Bay Area dwellers sure have a lot to be thankful for. While we're stressing over holiday shopping and stuffing our faces with delicious seasonal treats, let's make sure not to forget those less fortunate. Give back this holiday season by volunteering or donating at these local Bay Area organizations.
VOLUNTEER
Distribute clean needle packages to help HIV prevention: San Francisco Aids Foundation // 1035 Market St., San Francisco, sfaf.org/volunteer
Play with animals at the Oakland Animal Shelter: Oakland Animal Services // 1101 29th Ave, Oakland, oaklandanimalservices.org
Drive an elder to and from a holiday party: Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly San Francisco // 909 Hyde St, San Francisco, littlebrotherssf.org
Be a literacy tutor: Next Step Learning Center // 2222 Curtis St, Oakland, nextsteplc.org
Prepare an art instillation: Creativity Explored // 3245 16th St, San Francisco, creativityexplored.org
Design musical theatre costumes: Youth Musical Theater Company // 2925 & 2945 Bollvar Dr, Berkeley, ymtcberkeley.org
Transform parking spaces into parklets: Walk Oakland Bike Oakland // 436 14th St, Oakland, wobo.org
Be a Mission District mural docent: Precita Eyes Muralists of San Francisco // 2891 24th St, San Francisco, precitaeyes.org
Give someone a home: Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco // 500 Washington St, San Francisco, habitatgsf.org
Rock on the road: Bay Area Girls Rock Camp // 610 16th St, Oakland, bayareagirlsrockcamp.org
Serve Christmas dinner: St. Anthony's // 150 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, stanthonysf.org
Sort and pack food: SF-Marin Food Bank // various locations, sfmfoodbank.org
DONATE
Drop off some art supplies: 826 Valencia // 826 Valencia St, San Francisco, 826valencia.org
Help shelter, feed, and support 410 homeless men and women: St. Vincent De Paul of San Francisco // 1237 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, svdp-sf.org
Sponsor an orphaned child: Half the Sky Foundation // 715 Hearst Ave #200, Berkeley, halfthesky.org
Join the Circle of Angels Program: Catholic Charities San Francisco // various locations, catholiccharitiessf.org
Nurture a budding brain: The Hidden Genius Project // 519 17th St, Oakland, hiddengeniusproject.org
Buy a gift at the FAMSF art store: Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco // shop.famsf.org
Stand with La Peña: La Peña Cultural Center // 3105 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, lapena.org
Host a catered event: Delancey Street Foundation // 600 Embarcadero, San Francisco, delanceystreetfoundation.org
Support homeless youth: At the Crossroads // 333 Valencia St, San Francisco, atthecrossroads.org
Lend some sound: Today's Future Sound // todaysfuturesound.org
Give the gift of sight: Seva Foundation // 1786 5th St, Berkeley, seva.org
VISIT
Check out one of the San Francisco Public Library's bookstores: Friends of the San Francisco Public Library // various locations, friendssfpl.org
Attend a Youth Speaks performance: Youth Speaks // 1663 Mission St, San Francisco, youthspeaks.org
