This busy time of the year is filled with wishlists and preparing for finals. There are plenty of ways to take a study break and give back to the Birmingham community. Here are a few ways to serve this holiday season:
Become a Big Brother or Sister– Similar to the Bigs and Littles of Greek life, becoming a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham will give people the opportunity to be paired up with a child who they meet with for a few hours, a few times a month, to have fun with and to mentor. The first step to starting this process is to take part in a no-obligation volunteer information session, held every Thursday at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. For those not ready to commit to becoming a Big, hosting a book drive or a school supply drive and serving on the Young Advisory Board are other ways to serve. For more information, contact Brooke McKinley at 205-939-5590 or bmckinley@bbbsbhm.org.
Hand in Paw Animal-Assisted Therapy– For those itching to get more time with animals, becoming a Visit Assistant and Ambassador with Hand in Paw Animal-Assisted Therapy is an option. Duties of this position include greeting patients, opening doors, handing out the animal’s business cards, and more. Ambassadors represent Hand in Paw at community events and health fairs to inform the community about the organization. For more information, visit https://handinpaw.org/volunteer/
Salvation Army– Meal serving with the Salvation Army involves preparing a meal, serving from the food line, and assisting with cleanup. Individuals and groups up to three are welcome, so bring your friends. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served at 2015 26th Avenue North, Birmingham, 35234.
For those interested in serving in the Marketplace, check out the food back assistant position. Volunteers are needed to assist shoppers, count and bag items, and carry grocery bags to shoppers’ cars on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8:45 a.m. until noon.
For more information, visit http://salvationarmyalm.org/birmingham/volunteer-opportunities/
Kathryn has returned as our Features Editor. She is a junior Journalism & Mass Communications major with a concentration in print and is from Atlanta, Georgia.
