My kids have a heart to help the community and unfortunately, we missed the cutoff to fill shoe…read moreboxes for Operation Christmas Child, I just had to find something else we could participate in! I visited Feeding Children Everywhere's site, and saw an event at their headquarters in Longwood. I easily signed up my family of four for a one hour slot this past Saturday morning. We arrived a few minutes before our designated time. We were greeted at the door and immediately provided a hairnet. We killed a few minutes by looking at the merchandise available at the front. After a short briefing, we were divided up and sent to a table. We were given simple tasks and trained quickly. The meal we were assigned to put together was Hamburger Hero. It consisted of pasta noodles, vegetables and a special seasoning. I love that this is a volunteer opportunity the whole family can participate in. Kids get to scoop, pour, fill bags through a funnel... my boys both were in charge of weighing the bags after they were filled. They either had to add food, or remove it depending on what the scale said. They had a blast! The fun part was that their was Christmas music blasting and a friendly competition of who could fill up the most boxes. Each time a box was filled, we would ring a bell and the whole room would cheer. So much fun! We felt good that we did at least a SMALL part of helping fight hunger. Please do the same and sign up when you can.

I had the opportunity to volunteer with a wonderful non-profit organization that works to create a…read morehunger free world. We started with placing hair nets on, taking our jewelry off then cleaning our hands and those handling food placed on gloves. We assembled meals which included chicken flavored seasoning, carrots, lentils and pasta. This day we prepared over 2,000 meals. We worked in groups following the instructions of measuring the food portions and placing the food in separate serving bags. The staff was friendly and helpful. They can around often to see if we needed anything or had any questions. This organization also has an international focus working to help areas with extreme poverty towards self sustainability. Locally tbeir efforts work to support children, veterans and seniors with meals. Donations can be made or by purchasing t shirts, cups or other items. There was a lot of energy and positive reinforcement during our volunteer hour. Other opportunities are available like internships or participating with other programs. We are looking forward to participating again.

These folks are really making a difference in the communities they serve. Very organized and clean…read morefacility. Friendly, helpful, and polite volunteer staff. My donation was weighed and I was given a receipt for the items I brought in. They don't spend a lot of time of money on advertising, so the help goes directly to the families in need. They need help! If you can volunteer, or make a donation, please know these folks are the real deal.

Servants Heart - just like Jesus showed us.read more

A great place to donate and goes to help people who need it! Unfortunately no pictures as I am…read moreusually there dripping off items which is very easy and always fast, never had any issues. I have not been to the store but it is open on weekends so you can shop items they put there which then goes to a great cause when you spend!

had the opportunity to donate to One Heart for Women and Children after we hosted a Swap & Shop at…read morethe office, and I was truly impressed with how well-organized the process was. From the moment I arrived, the drop-off was quick and seamless, making it incredibly easy to give back. The staff was welcoming and clearly dedicated to their mission, ensuring that every donation goes to those who need it most. It's always great to support an organization that genuinely cares about the community. If you're looking for a place to donate clothes, food, or household items, I highly recommend One Heart for Women and Children. Their impact is felt, and their kindness is unmatched!

I can't say enough things about the Ronald McDonald House Charity…read more I've been volunteering since I was a little girl...it was something that was always important to my parents and it's stayed with me all my life....but I can honestly say that I have found my "Forever Home", if you will. They have very few people on staff and are heavily reliant on volunteers, and so incredibly appreciative of their volunteers. I've never felt like I made such a difference to a single organization as I do now. There are two houses in Orlando. One is near Florida Hospital and one by Arnold Palmer on Orange Avenue, where I volunteer. The Charity is set up to have families and parents of hospitalized children stay near their sick kiddos. They ask for a donation of $15 a night. That's all. $15!!! And if a family cannot afford it, they don't have to pay. It's amazing. The Arnold Palmer house has about 35 rooms, a computer room, gorgeous living rooms, a monster kitchen and more. Local restaurants and organizations come in nightly to cook dinner for everyone and once in a while they will have to cancel at the last minute...and then volunteers like me can fill in. :) So far, I've helped at Bed Day. Tempurpedic donated all the beds to the Houses in the US and I made breakfast for lots of firefighters and police officers while they changed the beds out. I also helped at the Ice Cream Social and Golf Tourney...and I work the desk a couple of times a month at the Arnold Palmer House. I am currently trying to organize an edible garden planting at the houses. If you have any ideas, send them my way. You don't have a lot of interaction with the kids...it's their parents and families you help. Many times it's a quick hello...but sometimes they just want to be taken away from hospital speak for awhile...talk about Gossip Girl or gas prices...they just need a smile and a hug and cup of coffee. Like I said, they are heavily reliant on volunteers so if you have an interest, please visit their site at www.rmhccf.org You can volunteer at special events or if you have a consistent time that you are able to give weekly or monthly you can volunteer at the houses. It's a wonderful thing!

