The Season of Giving: 8 Awesome Sacramento Volunteering Ideas
November 25, 2015
Did you hear the one about the Sacramento bride who, after her wedding was canceled at the last minute, opted to donate her banquet to the area’s homeless instead of letting it go to waste? No wonder the recent story went viral…if you’re like us, it inspired you to lend a hand (and gave you all the feels, too).
Luckily, there are hundreds of ways to give back locally. We’ve begun by selecting eight awesome Sacramento volunteering opportunities to hit up right now. These charities, orgs, and events are helping the community by planting trees, cutting down on food waste, raising funds for the hungry, and more. Forget the credit cards; this is what the season of giving is really about.
1. SACRAMENTO FOOD BANK: Founded a century ago, the Sacramento Food Bank is still helping the city's hungry today. But in addition to programs that address immediate need, it's also breaking the mold by investing in education and outreach to support local families. How can you pitch in? Volunteers can sign on to do everything from sort donations to mentor youth.
Image courtesy of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.
2. RUN TO FEED THE HUNGRY: Speaking of the Sacramento Food Bank, the annual Thanksgiving Day Run to Feed the Hungry—the largest of its kind in the country—is now encouraging teams to register, raise funds, and then hit the pavement. Not only is it a good way to pre-emptively counteract your tryptophan coma, but money raised goes straight to the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.
Image courtesy of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services
3. #GIVINGTUESDAY: Cyber Monday? Black Friday? Nah—while you've got the holidays on the brain, turn your attention to Giving Tuesday instead. Founded just four years ago, the event has already spread across the country, and encourages donations to charities amidst the holiday spending. In Sacramento alone, close to 100 charities are participating, with plans for specific campaigns and fundraising targets. If you've got a bit to give, this is your chance.
Image courtesy of Steve Debenport/iStock
4. THE URBAN FARMERS: Food waste is a huge problem today—and tackling it means helping the food-insecure and the environment all at once. In the East Bay and Sacramento, the hometown heroes are The Urban Farmers. This group of volunteers harvests unpicked backyard produce, which is delivered to the needy instead of being allowed to rot on the vine. Food rescue ftw.
Image courtesy of The Urban Farmers
5. RESOIL Sacramento is famous for being the "Farm-to-Fork Capital of America," but what about "Fork-to-Farm?" Enter the ReSoil program, sponsored by Green Restaurants Alliance Sacramento. The community composting initiative sees restaurant scraps biked to nearby farms instead of local landfills. A donation helps the org continue the good work (not to mention its community composting classes), and who knows...you might just be able to nab one of those sweet cycling gigs yourself.
Image courtesy of GRAS
6. SACTREE Looking for fulfilling Sacramento volunteering ideas? There's nothing quite like planting a tree to feel like you're doing some good. (Seriously, the evidence is right there in front of you.) SacTree is always in search of volunteers, but especially from October–April, when the rainy season kicks into gear.
Image courtesy of Sac Tree
7. GRANOLA GIRL FOOD TRUCK Sometimes, giving back to the community requires pulling on some gloves and going to town. But sometimes, it might just involve buying a snack. Granola Girl, a local food truck specializing in healthy and organic eats, also donates food to people in need. Think of it as a super simple and tasty way to give back.
Image courtesy of eyecrave/iStock
8. THE GIVING THAT KEEPS ON GIVING:Still looking to do more? We've only just scratched the surface. From VolunteerMatch and United Way to the city's own database of Sacramento volunteering opportunities, there are hundreds more outlets when it comes to lending a hand locally. This season of giving, don't forget to show Sacramento that you care.
Image courtesy of monkeybusinessimages/iStock
1. SACRAMENTO FOOD BANK: Founded a century ago, the Sacramento Food Bank is still helping the city's hungry today. But in addition to programs that address immediate need, it's also breaking the mold by investing in education and outreach to support local families. How can you pitch in? Volunteers can sign on to do everything from sort donations to mentor youth.
Image courtesy of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.
2. RUN TO FEED THE HUNGRY: Speaking of the Sacramento Food Bank, the annual Thanksgiving Day Run to Feed the Hungry—the largest of its kind in the country—is now encouraging teams to register, raise funds, and then hit the pavement. Not only is it a good way to pre-emptively counteract your tryptophan coma, but money raised goes straight to the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.
Image courtesy of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services
3. #GIVINGTUESDAY: Cyber Monday? Black Friday? Nah—while you've got the holidays on the brain, turn your attention to Giving Tuesday instead. Founded just four years ago, the event has already spread across the country, and encourages donations to charities amidst the holiday spending. In Sacramento alone, close to 100 charities are participating, with plans for specific campaigns and fundraising targets. If you've got a bit to give, this is your chance.
Image courtesy of Steve Debenport/iStock
4. THE URBAN FARMERS: Food waste is a huge problem today—and tackling it means helping the food-insecure and the environment all at once. In the East Bay and Sacramento, the hometown heroes are The Urban Farmers. This group of volunteers harvests unpicked backyard produce, which is delivered to the needy instead of being allowed to rot on the vine. Food rescue ftw.
Image courtesy of The Urban Farmers
5. RESOIL Sacramento is famous for being the "Farm-to-Fork Capital of America," but what about "Fork-to-Farm?" Enter the ReSoil program, sponsored by Green Restaurants Alliance Sacramento. The community composting initiative sees restaurant scraps biked to nearby farms instead of local landfills. A donation helps the org continue the good work (not to mention its community composting classes), and who knows...you might just be able to nab one of those sweet cycling gigs yourself.
Image courtesy of GRAS
6. SACTREE Looking for fulfilling Sacramento volunteering ideas? There's nothing quite like planting a tree to feel like you're doing some good. (Seriously, the evidence is right there in front of you.) SacTree is always in search of volunteers, but especially from October–April, when the rainy season kicks into gear.
Image courtesy of Sac Tree
7. GRANOLA GIRL FOOD TRUCK Sometimes, giving back to the community requires pulling on some gloves and going to town. But sometimes, it might just involve buying a snack. Granola Girl, a local food truck specializing in healthy and organic eats, also donates food to people in need. Think of it as a super simple and tasty way to give back.
Image courtesy of eyecrave/iStock
8. THE GIVING THAT KEEPS ON GIVING:Still looking to do more? We've only just scratched the surface. From VolunteerMatch and United Way to the city's own database of Sacramento volunteering opportunities, there are hundreds more outlets when it comes to lending a hand locally. This season of giving, don't forget to show Sacramento that you care.
Image courtesy of monkeybusinessimages/iStock
