Looking for ways to give back this season? If so, there’s no shortage of Camden County, South Jersey volunteer opportunities for you and your family to pitch in. Giving back as a family is not only good for your community, it’s great for some family bonding time. And who knows? Maybe this year you’ll start a family holiday tradition of seeking out NJ volunteer opportunities every year.
Whatever your passion, however much time you have, you’ll find nonprofits in South Jersey that match up with how you want to make a difference together. Where to volunteer in South Jersey this season? At Piskai Orthodontics, we’re all about giving back ourselves and want to help you figure out where to volunteer in South Jersey, too. Here our team’s put together a handy list of 5 family-friendly non-profits in South Jersey and ways you can help over the holidays.
1. Cuddle Me
Kids love helping other kids, especially babies! So as far as NJ volunteer opportunities, this one is super family-friendly and it’s easy to involve the kids. What is Cuddle Me? Cuddle Me is one of the child-focused volunteer opportunities in Cherry Hill, NJ that supplies parents with the daily essentials their babies need. Through donated supplies and financial support, Cuddle Me empowers parents to provide for their children’s everyday necessities.
One way you can help is by donating. Do you have baby or toddler gear collecting dust in the garage? Now is a great time to go through it with your kids and reminisce, then pass it on to a family who could use it. Baby gear like non-expired car seats, strollers, playpens, and high chairs are welcome at Cuddle Me, as well as feeding must-haves like bottles, nipples, cups, bowls, spoons, and bibs. As any parent knows, the baby phase can include a lot of gear, but if you’re not sure whether your baby items are needed, you can call or email Cuddle Me to find out.
Cuddle Me also accepts daily necessities like diapers and wipes, formula and baby cereal, and new or gently-used clothing for boys and girls from sizes newborn to 5T. Old board books and soft toys are also accepted.
The second way you can help Cuddle Me as a Camden County volunteer is to, well, volunteer! As with most South Jersey charities, extra pairs of hands are always welcome. Even just a few hours over the holidays helps. At Cuddle Me, you and your family can help sort and bundle diapers and baby clothes, load boxes, or help with organizational tasks.
Lastly, you can give back through Cuddle Me with your online holiday shopping. Simply start your shopping by clicking through iGive.com or Amazon Smile, which will donate a percentage of sales to Cuddle Me at no cost to you and with almost zero effort!
2. Ronald MacDonald House
Another one of the South Jersey volunteer opportunities you can do as a family is helping at Ronald MacDonald House in Camden. It’s one of the national nonprofits in South Jersey that makes a local difference. Bring joy to a family who’s going through their child’s serious illness this season by volunteering your time, donating funds or wish list items, hosting a fundraiser, or providing meals.
The families at Ronald MacDonald House in Camden County benefit from the many practical tasks that every volunteer contributes. Especially during the holiday season, volunteer opportunities like cooking meals, running an activity at the House, or preparing family welcome bags and snack packs at home to drop off make life a bit brighter for sick kids and their families.
3. Food Bank of South Jersey
With food costs and inflation on the rise, support services that address food insecurity like the Food Bank of South Jersey are even more vital than ever before. Lend a hand to combat hunger this season by helping at one of the longest-running, impactful nonprofits in South Jersey. Have a household of teenagers? The Food Bank of South Jersey welcomes volunteers aged 13 and up, so it’s an ideal place to give back together with older kids.
Volunteering at the Food Bank of South Jersey is on a scheduled basis so you have to plan ahead. You can let them know you want to volunteer by filling out the volunteer form or emailing Volunteer Services. As a South Jersey food bank volunteer, you can find the right role that suits your time and skills. Pack and sort donated food at the warehouse for various projects or replace food for agency delivery. Help distribute food off-site with Hope Mobiles, Pop-Up Pantries, or assist Partner Agencies across the Fook Bank’s four-county reach. Or contribute off-site with unloading, setting up donation sites, or loading food for recipients.
The Food Bank of South Jersey also welcomes volunteer help with ongoing, established programs and operational needs. Or if you or someone in your family can contribute experience or skills, there are also skills-based volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
If time is tight for family volunteer opportunities this season, you can always donate food instead of giving your time. Donation ideas? Pick up extra food on your next big grocery shop and donate items to the Food Bank. Maybe hold a traditional or virtual food drive with work colleagues or your kids’ sports team. Food can be dropped off at one of nine locations, including the Pennsauken Library, their Pennsauken headquarters, or Cherry Hill Food & Outreach.
