Ronald McDonald House Mailbox Cubby Goodie Bags
Ronald McDonald House Charities Maryland
Date/Time: Reach out to Chloe Ring to schedule a date and time to drop off the cubby stuffers.
Location: 1 Aisquith Street, Baltimore
Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate.
Time Commitment: Varies
Each family at RMHC has a mailbox/cubby that can be stuffed with gifts from the community. It's such a wonderful treat for the families to see their cubbies filled with goodies when they come back from the hospital, it really brightens their day! Be creative. Think of something you would like to receive or something you would want to send to a loved one. Here are some examples of great cubby stuffers:
Handmade Gifts: If you're feeling crafty, make stuffed animals, picture frames, greeting cards, or any other creations to brighten up our families' day.
Small Gifts: Individually wrapped snacks or toiletries always make a great gift.
Snack Bags: Fill gift/lunch bags with water, juice boxes, chips, fruit snacks, granola bars, or other non-perishable food items. Families can take these with them to the hospitals for a mid-day treat.
Child Activity Bags: Fill gift/lunch bags with crayons, markers, stickers, activity pads, coloring books, or other fun activities.
Adult Goody Bags: Fill gift/lunch bags with pens, pencils, paper, note cards, crossword or other puzzle books, or other gifts just for parents.
Notes: Write notes of encouragement to the families and children staying at the Ronald McDonald House.
Please keep in mind that all goodies must be new. Right now we encourage volunteers to make no more than 20 bags.
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Red Shoe Shuffle
Ronald McDonald House Charities Maryland
Date/Time: Saturday, April 10, live online celebration at 10am
Location: Virtual, your own location
Ages: Everyone can participate
Time Commitment: Varies
The Red Shoe Crew and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland are excited to announce our 10th Annual Red Shoe Shuffle 5K Run & Walk. We invite you to celebrate with us by running, walking, or shuffling your own 5K course. Each Shuffler will pick up their very own Red Shoe Box which will contain all your race day essentials including your 10th anniversary Red Shoe Shuffle shirt, RSS 2021 medal, an official “finish line” for you to run/walk through, plus some other surprises. We’ll be hosting a socially distanced, COVID safe pick-up party so we can at least say hi as we give you the goodies. On Saturday, April 10th at 10am, we will host a live celebration online to bring us all together. If you are an early bird, this will be your finish line celebration, and, if you are an alarm snoozer, this will be your race warm up and kick off! We will keep you posted as we finalize the details but for now please pencil in April 10th for our race day celebration and medal ceremony!
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Send a Kindness Card
Moveable Feast
Date/Time: Ongoing
Location: Online
Ages: Everyone can participate
Time Commitment: Varies, minimal
The mission of Moveable Feast is to foster a community that cares for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses by preparing and delivering nutritious meals and groceries and providing nutritional counseling and other services. In response to COVID-19 social distancing recommendations and in an effort to protect their vulnerable clients, Moveable Feast's volunteer program has been suspended until deemed safe to have visitors again. Kindness Cards are a quick virtual way you can share caring messages of encouragement with seriously ill Moveable Feast clients. Submit your short note using the form on this page. We will print your message on a card and send it out with a Client Care Package filled with health and safety items. Just a minute of your time could brighten someone's day! Note: Please refrain from writing messages of a religious nature or using the words, "Get Well"
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Live With Purpose: Assemble Kindness Kits
Jewish Volunteer Connection (JVC)
Date/Time: Starting Monday, March 1 and running all month
Location: These are at-home projects that you can complete as your schedule allows
Ages: Everyone can participate
Time Commitment: Varies
Live With Purpose kits are monthly projects that you can do on your own schedule. Join JVC this month and assemble Kindness Kits for people experiencing homelessness. Starting Monday, March 1, pick up kit supplies, including essentials like masks, toiletries, socks and snacks from JVC. Then, keep your assembled Kindness Kits in your car to give to those in need. Order your supplies today! Click here to learn more about the monthly Live With Purpose projects from JVC.
Jewish Volunteer Connection (JVC), the volunteer arm of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, matches volunteers with high-quality, hands-on volunteer placements and projects, developed in partnership with other nonprofit organizations throughout Baltimore. Each year, the organization helps volunteers of all ages, interests and abilities to give back at area schools, shelters, hospitals, synagogues and organizations throughout Baltimore. Interested in other volunteer opportunities? Learn more at jvcbaltimore.org.
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Donate Pre-made Lunches for March Lunch Patrol
B & Dee's Baltimore Love, Inc.
