10 Best Places to Volunteer Your Time

The holiday season with its bright lights, festive sounds and fragrant aromas filling the air is when gestures of giving to friends and family become wonderful, rewarding experiences. But if you're interested in donating something priceless to others who aren't as fortunate — the gift of your time — here's a list of 10 places in and around the community that are happy to express their gratitude each day of the year: thanks to all our volunteers.

American Red Cross/Westchester County Chapter

914-946-6500

The Westchester County Chapter of the American Red Cross was founded in 1898 by then Mt. Kisco resident, Nancy Marquand, to help care for injured soldiers returning from the Spanish American War. Today, their services extend far beyond the blood drives and life-saving programs they are renowned for. They can also be found on the front lines of any disaster or catastrophic event, prepared to offer a wide range of relief assistance to individuals and families alike. Volunteers of all ages are needed in offices, schools and home to respond to and help others in the event of a catastrophe, to teach life-saving techniques, provide counseling and companionship for both young and old victims, donate blood, recruit and organize others to donate, and to perform a host of other clerical and office management tasks.

Bedford Hills Correctional Facility

914-241-3100

 The Bedford Hills Correctional Facility is the largest maximum security prison for women in the state with over 750 inmates serving long-term sentences. Volunteer opportunities are available for individuals to help administer regular programs that include violence and anger counseling, alcoholics/narcotics/gamblers anonymous, community re-entry, parenting, visitor hospitality, transitional services workshops, literacy tutoring, prison fellowship and ministry, and HIV/AIDS education and counseling. The prison's Children's Center, which offers inmates the chance to establish and nurture their roles and responsibilities as mothers, also needs volunteers to help in any of several areas including prenatal, nursery, infant day care, child advocacy, weekend visitation and to locate host families for its summer program.

914-232-6572

This organization, which operates out of the Katonah Community Center facility, is supported by nearly 30 sponsoring institutions that provide a range of food and clothing programs, in addition to providing access to other health care, educational and social services for the needy throughout the northern Westchester. Volunteers of all ages are needed to help out in the food pantry, clothing boutique and donations room, as well as to teach English, computer skills, work in the garden, pack school supplies and assist with fundraising efforts.

Food Bank for Westchester

914-923-1100

Food Bank for Westchester is responsible supplying over 200 of the county's hunger-relief programs, along with managing the warehousing and administration of its emergency food-distribution network. The Food Bank's staff is nowhere near large enough to accomplish its mission so the organization relies on a large network of volunteers to help. Opportunities include organizing and holding community food drives, repacking and warehousing bulk food and grocery items, conducting awareness and fund raising events, and serving on its board of directors.

Friends of Karen

914-277-4547

Friends of Karen was started in 1978 by a friend of a North Salem family, whose terminally-ill daughter Karen, wanted to come home rather than spend her last days in a hospital. What began as an exceptional act of neighborly compassion in now an institution that has assisted thousands of families with the support needed to care at home for a child who has been diagnosed with a life threatening illness. A variety of volunteer opportunities are available including gift wrapping, holiday card and other promotional mailings, assisting with its Holiday Adopt-a-Family program, community and school-based promotions, data entry, clerical and office tasks, miscellaneous writing for press releases, newsletter articles, donation letters, etc.

Midnight Run

914-693-7817

Midnight Run is comprised of volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups who distribute food, clothing, blankets and other items to the homeless and poor on the streets of New York City. The late-night "runs" offer a chance to build a sense of trust, understanding and affection — through an experience of sharing ‑ among those who have and those who don't. Volunteers learn that the homeless are men and women who deserve respect and dignity, while the homeless learn that the cares and concerns of "mainstream" adults and teenagers extend beyond their individual lives and families. Individuals who wish to be organizers train first as crewmembers under the supervision of an experienced leader. Organizers assemble their own groups which usually consists of about a dozen volunteers (including at least two adults); all should be at least 14.

Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry

914-610-5187

Established in 1991, the Mt. Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry is comprised of 12 religious congregations in Bedford, Armonk and Mount Kisco whose collective mission is to help meet the nutritional and dietary needs of families and individuals in need of assistance, regardless of reason or race. The organization provides area residents with basic foods such as dairy, meat, fruits and vegetable as well as staples. The focus is on good nutrition. Volunteers at the center in Mt. Kisco, which is open twice a week, help guests select from the foods that are available the choices that will help them maintain a healthy diet.

SPCA of Westchester

914-941-2896

If you have a love for animals, the SPCA in Briarcliff Manor has volunteer opportunities ranging from dog walking, cat care, dog bathing and grooming, greeters programs, event planning, humane education, outreach therapy programs, shelter beautification, administrative work. You can also donate your time if you've got a special skill, such as photography, carpentry or art. The Briarcliff Manor facility was established in 1921, and is still the only humane society in Westchester County that can enforce animal cruelty laws and relies solely on financial support from donations and the support of volunteers.

Westchester Community Christmas Day Dinner at Montfort Academy

914-767-0900 or 914-683-5300

This annual holiday event has been taking place in the Montfort Academy (formerly St. Mary's Elementary School) gymnasium for nearly 50 years. Over 300 needy individuals of all faiths will become the invited guests of various Westchester County shelters and agencies to the Christmas dinner and gift exchange. Aside from the delicious three-course meal served to them, each guest will receive a selection of clothing articles and holiday gifts for themselves and/or their loved ones. The one day gala runs from 12:00 noon to 3:30, but all manner of help is needed before and after the event.

Veterans Administration, Hudson Valley Healthcare

FDR (Montrose) Campus

914-737-4400

The Montrose campus of the VA healthcare system provides military veterans from the local community with medical, surgical, psychiatric, substance abuse treatment and extended care they need following their term of service. Specialized services for both men and women include end of life care, respite, wound care, IV therapy and restorative rehabilitation, palliative care, skilled nursing care, maintenance care for those awaiting placement, housing support and cognitive deficit care. Volunteers are needed to help transport and escort patients to their therapy and outpatient appointments, as parking lot attendants and office assistants, to distribute and read magazines and books, sort mail, greet visitors, assist with meals, socialize with patients and offer any artistic skills in drawing, painting, music and the like.