Winter weather has finally moved into our area. Fight the chill and feel a sense of well-being by volunteering! Here are just a few of the hundreds of volunteer positions that local nonprofits and government agencies are currently recruiting for. Use the search box at the top of this email or on any page of the Volunteer Center website to search for more ways to serve.

CHRISTMAS CAROLING: Dress up in your Santa hat and bring some cheer to the residents of Catholic Charities shelters by singing favorite holiday songs. Dress for the weather as most caroling will be outside. Learn details here and sign up here.

GROCERY SHOPPERS FOR SENIORS: Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA) needs grocery delivery volunteers for their senior clients. Shoppers receive a weekly list (by phone or in-person), purchase items, and deliver groceries to the front door. Must be 18 and older to volunteer and wear a mask during drop-off. The commitment is 6+ months, one hour each week. See more requirements here. For more information, email Nora Morton or call (301) 610-8414.

RAPTOR BREEDING MONITOR VOLUNTEERS: Nature-loving volunteers are needed to help track raptors breeding in Rock Creek Regional Park, in Northeast Rockville/Derwood. The program helps the Meadowside Nature Center Naturalist staff learn more about how these birds of prey use our parks for breeding and nesting. Volunteers must commit to walking on a designated trail to report observations throughout the breeding season (February-June). Virtual training will be provided in January. This is a great opportunity for those who love being outside, learning new skills, and watching animals. Learn more or sign up for training here.

MEAL PREPARERS: Provide lunches and/or dinners for 18 residents of Rainbow Place Shelter for Homeless Women in Rockville. Meals can be homemade or store-bought and can be delivered frozen anytime, or fresh by advance arrangement. Application at rainbowplace.org.

Opportunities marked with the graduation cap icon meet the MCPS guidelines for Student Service Learning (SSL) hours--but they're not just for students! Other opportunities may be eligible for SSL hours; visit the MCPS SSL website to learn more.

While most of us hoped that the pandemic would be behind us by now, the County's COVID numbers have been rising. Many of our most vulnerable residents -- seniors, immigrants, people who have lost jobs, families with low income -- are struggling. The County's Service Consolidation Hubs are working tirelessly to serve the many people who need food, diapers, and other essentials and they desperately need volunteer support.

As the pandemic numbers escalated in the county, and the need for access to food became acute, Montgomery County's Service Consolidation Hubs were created. The Hubs respond to the recommendations in the County's Food Security Plan and operate in partnership with the Food Security Task Force, the Montgomery County Food Council, and the Departments of Health and Human Services and Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

The Service Consolidation Hubs are eight independent nonprofits that have been contracted to put more food and essential goods into the hands of those in our community who are in need. These nonprofits have the expertise and language skills to reach our most vulnerable neighbors. "In the heart of COVID, the HUBS opened their doors to the public and put themselves in the line of fire. They are the true heroes," says Diane Tato-Niktash, Program Manager of the Food Security Plan.

Some of the current opportunities listed on our website by the Hubs:

DRIVERS NEEDED TO DELIVER GROCERIES and other essential items to residents in several East County communities through the Kingdom Fellowship AME Church in Silver Spring, one of the County's Consolidation Services Hubs. For information and to register, visit https://app.mobileserve.com/app/#/opportunities/provider/ms/15564.

CLOTHING CENTER VOLUNTEERS for Interfaith Clothing Center. The Interfaith Works Clothing Center distributes donated items free of charge to IWCC clients so they can pay for rent, food, and other expenses. All volunteering is by appointment only and volunteers must be at least 14 years old. For information and to sign up for orientation and volunteering, visit this page on the MCVC database.

URGENT NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO PACK NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS -- THURSDAY AFTERNOONS - The Mid-County Hub at Hughes United Methodist Church needs volunteers Thursdays from 3 pm to 5 pm. Advance registration is required through the Hub's signup Genius account. For a list of available volunteer slots and to register for this opportunity, sign up here.

See the Food and Consolidation Hub page on our website for the list of the eight Hubs. Click each name to link to the hub and their current opportunities.

MLK Week of Service is quickly approaching! Please join the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, participating partner sites, and project hosts from January 15-22 in honoring Dr. King with a combination of virtual, at-home, and socially distanced volunteer activities suitable for all ages. Some projects and participating organizations to look forward to are: blanket and scarf making for veterans hosted by Montgomery Hospice; backpack assembly for children with Comfort Cases; care packages for Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland recipients, and meal packing with Women Who Care Ministries. Keep checking this newsletter for updates and the database for posted opportunities. The MCVC website's Week of Service page will begin highlighting projects in mid-December.

Interested in volunteering during Tax Season from the comfort of your own home? The AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP/AARP Tax-Aide Program provides free tax preparation by trained volunteer Tax Counselors for low-to-moderate-income Montgomery County residents. For the upcoming tax season (mid-January-April 15, 2022), Volunteer Schedulers are needed to make Tax-Aide appointments for clients. Schedulers work from home, using County-provided laptops and headsets with Acuity scheduling software and AVAYA's cloud-based phone system. Excellent free training is provided. Phones are answered Monday-Friday with morning or afternoon shifts. Click here to learn more. To be considered as a volunteer in 2022, email montgomerycountytaxaide@gmail.com.

Make a Difference, a monthly County Cable Montgomery program, highlights the contributions of stellar county volunteers and organizations that work to better our community. This month's episode highlights the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection's Gift Outside the Box initiative, which promotes gift ideas that are good for the planet, and the Montgomery County Holiday Giving Project, a public-private partnership that provides holiday gifts and meals to thousands of local families.

Student Service Learning is a requirement for high school graduation in Montgomery County. Your child can be of service to the community this holiday season and all year round. MCPS's SSL Hub for Students and Families will provide a one-stop-shop experience for accessing SSL forms, opportunities, guidelines, and more. Students may continue to earn SSL hours for select virtual/remote service opportunities completed from home under the remote supervision of an approved nonprofit organization (or school sponsor until the end of the 2021-2022 school year. In addition, students may continue to engage in traditional MCPS SSL opportunities offered in a public space under the direct supervision of a nonprofit representative, at the discretion of the student's parent/guardian.

There are many SSL opportunities in the MCVC database and in our newsletters. These opportunities are identifiable with the blue graduation cap icon. Here are a few current highlights:

TEEN TAKEOVER: Meals on Wheels of Central MD seeks volunteers 14+ to help with meal packing, creating service projects, and volunteering with friends. Learn more and register.

GIFT WRAPPERS: L.I.F.E. (Living Independently for Everyone, Inc) is seeking volunteers to help with gift wrapping services for patrons of Westfield Shopping Center in Wheaton. Register by December 17.

ROCKVILLE SELF-GUIDED LITTER CLEAN-UP: Volunteer with the City of Rockville and help keep Rockville trash-free while earning SSL hours. Choose one of Rockville's parks or stream valleys to complete the hours. To register and receive specific details on how to complete your litter clean-up and submit your photos click here. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult during your clean-up.