your holiday break,
give your time at these
deserving nonprofits.