Make A Difference In Meriden: Where To Give Back This November

MERIDEN, 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 Meriden. 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 Meriden this November:

Meriden Soup Kitchen

The Meriden Soup Kitchen, at the rear entrance of the First Baptist Church, 460 Broad St., serves a free midday meal Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It’s a volunteer-run, tax-exempt nonprofit.

Food can be dropped off at the rear entrance Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Money can be donated online or by check payable to the Meriden Soup Kitchen, P.O. Box 2138, Meriden, CT 06450. Volunteers work in the kitchen from about 7:30 to 10 a.m. or in the serving area from about 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., once a week or every other week. Applicants complete a form from its website.

Learn more about volunteering at the Meriden Soup Kitchen.

United Way of Meriden and Wallingford Holiday Programs

United Way of Meriden and Wallingford, at 35 Pleasant St., is again running its annual holiday programs, which last year provided food and gifts to more than 500 local families through 20-plus partner agencies.

Residents can put together a Thanksgiving basket with non-perishable food for at least four people and a $20 gift card for a protein, then sign up and drop it off by Wednesday, Nov. 18. Through Adopt-A-Family, donors can buy items from an anonymous family’s wish list. Registration forms are due Tuesday, Dec. 1, and gifts must be delivered by Friday, Dec. 11. Giving Trees with wish tags will go up in November at Meriden Mall, near Entrance 1. Call 203-235-4403 or email jpelletier@unitedwaymw.org.

Learn more about the United Way’s Holiday Programs.

Meriden Humane Society

The Meriden Humane Society, at 311 Murdock Ave., is a private no-kill shelter that says it receives no state or federal funding.

Donations of supplies can be dropped off in the lobby seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or ordered from its Amazon, Chewy and Kuranda wish lists. Money can be donated online. Volunteers walk dogs, clean cages and help with animals, and the society also seeks foster homes. Email info@meridenhumanesocietyrescue.com or call 203-238-3650.

Learn more about donating to the Meriden Humane Society.

The Salvation Army Meriden

The Salvation Army Meriden Corps, at 23 St. Casimir Drive, serves Meriden and Wallingford with a food pantry and a soup kitchen that serves lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m.

The center accepts donations of non-perishable food, and volunteers help clean and maintain the pantry. Applicants can apply online. Call 203-235-6532 to ask about current needs.

Learn more about volunteering with the Salvation Army Meriden.

Boys & Girls Club of Meriden

The Boys & Girls Club of Meriden, at 15 Lincoln St., was the fourth club founded in the United States, more than 130 years ago. It says it serves about 1,500 children a year and serves about 10,000 lunches and dinners to members during the school year.

Its after-school program runs Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 6:45 p.m. Adults can apply to volunteer or donate online, and the Club accepts in-kind donations. Call 203-235-8185.

Learn more about volunteering with the Boys & Girls Club of Meriden.

Meriden Senior Center

The Max E. Muravnick Meriden Senior Center, at 22 W. Main St., offers free membership to Meriden residents 55 and older and provides activities, a veterans service center and a driver safety program.

Members can volunteer in a variety of roles. Non-members who volunteer must be enrolled in Meriden Public Schools. Residents can also make a donation to the center. Call 203-237-0066, or read the volunteer handbook on the center’s page.

Learn more about volunteering at the Meriden Senior Center.

Master’s Manna

Master’s Manna, at 428 S. Cherry St. in neighboring Wallingford, runs a client-choice food pantry, a family dining center and a clothing distribution program for people in the Wallingford and Meriden area. It relies on a large core of volunteers with few paid staff.

Food and clothing donations are accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon on the north side of the building, and the pantry asks donors to call for other times. It accepts unopened non-perishable food, fresh garden vegetables and paper products, and it keeps an Amazon wish list. Call 203-678-3042.

Learn more about donating to Master’s Manna.

This isn't an exhaustive list of organizations doing good work in and around Meriden. 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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