It’s better to give than to receive, and people looking for ways to give back to the community this holiday season are in luck. Check out information on some volunteering and giving opportunities below.
Sunday Morning Club’s 37th Annual Christmas Day Dinner
The Sunday Morning Club has been putting on one of the largest community Christmas dinners in the region for 37 years.
Last year was the first year since the pandemic, and the event returned to the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington. This year’s event honors two Sunday Morning Club committee members who passed away earlier this year: Dennis “Smokey” Hatfield and Pat Iasillo.
Chuck McHale of McHale’s Catering in Park Hills, who spoke with LINK nky when we covered the event last year, said the food team makes enough food for about 1,800 people. This year, we will also feature a bike giveaway on a first-come-first-serve basis and various forms of holiday-themed entertainment.
Everything’s ready to go, said Lynn Haney, who’s helping to coordinate the volunteer efforts, except “I’m a little short on the volunteers,” she said.
The event is on Dec. 25, and volunteer spots are available for morning, afternoon and clean-up shifts. Sign up to volunteer with the Sunday Morning Club’s online contact form. You can also contact Haney directly by calling (859)240-5603 or emailing HaneyL@fuse.net.
St. Vincent de Paul
St. Vincent de Paul is a legacy Catholic charitable organization known for its thrift stores. They don’t operate on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and the organization’s giving events have already occurred. There are still ways people can get involved, though, said Executive Director Karen Zengel.
“We always need help sorting donations at any time of the year, quite frankly,” Zengel said. “So, if anyone wants to spend a couple hours with us at any point in time and come to Cold Spring, Florence or Erlanger, they can help us with the sorting of donations, primarily clothes, just to help us go through all of the nice things that people are bringing to us during the season.”
Volunteer opportunities at one of the organization’s many locations in the region are available all throughout the season. To learn more and sign up to volunteer, visit svdpnky.org/volunteer.
Salvation Army
You’ve probably seen them jangling bells outside of storefronts: the volunteers for Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, which raises money for the charitable organization’s operations.
There are numerous opportunities to volunteer as a bell ringer in front of businesses throughout the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati regions in the week leading up to Christmas as well as Christmas Eve itself. Learn more about how to volunteer and where you can pick a shift at registertoring.com.
Master Provisions
Master Provisions is a large, faith-based food and clothing bank that distributes resources to families both within and without Northern Kentucky.
In 2023, Master Provisions distributed over 3.7 million pounds of food, according to the organization’s annual community impact report. Over 48,000 pounds of clothing and shoes were also packed and sent out to families.
The largest demand for volunteers at Master Provisions is for warehouse workers. Although the organization doesn’t have availability for Christmas Day, there are opportunities in the week leading up to the holiday and almost immediately afterward. Learn more about the organization, including how to volunteer at masterprovisions.org.