Date/Time: Sunday, March 28. Please drop off lunches between noon and 12:30pm
Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to help
Time Commitment: Varies
People are hungry and living on the streets of Baltimore 365 days of the year. The mission of B & Dee's Baltimore Love, Inc. is to provide life-sustaining resources to the most vulnerable residents of Baltimore City by inspiring others to give back as well. Lunch Patrol is a monthly brown bag lunch distribution to those in need throughout Baltimore City. Your family can help by donating premade brown bag lunches. Please pack your lunches in brown paper bags that are labeled with the type of sandwich that is included. Lunches should include a sandwich, snack, and drink. Check our Facebook page for more information.
Contact: Call Brian Dolbow at 410.622.9519 to donate pre-made brown bag lunches
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Spring Food Drive
B & Dee's Baltimore Love, Inc.
Date/Time: Food drive runs from Monday, March 1 – Sunday, March 14. Donations can be dropped off 7 days a week after 4pm. Other drop-off arrangements can be made by calling 410.622.9519.
Location: B & Dee's Baltimore Love, Inc., 227 W Chase St, Baltimore
Ages: Everyone can help
Time Commitment: Varies
The mission of B & Dee's Baltimore Love, Inc. is to provide life sustaining resources to the most vulnerable residents of Baltimore City by inspiring others to give back as well. Your family can help by collecting and donating non-perishable foods to our Spring Food Drive. All types of foods are welcome; for example, canned soup, peanut butter and jelly, pasta, etc.
Contact: Call Brian Dolbow at 410.622.9519
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Host a DIY Pajama and Book Drive
The Pajama Program
Date/Time: Ongoing
Location: Your home or community
Ages: Everyone can help
Time Commitment: Varies
The Pajama Program is a nonprofit that provides new pajamas and new books to children in need through a nationwide network of service agencies. Snuggling up in cozy, new pajamas with their very own new book, gives these children a secure and nurturing "good night" at bedtime. We can never have enough pajamas and books! Your family can help by starting your own Pajama and Book Drive. Remember to be safe! Create a contactless drop-off area, and communicate with your donors via phone or email. Invite everyone to purchase pajamas and books online and have them delivered to you for collection or identify places in your community where people can safely drop-off or mail the new pajamas and books. Here are our pajama and book donation guidelines:
- Pajamas: Must be new and unused and a complete set; sizes through adult XXXL are welcome
- Books: Must be new. Click here for details about the types of books we accept.
Once your drive is complete, report the donation through the online form to learn where to send your donation. The Pajama Project cannot provide pickup service for donations. We will contact you within 7 days to arrange a drop-off location. You will either be connected with a local Chapter President to make the arrangements, or receive drop-off or shipping instructions from the National Office.
Contact: info@pajamaprogram.org, 212.716.9757. Click here to find out if there is a local chapter near you.
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Warm Feet for Warriors
Soldiers' Angels
Date/Time: The sock collection will run from February 1st – April 30th, 2021. (Don’t worry if your socks arrive a little before the 1st or a little after the 30th– we anticipate that most people will end their collections on the 30th and the socks will arrive in the 2-3 weeks following.)
Location: Please mail your collected socks to:
Soldiers Angels’ – Warm Feet for Warriors
2895 NE Loop 410, Suite 107
San Antonio, TX 78218
Ages: Everyone can participate
Time Commitment: Varies
One of the items that is most requested from service members and veterans is socks! Just think of how nice a brand-new pair of socks feel when you pull them on! Soldiers' Angels wants to help keep our troops and veterans’ toes feeling toasty, and you can help! Start a sock collection drive and send us new socks in all colors and sizes in their original packaging. We will distribute the socks to veterans in VA Hospitals and include in our care packages to deployed service members. Our goal for 2021 is to collect 10,000 pairs of socks for our deployed service members and veterans. You can buy any adult size socks. We have service members and veterans of all sizes and genders, so as long as they are adult socks, we’ll find the right person for the sock after we have them! As you will see on our Amazon Wish List, black is preferred, but really any color is fine! These socks are not meant to be used as uniform socks by our deployed service members. The military has pretty strict regulations when it comes to military uniforms and every branch is different. These socks will be used by military for time out of uniform. For veterans in hospitals, the color doesn’t matter at all, but hospitals require that patients have non-skid socks. Check out the Soldiers Angels' – Warm Feet for Warriors page for more information about how to participate.
