Volunteer Opportunities

This season of reflection and gratitude provides the perfect opportunity to share what you have with others. And you don’t have to have deep pockets to give — the gift of time is often the most useful and appreciated. Check out these opportunities to help others this season.

Volunteer:

Crossroads Rhode Island’s Domestic Violence Program: Get a group together and do a one-time volunteer project to help the center and its programs. 160 Broad St, PVD. womenscenterri.org

Judy’s Kindness Kitchen: Cooks and sandwich makers (kids invited) come from 8:15 – 9:30am to Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St, on the East Side of PVD. Servers come to Crossroads RI at 10am, 160 Broad St, PVD (at the old Downtown YMCA building). judyskindnesskitchen.org

Meals on Wheels RI: A variety of volunteer opportunities exist within the agency, particularly in the delivery of meals to elderly who have difficulty cooking for themselves. 70 Bath St, PVD. rimeals.org

Good Neighbors Soup Kitchen: Reliable volunteers needed to help in the kitchen. Soup kitchen volunteers should have cooking experience, take initiative and be able to work in a fast-paced environment. Openings are available on Tue, Wed and Fri from 8am – 12:30pm. Also needed: Drivers, bread pickup, frozen meat pickup and RI Community Food Bank pickup. 55 Turner Ave, Riverside. bristolgoodneighbors.org

McAuley House: Food preparation and service volunteers needed; possible times between 8am and 1:30pm Mon through Fri and one Sat each month. Also needed: Volunteers for drives, office work, employment support and enrichment activities. 622 Elmwood Ave, PVD. mcauleyri.org

Handsome Dan’s Pit Bull Rescue: Assist with the placement, care, shelter, training and overall well-being of canines in local shelters and other facilities throughout Rhode Island. Volunteer positions available online: handsomedansrescue.org

PARL: Can’t adopt a pet, but want to help abandoned animals? There are morning care and shelter assistant opportunities at the Providence Animal Rescue League. 34 Elbow St, PVD. parl.org/volunteer

Sojourner House: A comprehensive agency addressing issues of domestic violence and helping those in danger from it. Volunteers for intake, outreach and internships are always needed. 386 Smith St, PVD. sojournerri.org

DONATE:

Community UNselfies Supporting Gender Equity: The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island (WFRI) has joined #GivingTuesday, November 28 this year. The UNselfie campaign turns the selfie trend to focus on pictures of people performing acts of kindness, compassion and action for a great cause. The organization encourages those interested to post their UNselfie with a link to donate online, and inspire others to do the same across their social media channels. Use the hashtags @WomensFundRI, #GivingTuesday and #UNselfie

Project Undercover: Diapers, socks, underwear and baby wipes are needed for little ones living in poverty.  Email to set up a pickup or drop-off, ed@projectundercover.org. projectundercover.org

New Urban Arts: A nationally recognized community arts studio for high school students and emerging artists in PVD. The mission is to build a vital community that empowers young people as artists and leaders to develop a creative practice they can sustain throughout their lives. Donations of supplies or materials for the studio are always welcome. 705 Westminster St, PVD. newurbanarts.org

Food Pantries / Meal Sites:

John Hope Settlement House Pantry: 7 Thomas Whitten Way, PVD. 401-421-6993. Call for appointment and food distribution schedule. Mon – Fri, 9am – 4:30pm

PICA Food Cupboard: 250 Washington St, PVD. 401-454-7422 Mon, Tues, Wed, Thu and Sat 9 – 11am

Federal Hill House Pantry: 9 Courtland St, PVD. Food pantry service hours: Mon: 10am – 3pm; Wed and Fri 10am – 4pm

Pawtucket Soup Kitchen: 195 Walcott St, Pawtucket. Mon – Fri breakfast 7:30 – 8am, dinner 5 – 5:30pm and Saturday meal 10:30 – 11am.

Amos House Meal Site: 415 Friendship St, PVD. Mon – Fri: 7 – 8am (breakfast) and Mon -Sat 11 – 12:30pm (lunch)

Church of the Master Meal Site: 15 Valley St, PVD. Sat 9 – 10am

West Warwick Senior Center Pantry: 145 Washington St, W. Warwick. Mon – Fri: 8am – 4pm; Sat: 9am – 2pm

Coventry Community Food Services: 191 MaCarthur Blvd, Coventry. Tue and Wed: 9am – 1pm; Thu: Noon – 3:30pm

SVDP St. John & James Soup Kitchen: 17 St. John St, West Warwick. 401-821-7661 Thu 11:30am – 1pm

River United Methodist Communities Meal Site: 17-27 Federal St, Woonsocket. Sun and Wed 4 – 7pm, Sat: 11am – 1pm

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State: 1540 Pontiac Ave #2, Cranston.

