10 Places to Volunteer This Holiday Season

During the holiday season, it's always nice to give back. You don't necessarily have to give holidays with your family. There are all sorts of opportunities, and you might find an organization you like working with to keep on volunteering all year long.

1. East Hampton Food Pantry helps over 400 families in East Hampton, and estimates that the number will rise this winter.  Volunteers are needed at the food pantry. Volunteers are also needed at the Amagansett satellite location at . Gabrielle Scarpaci, who can be reached at 917-822-8860, coordinates.

2. Springs Food Bank at the  provides Springs families in need with three balanced meals, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner to take home. They need volunteers to help pack bags for families.  Bags are packed from 1:00-4:00 pm, and then the food is distributed from 4:00-6:00. Volunteers who are fluent in Spanish could assist in application completion.

3. At the Sag Harbor Food Pantry is accepting volunteers after the Christmas season. During the holidays they have enough help to get through, but when the holidays are over, people disperse, and volunteers are needed and appreciated.

4. , a non-profit organization which helps domestic abuse victims on the East End, always need help.Training is necessary, particulary for answering the help hotline, but it's worth the extra time.

5. Faith Tiner of the East End Hospice organizes the needs volunteers. There is a training program, because volunteers have a wide range of responsibilities from visiting ill people in their home or hospital to preparing light meals.

6. Reading is crucial to success. Literacy Suffolk helps teach adults to read, and progress in their lives. A high school diploma is needed to volunteer, and a 21-hour workshop is required.  Literacy Suffolk has locations throughout Suffolk County, with Riverhead being the most eastern. Tutoring takes place at public libraries near your location.

7. Volunteering at the  is perfect for dog and cat lovers.  Volunteers walk dogs, groom and bathe, bottle-feed kittens, and much more. If you want to help outside of physically caring for the animals, the thrift shop is available, as well as office work.  Volunteers are needed for all responsibilities.

8. Maureens Haven is an organization which houses the homeless during the cold winter months.  The , and many other local houses of worship, work with Maureen's Haven.  They are always looking for people to cook meals, provide moral support for the residents; show kindness and community spirit, as well as spend the night at the houses with the residents.  The shelter would be able to be open an extra night if volunteers had the ability to sleep at the houses.  Contact Cantor Debra Stein at the Jewish Center to talk about how you can help this program.

 9.  are held at  on the first Wednesday of every month, sponsored by the East Hampton Clericus.  The soup kitchen needs people to help set up, clean up, pick up food from outside donators, and bake treats. Restaurants donate hot meals, but volunteers are needed to donate time and support. The next dinner will be held on Jan. 5.  Doreen Quaranto is the contact person.

10. A good place to volunteer if you have an interest in books and library activities is .  The library is always looking for volunteers to help with different year around projects.  Contact Dennis Fabiszak, the director.