The holidays and New Year are upon us. For most of us, 2020 has been a crazy year. And, we are sure the year’s end is a sigh of relief. There’s something else we think you can do to redeem the year 2020, after all. This holiday season, why not find a local opportunity to give back to your community? Here are a few ideas of volunteer opportunities that are great for the whole family:

Donate to a Food Bank (or Find Food Pantry Near You)

In East Cobb popular donation places include Johnson Ferry Baptist (MUST Barrels outside), Faith Lutheran (MUST barrels outside). Currently there is a great need at the Salvation Army Marietta Downtown location at 215 Waterman Street. They are open during the day during the week. They also appreciate sock and hat donations as they allow the homeless to shower there.

If you are looking for a nearby food pantry, check out this App to find food near you.

Or organize a drive with your friends! Get your neighborhood or extended family involved in a food drive for one of our local food banks, such as MUST Ministries, First Christian Church of Marietta or Atlanta Community Food Bank. First, check with the food bank to find out the greatest food needs. Then send messages to your family and friends of suggested items. Lastly, place a box outside your house for collection!

Help maintain East Cobb Park

The beautiful trails in East Cobb Park are partially maintained by volunteers. They tend to the trails by clearing debris, removing invasive plant species, and reintroducing native ones. Find more information at this link about joining a group or adopting your own portion of the trail. 

Volunteer with Hands on Atlanta 

This organization provides volunteers for many different agencies and nonprofits across the Metro Atlanta area. You can take a look at their volunteer calendar or search for opportunities based on location, age, and other factors. 

Random Acts of Kindness

There are a million more ways to brighten someone’s day this holiday season. We love this Random Acts of Kindness website, it lists lots of other ways you can make your community a better place this holiday season, like writing a hand-written letter or taking someone’s trashcan to the curb. 

However you choose to spend it, East Cobb SNOBS would like to wish you a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year!