Since 1981, the Volunteer Center has published Holiday Harvest™ as a resource for those looking for holiday volunteer opportunities. It started as a small booklet containing the volunteer needs of a handful of nonprofit agencies. A few hundred copies were made and distributed to local companies.
This year, 15,000 copies of the 20th anniversary edition will be distributed. The latest Holiday Harvest is a 170-page book listing holiday volunteer opportunities at almost 300 Metroplex agencies. You can find out which agencies need volunteers to wrap gifts, decorate for parties, sort donated clothes and teach holiday crafts. If you would rather donate goods than give time, you can find out which agencies need toys, clothing, toiletries and other items for their clients.
"Holiday Harvest is one of our most popular resources," says Cherry Frye, associate executive director of the Volunteer Center. "Over the years, many people have come to depend on Holiday Harvest when planning their holiday volunteer activities."
Recently, many companies, civic organizations and families have changed their holiday traditions to include volunteering. Instead of spending huge amounts of money on holiday parties or gifts, they choose to spend their time and money helping others. Holiday Harvest™ is the ideal resource for those who want to adopt families, host holiday parties for senior citizens, donate toys to abused children or plan other alternative holiday projects.
The volunteer reference guide is available free at local libraries. To request a copy by mail, send your name, address and $2 for postage to: Volunteer Center of Dallas County; 2800 Live Oak Street; Dallas TX 75204. The entire text of the book also is available on-line at www.non-profits.org.
