GREATER HARTFORD, CT — Giving Tuesday falls on Dec. 1 this year, but you don't have to wait until then to make a difference close to home.
Throughout November, local nonprofits, food pantries, animal rescues, community organizations and other groups are looking for donations, volunteers and other forms of support. Whether you have a few hours to give, items to donate or simply want to support a local cause financially, there are plenty of ways to help.
Patch rounded up organizations and opportunities to give back in and around Greater Hartford. Needs and volunteer opportunities can change, so check directly with each organization for the latest information.
Here are some ways to make a difference in Greater Hartford this November:
Hands On Hartford runs the MANNA Community Pantry. It's a shopping-model food pantry where clients choose their own groceries, including fresh produce and halal meat. The nonprofit also runs a Backpack Nutrition Program, supportive housing and a day program for people experiencing homelessness.
The pantry is open Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. Residents can host a food drive, donate or volunteer. The organization says more than 1,400 volunteers help each year.
Learn more about supporting Hands On Hartford's Community Pantry.
South Park Inn, an emergency homeless shelter at 75 Main St. in Hartford, has served people experiencing homelessness since 1982. Its mission is to make homelessness "rare, brief and non-recurring."
Volunteers 18 and older can prepare or serve a meal, cut or style hair, or host a collection drive. The shelter accepts new items such as feminine hygiene products, toiletries, laundry supplies, towel sets, cleaning supplies, Uber and Lyft gift cards and grocery gift cards. It does not accept used goods. Call the volunteer and development manager at 860-936-1145 before starting a drive.
Learn more about volunteering with South Park Inn.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, headquartered at 170 Sigourney St., serves more than 10,000 young people with after-school programs, tutoring and mentoring.
Adults can apply online to volunteer, including as a Power Hour tutor who helps members with homework. Donations can be made online, through monthly giving or by check.
Learn more about donating to Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford.
ConnectiKids is a Hartford youth development nonprofit that has served the city's children since 1979. It offers one-on-one academic tutoring, individualized mentoring and arts and enrichment programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, during the school year and in the summer.
Residents can sign up to volunteer or make a donation on its website.
Learn more about volunteering with ConnectiKids.
Protectors of Animals is a volunteer-run, no-kill nonprofit with a cat shelter in East Hartford and dog shelters in East Hampton and Wethersfield.
Volunteers can help with cat or dog care, fundraising or fostering. Shelter volunteers must be 18 or older and commit for at least three months, and the group doesn't accept school or community service hours. Residents who can't volunteer can organize a pet food or supply drive using the shelter's wish list.
Learn more about volunteering with Protectors of Animals.
Elizabeth Park Conservancy works with the City of Hartford to maintain Elizabeth Park, which opened in 1897 and is home to the nation's oldest municipal rose garden.
The conservancy says it is actively seeking volunteers for year-round opportunities in the park's gardens, arboretum and greenhouses. Email headhouse@elizabethparkct.org to ask about areas of interest. Tax-deductible donations can be made at any time or monthly through its website.
Learn more about volunteering at Elizabeth Park.
The Salvation Army of Greater Hartford runs a Holiday Meals program that delivers hot Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to homebound and isolated older adults in Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, Bloomfield, Newington, Windsor and Wethersfield. Last Thanksgiving, volunteers delivered meals to about 950 seniors.
Contact the Greater Hartford office to ask about delivery volunteer shifts this year. Red Kettle bell-ringing shifts are also open for sign-up, and the campaign runs from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Eve.
Learn more about volunteering with the Salvation Army.
This isn't an exhaustive list of organizations doing good work in and around Greater Hartford. Donation needs, volunteer opportunities and hours can change, so check directly with an organization for the latest information before donating or volunteering.
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