Many groups, families, and individuals choose to volunteer at this time of year. The spread of COVID-19 has caused many of these plans to change. Here are a few ideas on how to give back while maintaining social distancing.

This time of year, there are many organizations asking for donations. Call local thrift stores and youth homeless shelters to find out what items they are in need of this winter. Have your youth go through their outgrown clothes, shoes, and old toys and give them to those in need. If your youth are not able to donate any items, have your group help organize the donations received!

Homeless shelters and soup kitchens are looking for food donations all year round. Have a cooking activity with your group and donate the food to the shelters! Your youth will gain valuable life skills while learning the importance of being an active community member. Use this as an opportunity to explain the serious issues of homelessness in our country.

The Angel Tree program is an ideal option for those that want to maintain social distancing. To keep this activity budget friendly, split your youth into groups and give them an Angel Tree child. Set a budget that your youth that they must adhere to and a guideline on what items they should focus on. This way, the youth are learning valuable teamwork, communication, and budgeting skills. If your organization is not comfortable shopping in person, go online shopping instead!

Organizing a trash pickup at a local park is an excellent option for groups! You can teach youth about caring for the environment and your community at the same time. For some added fun, have your youth race to see who can fill their bag first! This activity can be done as a group in a large public park, or separately in each youth’s neighborhood. Just don’t forget the gloves and trash bags!

Due to the spread of COVID-19, many fun runs have opted for virtual platforms over in-person runs. These virtual runs are ideal for those who want to contribute to a cause and stay active while social distancing. To utilize your youths’ voices in this activity, allow them to choose what cause you want to walk or run for.

Is your group volunteering virtually or while social distancing this season? Share your experiences with us on social media! Links to our accounts are at the bottom of the page.