Donation box, Charity Gift hampers, Help Refugees and homeless. Christmas Xmas Charity Donation box with warm clothes, food and toys at home. Charities giving winter hampers to families in need.
As always, nonprofits in South Jersey always welcome financial donations and the Food Bank is no exception. You can donate or raise funds in several ways, whether a special, one-time holiday donation or starting a monthly contribution.
However you choose to help the Food Bank, you’re a part of something big. Since its grassroots inception in 1985, The Food Bank of South Jersey has provided 150 million pounds of food and continues to provide hunger relief for South Jersey residents with innovative programs. With a focus on children and seniors, this non-profit in South Jersey has served more than 1 million fresh, nutritious meals to vulnerable children and provided tens of thousands of food boxes filled with healthy groceries to seniors.
4. Family Holiday Volunteering Opportunities through The Volunteer Center of South Jersey
So maybe you’ve read through this list and you’re still unsure where to volunteer in South Jersey. Maybe you’re still looking for nonprofits in South Jersey that really align with your family’s time and values. Well, you’re in luck. The Volunteer Center of South Jersey is a one-of-a-kind organization that connects people wishing to give back with South Jersey charities that need a hand.
Families wanting to volunteer around the holidays are invited to join the Volunteer Center of South Jersey’s family-specific event: Making A Difference Together. Every November on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, families are invited to celebrate and help out on Family Volunteer Day. The event takes place at local malls or community gathering spaces around New Jersey.
This year for Making a Difference Together, families were invited to Moorestown Mall for family-fun service projects like making toys and treats for animal shelters, creating greeting cards, and putting together appreciation bags for local first responders. At the event, families also got the chance to check out local, South Jersey charities and learn more about NJ volunteer opportunities in Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Haddonfield, and other South Jersey areas.
If your family wants to extend your holiday volunteer opportunities to the rest of the year, a great place to start is the Volunteer Center of South Jersey’s own programs. Service projects like Project Appreciation, Crocheting for A Cause, and Spruce Up South Jersey run year-round — you and your kids can hop onto an initiative already in swing and make a difference conveniently and easily.
5. Amazon Wish Lists
Remember earlier we mentioned Amazon Smile as a way to provide kick back funds to Cuddle Me when you’re online shopping? Well, you can also give local South Jersey charities the actual items they most need with Amazon Wish Lists for Charities.
Now, you or your kids are likely familiar with personal Amazon Wish Lists, but charities also can have Wish Lists so contributors can purchase items directly from Amazon for them. In a quick search for “South Jersey,” 16 non-profits in South Jersey pop up: from animal shelters to jazz arts, the Food Bank to medical assistance, you can buy supplies for South Jersey charities from Amazon and they’ll get shipped to the charity. Hand-in-hand with Amazon Smile, the charity you buy for also receives a percentage of your purchase if they participate in the program.
Piskai Orthodontics Talks the Talk and Walks the Walk With Nonprofits in South Jersey
WIth all this talk about South Jersey volunteer opportunities, you might be wondering how Dr. Piskai and the team at Piska Orthodontics contribute to the community. First off, supporting South Jersey is super important to Dr. Piskai since she grew up here and came back to start her own orthodontic practice. In other words, as your local South Jersey orthodontist in Voorhees, NJ, we understand the importance of living and working as part of the community.
We contribute to local South Jersey charities throughout the year, jumping feet first into Camden, NJ volunteer opportunities close to our hearts. This holiday season, we’re helping The Unforgotten Haven through a food drive, accepting non-perishables at our office throughout November.
This past year, we’ve loved contributing to several South Jersey initiatives and charities. Highlights include:
- Supporting South Jersey charity Inspiring Life Together during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Hanging out with our Voorhees police department and emergency responders at National Night Out
- Helping our furry friends by sponsoring AWA’s Paws & Feet 5K
As we’ve found out in our Camden County volunteer experiences, there’s something out there for anyone — and any family — looking to give back in South Jersey. Whether you’re looking for holiday volunteering opportunities or commitments during the rest of the year, you’ll find many South Jersey charities that welcome your help.
Contact us today to schedule a visit to our fun, friendly, and community-minded Voorhees, NJ orthodontic office! Let’s chat about your teeth and about the great things we can all do to give back to our South Jersey community.