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Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
United Way of Central Maryland
The United Way of Central Maryland improves lives for residents of Greater Baltimore and the surrounding counties by promoting equity and increasing access to education, health, employment, and housing. Here are some ways your family can help the community:
Care Kits for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness: Fill a large re-sealable bag with basic items such as: toothbrush, toothpaste, travel shampoo, and a small snack item. These kits will be given to those experiencing homelessness.
Help our Four-Legged Friends: Collect dog and cat food for animals in shelters. You can run a drive with friends, family, or coworkers, or purchase some items yourself! Deliver the donations to a local animal shelter to make an animal’s day.
Green Up Your Neighborhood: Put on some gloves, a mask, and grab a trash bag to clean up your neighborhood, local park, school, or stream. Every piece collected is one less bit of litter dirtying up our environment.
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Donate High-Needs Items
Share Baby
Date/Time: Warehouse drop-off hours are Tuesdays, 9am – noon. Pull up to the loading dock door and place your donations in the designated bins.
Location: 1792 Union Ave., Baltimore
Ages: Everyone can help
Time Commitment: Varies
ShareBaby believes that every child deserves the proper supplies and equipment for the best start in life. ShareBaby collects diapers, clothing, and other basic good and distributes these items to families in need through community-based organizations. Due to COVID-19, ShareBaby is only accepting high-need items:
- Children’s coats, sizes NB-6X (new & gently used)
- Pack & Plays (new & gently used)
- Strollers (new & gently used)
- High Chairs (new & gently used)
- Formula (new only)
- Baby toiletries (new only)
- Diapers & Pull Ups (new & open packs)
- Wipes (new only)
Tax receipts will be available. Call 667.212.3455 if you need assistance.
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ShareBaby Volunteer Session
ShareBaby
Date/Time(s): Check the sign-up calendar for available dates. Shifts full? New dates for sessions on or around the 15th of each month.
Location: 1792 Union Ave., Baltimore
Ages: Families with children ten and older are welcome to participate. All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Time Commitment: Two hours
Do you want to get hands-on with helping babies in need? Come help us with gear sorting and diaper wrapping at the warehouse! Our volunteer sessions are a great way to spend some time giving back to children in need in Baltimore. Please bring a box of size 4, 5, or 6 diapers and/or a pack of wipes with you to the session.
With the health and safety of our partners, staff, and volunteers in mind, until further notice we are adding a limited number of public volunteer sessions with the following precautions in place:
- The maximum number of volunteers at each session is 9.
- The minimum age to volunteer is 10 years old.
- Masks are required while in the warehouse.
- Gloves and hand sanitizer will be provided.
- Temperature checks will be administered upon arrival. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher will not be admitted.
- Sign-in procedures will be limited contact.
- Diaper wrapping stations and sorting tables will be distanced.
We are being vigilant about our cleaning procedures at the warehouse and having our staff, volunteers, and partners follow these best practices:
- Stay at home if you are feeling unwell or if you or anyone you are in close contact with has had a fever, cough, or other symptoms within the last 14 days.
- All volunteers, staff, and partners will be required to wear masks and gloves while in the warehouse.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after visiting the restroom; before eating; after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or touching your face. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then discard the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- Keep disinfectant with you as a precaution.
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Donate or Sort Athletic Equipment for Kids
Leveling the Playing Field (LPF)
Date/Time(s):
Drop Off: You can drop off 24/7 as LPF has a secure drop bin located outside of the warehouse
Location: 1794 Union Avenue, Baltimore
Ages: The age minimum to volunteer is 10 years old. All volunteers under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Everyone can help by donating equipment.
Time Commitment: Two-hour shifts
The purpose of Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) is to give underprivileged children the opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of athletic involvement. LPF collects donations of sports equipment from various collegiate athletic departments, county recreation departments, families and individual donors from across the nation. Volunteers are needed to inventory and sort sports equipment donations from our intake bins. Volunteers will also help staff maintain the organization of the warehouse space by sorting through current inventory and making sure all equipment is in good condition. A basic understanding of sports equipment is preferred but not required. Click here to see what types of athletic equipment we accept.
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EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month's project and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness).
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Did you know that along with DGT's family-friendly volunteer opportunities every month, we also offer a monthly newsletter and parenting-focused blog? Find them on our website, or better yet, subscribe now to have these tools, tips, and important resources sent to your inbox. Be sure to also share your favorite posts and tips with big-hearted families you know.
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Mailing Address:
5141 16th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55417
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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.
© 2021 Doing Good Together™
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