For a full list of all pantries and Meal Sites please visit rifoodbank.org/find-food and follow the link to the Food Agency List.

Food Drives:

RI Food Bank Holiday Meal Drive: Drop off donations of nonperishable food any weekday (except holidays), 8am – 5pm, RI Food Bank, 200 Niantic Ave, PVD. rifoodbank.org

Hunger Down: An effort by RI-based businesses, nonprofits and musicians to provide local hunger relief. Looking for committee members, advocacy volunteers and interns. hungerdown.com

Thanksgiving Help:

PVD Rescue Mission Food Drive & Turkey Trot: Donate a frozen turkey, canned goods and other non-perishable items or make a monetary donation! Turkey drop-offs are accepted thru Nov 26 between 10am and 6pm, Assistance available 11am – 3pm, 627 Cranston St, PVD. goo.gl/fNElGn. PRM is also looking for volunteers the week before in preparation for the Thanksgiving weekend.

The Jonny Cake Center Thanksgiving Basket Donation: Groceries for Thanksgiving will be distributed from 10am until 5pm for registered members. 1183B Kingstown Rd, Peace Dale. jonnycakecenter.org

Happy Baskets Program: Provides Cumberland families in need the chance to receive food baskets and toys over the holidays. The program has distributed more than 12,000 baskets over the past 23 years. Volunteer a few hours to sort donations, wrap gifts or assemble baskets. Baskets will be put together on Thu, Nov 16 at 6pm at the Cumberland Senior Center. happybasketsri.com

RI Child and Family Thanksgiving Basket Drive: Donations of non-perishable food items and a gift certificate to purchase a turkey and other perishable items. Monetary donations or gift certificates to Shaw’s or Stop & Shop are also extremely helpful. 1268 Eddy St, PVD. childandfamilyri.com

Holiday Help:

Adopt-A-Family Program: You provide toys and gifts for children. In many cases these will be the only holiday gifts that they receive. A wish list is provided and you shop for the child or children with whom you are matched. Generic gifts, gift certificates or a monetary donation are also appreciated. childandfamilyri.com

BND Winter Coat Exchange (see story page XX):

Providence:

State House: Lawn (Across from the Mall), rain location: Gloria Dei Church 15 Hayes Street. Coats given away and collected November 25 from 9am to 1pm

Bell St Chapel: 5 Bell Street, Coats can be dropped off between 9:30am – 1:30pm Mon – Fri at the house next to Chapel and on Sundays from 8:30am – Noon. There will also be a box on the porch for drop-off coats.

Rochambeau Library: 708 Hope St. Coats may be dropped off during library hours until November 22

Cumberland:

St. Patrick’s Church Lawn – 301 Broad St. Coats given away and collected November 25 from 9am to 11am

Newport:

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church – 12 Marlborough St. Coats given away and collected November 25 from 10am – 2pm

Pawtucket:  

Paul’s Church, 50 Park Place

City of Pawtucket, City Hall: Mayor’s Office and Slater Park Office

Pawtucket Library, 13 Summer St.

Pawtucket Credit Union: All Pawtucket branches 

Ama’s Variety Store, 957 Main St.

Woodlawn Community Center, 210 West Ave.

Ahlers Designs, 999 Main St, Studio 707

Providence Yarn, 50 Division St.

Drop-off sites in other communities to be distributed in Pawtucket

Brown University Campus: Collecting November 1 – 18

Camera Werks – 766 Hope St, PVD.

Gent’s Barbershop/Spa – Cranston.

Home and Hospice Care of RI – 1085 North Main St, PVD.

It’s Your Body’s Symphony – Johnston.

Villa at St. Antoines –North Smithfield.

Wakefield:

St. Francis Assisi Church:114 High St, Coats collected and given away Nov 25 10am – Noon

Warwick:

Woodbury Union Church: 58 Beach Ave, Conimicut Village; Coats collected and given away Nov 25 from 10am – Noon. 

Greater Providence YMCA Sites

Collection and Distribution; All sites collecting coats throughout November; Most sites distributing coats on Nov 25 9am – 1pm

Bayside YMCA: 70 West St, Barrington.  

Cranston YMCA: 1225 Park Ave, Cranston. 

Kent County YMCA: 900 Centerville Road, Warwick. 

West Bay Family YMCA Branch: 7540 Post Rd, North Kingstown. 

South County YMCA: 165 Broad Rock Rd, Peace Dale. 

YMCA COLLECTION ONLY (drop off coats throughout Nov):

East Side/Mount Hope: 438 Hope St, PVD. 

Newman YMCA: 472 Taunton Ave, Seekonk, Mass. 

Providence Youth Services: 640 Broad St, PVD.