Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1181196
N ovember is nearly upon us and al- ready, we find ourselves enveloped in the Holiday Season. The tinsel, glitter, and endless supply of holiday knick- knacks have arrived on store shelves and carols will soon begin playing over loud speakers all across America. For those seeking a deeper meaning this sea- son, it is also that won- derful time of year for the spirit of generosity and giving to take center stage. "Our phone lines al- ways pick up this time of year with community members and business- es looking for new ways to connect and make their holiday celebra- tions more meaningful," states Christina Thurston Volunteer Engagement Director at the Volun- teer Center of Santa Cruz County. To meet this annual increased interest in vol- unteerism, each year the Volunteer Center of San- ta Cruz County posts an online Holiday Volunteer Guide. The 2019 Holiday Guide is now available on their website at www. scvolunteercenter.org. Individuals can register to volunteer directly on- line or they can down- load the guide. Listed in the guide, are a variety of holiday related op- portunities available throughout the County between now and New Year's. "We regularly update the guide throughout the holiday season as new projects become available, so we encour- age folks to check back regularly or give us a call if they can't find what they are looking for and we are happy to match them with an opportu- nity," states Thurston. Included in the guide is the Volunteer Center's own Adopt a Family Proj- ect. This project has been running for nearly 30 years and supports fami- lies struggling to make ends meet during the holidays. Each year the Volunteer Center part- ners with 25 fellow non- profits on this project to meet the needs of 450 families. Partner non-profits provide the project with a short bio about each family and a list of the items that each family member requests. Adopt a Family Project volun- teers then set to work connecting these families with willing donors. Re- quests include basic ne- cessities like sheets, tow- els, or shoes along with special gift requests for the children. "For many of us the holidays are such a joy- ous time with family and friends, but for local families that are strug- gling, this is instead a stressful time of year. It is truly heartbreaking to read through our binder of family stories and to know that without this project these children might not have warm jacket, let alone gifts or toys," states Thurston. "The project has been successfully maintained with the support of our local businesses, com- munity members, and willing volunteers for so many years. Because we are confident that this generosity will shine through again, we've chosen to increase the number of families we serve and are also incor- porating isolated seniors and independent teens into our list of adoptees this year," continues Thurston. Holiday Giving A SALUTE TO THE VITAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY Santa Cruz Sentinel This holiday season, you can give the gi of changing lives. Nowhere else in Santa Cruz County will your donation have such a wide impact. CommunityBridges.org/Donate 10 programs 20 sites across Santa Cruz County from Ben Lomond to Watsonville Feeding and mentoring 10,000 infants and youth 7,700 hours of crisis support for families Providing 62,000 free rides and 160,000 meals for seniors Ready to Give Back This Holiday Season continues on C 3 A d e r t i s i n g S u p p l e m e n t b y V o l u n t e e r C e n t e r o f S a n t a C r u z C o u n t y