Thanksgiving originated in Massachusetts so Bay Staters ought to be the leading givers of thanks in the entire nation. Perhaps that’s just this writer’s opinion, but Thanksgiving is woven into the fabric of the Commonwealth’s culture. Many of us have plenty to be thankful for and ought to pay it forward to those in less fortunate situations than our own.
In Massachusetts homelessness is sadly on the rise which means there are plenty of people that will be relying on your generosity this holiday season, especially as temperatures continue to hover around freezing.
So if you’re looking to be a good samaritan here are five places you can volunteer in Boston this Thanksgiving.
More than 5,000 people volunteer at the Pine Street Inn in Boston’s South End to help provide services to those in need, especially recovering addicts. In fact, Mayor Marty Walsh, whose been sober for almost 20 years, volunteers there yearly and delivered a speech over the summer to Pine Street Inn’s job training graduates.
The GBFB has several volunteer positions for people to take up. Whether it’s working in the warehouse, inspecting, sorting, or packing food and grocery products, there’s plenty of ways to make a difference here. During the holiday season, the GBFB will hand out over 87,000 turkeys and provide 500,000 healthy meals.
For over 47-years, Haley House has been essentially run by volunteers. They offer community tables sessions, in which they offer a pay-what-you-can dinner series, a soup kitchen at 23 Dartmouth Street, a cafe at 12 Dade Street in Dudley Square and urban gardening series. As far as donations go, 90 percent go towards these services and more.
Rosie’s Place was founded as the first homeless shelter specifically for women in the entire country. They provide meals an shelter for over 12,000 women every year. Volunteers are urged to serve meals, work in the food pantry, teach a class, or simply connect with women in the community.
This initiative run by the city will be in its 28th year. By soliciting canned goods, bostonCANshare is able to help stock over 90 emergency food banks in Boston. They also accept monetary donations. This year they have a goal of $100,000 and have already raised $30,000. In terms of food, they’re hoping to procure 50,000 pounds worth.