What a lovely facility! 37 families can stay here, the rooms are spacious and well appointed. The…read morecommon areas are lovely. The kitchen was just renovated and is spectacular. I recently volunteered under the "Share a meal" program, where people from the community can come in and cook (or bring in from a commercial kitchen) lunch or dinner. On my stop I baked cookies for the holidays and brought in cupcakes donated from Gigi's Cupcakes of Orlando. I was welcomed by the staff and the families who I met, everyone was very nice. The kitchen has every type of pot, pan and utensil you need to make a meal. I'll be signing up for a shift again in January. Here is more info on the program and how to volunteer: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-12-04/features/os-ronald-mcdonald-heather-mcpherson-20131204_1_volunteers-ronald-mcdonald-house-charities-ill-children

I work Mon-Fri until late & Mustard Seed is far from my home but I needed to donate some blankets…read moreand comforters. So grateful for the drop off containers. There are two right outside the gates. This makes it easier for all who can to help out with donations. Times are hard & everyone needs a little help.

Very friendly, helpful staff. I did not know that they took furniture, clothes, food items,…read more toiletries any thing a family could use. They made me feel so good about donating I wanted to bring more.

A Gift for Teaching is a Non-Profit retail store that is a true gift for…read more Teachers and Students. They provide educational supplies and other resources for students that need it the most. It's always a great experience and the staff and volunteers are so welcoming and eager to assist. I'm always excited about what they will have in store. As a Teacher I am able to "shop" each month for almost any school supplies you could think of... and when I say "shop" - I mean it's free‼

I volunteered here during the Christmas holiday & had an amazing time. I learned so much about this…read morewonderful organization. The mission for A Gift For Teaching is to improve public school education by providing resources and surplus materials for free to teachers for their students in need. I did a variety of things from sorting supplies, books, writing the name on items the teachers wanted, loading them items in the front & i ended the day with directing traffic for pick up. It was so refreshing and rewarding to give back. The staff was so friendly and welcoming. I def can't wait to come back and help with this amazing cause.

Incredible wrap-around services for families and individuals in need of food or housing assistance…read morewith a Member Share Grocery Program full of fresh produce, dairy, meat, and non-perishable goods. They even have an Employment Program that works with participants on resume enhancement, interview skills and job certifications.

What I noticed the most about this place is that the staff is incredibly friendly as well as the…read morecustomers. There's a friendly atmosphere and customers interact. You have to be lucky with what they have but the best deals are on produce. It is a little messy and some fruits were rotten. But we got a lot of items for only $23!

I am an avid volunteer and am always looking for places to lend my time. Recently I discovered…read moreUnited Against Poverty aka UP and I must say that I really enjoyed myself! Their mission is to serve those in poverty through various ways. One of the services that they offer is the Member Grocery program where guests can shop with dignity for household items, food, medicine, pet goods, and many other products for a fraction of the price. As a volunteer, you help out in the grocery store. You job can range from stocking shelves to helping with keeping the store tidy. I have been there twice already and have enjoyed both times! The employees are all so friendly and readily available to answer any questions and interacting with people in the community is always rewarding. If you and your work group, family, or friends are looking for a place to spend a few hours giving back, UP is a wonderful option!