1. The demand for volunteer opportunities from Thanksgiving through Christmas skyrockets. One volunteer coordinator said she felt like Ticketmaster selling T-Swift tickets on the day she opened sign-ups for their Christmas Food Distribution.
2. Holiday giving makes up between 20-30% of most organizations’ fundraising revenue. They are often sweating bullets until December 31, wondering if they are going to make budget.
3. They love your support, but they are exhausted. Many nonprofit teams are working back-to-back weekends (because that is when volunteers are available) doing toy drives, coat distributions and holiday dinners for their clients. They are spending their evenings hosting board/volunteer appreciation events. Their workdays are packed - crafting funding appeals, writing thank-you notes, and trying to plan budgets without knowing how much money they’ll have. And like every industry right now, they are woefully understaffed.
Here are three ways you can help:
1. Keep giving time and money during the holidays, because there is nothing that will do more to put you in the holiday spirit. However, please be patient and understanding if the volunteer slot you wanted is already
filled or the event is a little chaotic.
2. Consider giving/volunteering at other times of year also. How about doing your food drive in May? When school gets out, lots of kids don’t have access to the free breakfast and lunch they receive during the school year. You can help. Consider setting up monthly donations so nonprofits have a better idea of the funds they’ll have for their mission.
3. Help the helpers. Nonprofit staff members typically work very hard for very little compensation or appreciation. What if your volunteer activity was to put together gift bags or a luncheon for the staff that is working day in and day out to help our neighbors in need? What if you wrote them thank-you cards? You could make it a holiday season they’d never forget.