Ways to give back to your community this Thansgiving

This Thanksgiving, instead of simply going home and gorging, mix it up a bit. Between all that eating and sofa lounging, use some time to go out and volunteer this season. Not only will it help out people in need, but it will also fill the stomach with a hearty feeling of satisfaction and service that won't result in an ache 30 minutes later, unlike that third piece of pumpkin pie.

Seattle has plenty of volunteer opportunities students can take advantage of this year. Here are just a few opportunities in the upcoming weeks.

Northwest Harvest
Northwest Harvest, a food bank located just blocks away on 7th Avenue and Cherry Street is offering volunteer shifts Nov. 23 and Nov. 25 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to serve warm beverages to the 2,500 people estimated to come through on the days leading up to Thanksgiving.

"We […] see increased interest in volunteering around the holidays," said Jerri Chonle, volunteer coordinator at Northwest Harvest. "Students on holiday break, families whose children are out of school and others interested in helping at this time of year often contact us with offers of help."

YWCA
On Cherry Street and 29th Avenue, the YWCA is looking for Thanksgiving baskets. Baskets with ingredients for a Thanksgiving dinner for six are welcome Nov. 23 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and will be given to families in need who otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity to celebrate. YWCA is looking for turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, rolls and butter, vegetables or salad fixings and dessert in donated baskets.

Salvation Army
Salvation Army on Pike Street will be running a program to provide gifts to children in families who cannot afford them this holiday season. They are requesting volunteers to help welcome families from diverse ethnic backgrounds and check families' eligibility for the Christmas services. Volunteers can contact Lynsay Buttenob at lynsay.buttenob@usw.salvationarmy.org to volunteer. Toy donations for December are accepted beginning the week of Thanksgiving as well.

Childhood Cancer Careline
Childhood Cancer Careline is looking for many volunteers from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve to come to Northgate Mall. Volunteers meet between Nordstrom's and Macy's and will wrap gifts for children stricken with cancer and their families. See childhoodcancercare.org to sign up.

Host a drive
"If people want to get creative," said Jane Deer-Hileman, director of volunteering at Jewish Family Services, "they can arrange their own drives and partner with us to distribute contributions to recent immigrants."

Coat and clothing drives, food drives—the possibilities are numerous.

"All you would need to do is contact us and we would give your donations to people who need them," Deer-Hileman said.