Make Lasting Holiday Memories With These 5 Volunteer Opportunities In Novato

NOVATO, CA — Volunteering is a meaningful way to connect with neighbors in Novato and make lasting holiday memories for both yourself and the people you help.

Volunteering also fosters a sense of shared responsibility and purpose, leading to a more vibrant, resilient, and engaged community with a higher quality of life.

Many of the organizations that make life better in Novato depend on volunteers, including food banks, toy gift-wrapping drives, adopt-a-family drives and others.

Here are five ways to volunteer in Novato:

Holiday Toy Gift-Wrapping Volunteer - Community Action Marin

Volunteer with Community Action Marin in Novato to help wrap toys for children aged 0-12 during the week of December 8-12 at their headquarters, 7665 Redwood Boulevard. This rewarding experience will strengthen community relationships and bring joy to local children, embodying the nonprofit's "whole family approach." While wrapping experience is helpful, the main requirement is a desire to bring joy, along with skills in sorting and organization. Specific days and hours will be confirmed via email, and the organization also welcomes donations of new, gender-neutral, age-appropriate toys (no weapons) and gift-wrapping supplies.

Health Hubs - Novato - Marin Community Clinics

Marin Community Clinics is seeking volunteers for its Health Hub food pantries, an essential outdoor, community-based, multicultural, and multilingual program that provides access to healthy food and community resources to over 1000 people every week, including low-income families. Volunteer shifts are available on Wednesdays (11:30 am - 3:30 pm) in San Rafael (3110 Kerner Blvd) and Thursdays (11:30 am - 3:30 pm) in Novato (6100 Redwood Blvd), and tasks include unloading, sorting, packaging, and distributing food, as well as site set-up and clean-up (volunteers should be able to lift 30-40 pounds). Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable, layered clothing suitable for outdoor work, bring a secure lidded water bottle and snack, and must wear provided gloves; please note there is no place to store valuables. To support this program, visit the Website http://www.marinclinic.org/ or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marinclinics.

Bake birthday cakes for foster children and at risk youth in Novato - Cake4Kids

Bake your way to making a difference with Cake4Kids! Volunteers bake and deliver homemade birthday cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bars, and brownies to foster children and at-risk youth in the North Bay Area, aiming to raise their self-esteem on their special day. If you like to bake and decorate, this flexible opportunity lets you choose how often you volunteer, sign up for requests based on theme, dessert type, and delivery, and bake and decorate in your own kitchen before delivering the finished sweets to the local social services agency (deliveries must happen during weekdays, Monday-Friday business hours). All volunteers must be at least 16 years old, attend an online orientation, and have a driver's license. It's fun, rewarding, and truly the "sweetest" volunteer opportunity—get started today at https://www.cake4kids.org/volunteer!

California Host Families for Amazing Exchange Students

Host an international high school student (15-18 years old) for a few weeks, a semester, or a full school year! Host families of all types are welcome. Students from Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America are carefully selected, speak English well, and come with full health insurance and spending money. Hosts provide room, meals, and a loving family environment. You can choose your student. International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES) is a nonprofit student exchange organization with over 30 years of experience. Contact us today to learn more about this amazing opportunity, or visit www.icesusa.org.

Dance your heart out to fight Alzheimer's - Alzheimer's Association

The Alzheimer's Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada is seeking enthusiastic volunteers passionate about dancing to help end Alzheimer's by joining The Volunteer Committee for their new national signature event, "Do What You Love To End ALZ." Volunteers will be crucial for team recruitment, cultivation, and marketing the event across the chapter territory, with a specific focus on recruiting dance studios to participate. For more details on volunteer opportunities, please visit www.alz.org/dowhatyoulove or contact Kirsten Guanella at knguanella@alz.org.