In the midst of gorging down pumpkin pie and marking gifts off your holiday shopping list, you can always help others this season by volunteering.

Mission Arlington

You can always visit Mission Arlington alone or with a group. They have a range of things to do like folding and unloading clothes but during this busy season of giving, you will probably unload and arrange food donations in preparation for Thanksgiving Day. They actually distribute food to over 23,000 people. They can use as many hands as they can get. Just so you know, if you’re a minor, there’s a limit to four hours you can volunteer per day.

Meals on Wheels

Individually or in a group, you can help deliver meals to the elderly, people with disabilities and other homebound people. Volunteers can choose different ways to help from preparing meals, picking them up from a central location or delivering them to seniors, serving food or cleaning up after meals. Just sign up online to get started.

The Salvation Army

Take some friends, register online and help with the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program. You can also help promote the program to others, help donors choose Angel Tags and recording adoptions and other tasks. They have one at The Parks at Arlington so there isn’t a long commute to help children in families in need receive new clothing and toys.