Give the gift of your time: Finding holiday volunteer opportunities in suburbs is easy

Though many nonprofits and charitable organizations have a year-round need for volunteers, there's no better or easier time than the holidays for people looking for opportunities to help others.

Among the most prominent agencies in the suburbs is Feed My Starving Children, which has locations in Schaumburg, Libertyville and Aurora, and Arlington Heights-based Hands On Suburban Chicago.

While there are shifts available to pack meals for those in need most Mondays through Saturdays throughout the year at Feed My Starving Children, there are three special sessions when participants are asked to be fully invested by also making a monetary donation.

These sessions are Dec. 15, 22 and 24, requiring a $50 donation per individual or $150 per family unit.

John Schmelzel, manager of the Schaumburg location, said these sessions are more likely to attract families and couples to volunteer together, and they have a different feel than many of the others.

“It is our biggest season both for volunteers and donations,” Schmelzel said.

To pack 368 million meals a year, the mere 300 paid employees of Feed My Starving Children nationwide are completely dependent on the 1.2 million volunteers who help them, Schmelzel said.

“We couldn't do it without them,” he said.

Though Feed my Starving Children is a Christian organization, you don't need to be Christian to receive the food or to donate and volunteer, Schmelzel said.

“We welcome visitors of any or no faith,” he said.

Details can be found on the agency's website at fmsc.org.

While Feed My Starving Children provides one necessary form of human aid, the 50-year-old Hands On Suburban Chicago strives to be a one-stop shop for a wide variety of volunteerism and assistance.

“I think it is a very comprehensive number of opportunities that are posted daily,” Executive Director Jordan Friedman said.

The opportunities include skilled positions that allow retirees or others who have recently lost their jobs to make use of their professional experience and potentially keep their resumes fresh.

Administrator Sarah Maple said the half-century-old organization also is able to bring awareness to some of the area's smaller nonprofits. But as their participation requires a fee, perhaps only the smallest and newest nonprofits are missing from Hands On Suburban Chicago's list of contacts, she said.

Though its Arlington Heights headquarters is nearly at the center of its service area, the organization operates between Elgin and Evanston, from Buffalo Grove south to Elmhurst. Learn more at handsonsuburbanchicago.org.