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How to Volunteer for Thanksgiving 2023 in SF

Looking to give back this Thanksgiving? Here’s 7 ways to help the needy.
By - posted 11/21/2023 No Comment

Take a moment and give back to the community this Thanksgiving.

Read on below for organizations across San Francisco and the Bay Area in need of volunteers to help spread food and warmth to those less fortunate.

Know of another volunteering opportunity for Thanksgiving 2023? Let us know.

San Francisco City Impact’s Thanksgiving Day Outreach 2023
San Francisco City Impact is reaching out to the Tenderloin community. Volunteer to serve hot meals and blankets at their Rescue mission, cook hundreds of fresh meals, assemble and deliver hot meals to residents, serve the children and youth through exciting kids outreach, and so many more serve opportunities. 
Thursday, November 23, 2023 | 9 am to 1:30 pm | 186 Eddy St., San Francisco
RSVP online. $25 registration fee is required and will go directly towards making this event possible.
– Confirmed as of 10/30/2023

SF-Marin Food Bank 2023
SF-Marin Food Bank distributs over 1 million meals every week. Make a hands-on difference by volunteering in the warehouse or in the community. Learn more about volunteer opportunities . – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023

San Francisco Glide Thanksgiving Meals 2023
Put on your apron and come to GLIDE to help chop, dice, mix and slice in preparation for their Annual Thanksgiving Day lunch and come serve nearly 2,500 complete Thanksgiving meals with all the fixings to individuals and families (both onsite and throughout the city). Volunteers are likely needed to deliver home meals as well.
Thursday, November 23, 2023 | Various shifts | 330 Ellis St., San Francisco
Starting November 1, you can sign up for Holiday Volunteer Opportunities. If their volunteer needs on a particular holiday have already been met, please consider supporting GLIDE through a donation or by volunteering on another day. – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023

Project Open Hand 2023 – San Francisco
Please note that 2023 Thanksgiving volunteer information is not yet available, but we’d expect the information to be similar to past years.
2021 info: Join Project Open Hand this Thanksgiving in providing meals with love to our sick and elderly neighbors. During the week of Thanksgiving, volunteers will help prepare, assemble, and distribute 2,500 nutritious meals and nearly 200 bags of healthy groceries each day.
In 2021, volunteer opportunities went live on the website on November 11 (we expect it to be similar for 2023) | 730 Polk St., San Francisco
RSVP to volunteer – Confirmed as of 11/2/2023

Salvation Army Thanksgiving Meal Deliveries 2023 – San Francisco
Help deliver Thanksgiving Day meals to 4,000 homebound seniors and disabled individuals. Volunteers positions available: Greeters, Check-in, Traffic Control, Load-in, and Deliveries. Drivers must provide their own vehicle and bring along at least one passenger. Masks required.
Thursday, November 23, 2023 | Shifts from 6 am to 1 pm | The Salvation Army Culinary Training Academy, 155 Clara Street, San Francisco, CA
RSVP is required – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023

Little Brothers: Friends of the Elderly 2023
Make a difference in an elder’s day and volunteer to bring some joy to LBFE’s older adults. Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities include delivering Thanksgiving meals, in-person visits, and remote visits.

  • In-person visit & meal delivery between 10:30am-12:30pm
  • Meal delivery ONLY between 10:30am-12:30pm
  • Remote visit (phone call/video call – limited spots available) ONLY between 1:00pm-2:00pm

Thursday, November 23, 2023 | Thanksgiving Meal Pickup in Downtown San Francisco
RSVP is required. – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023

Meals on Wheels’ Thanksgiving Day Card Marking 2023
For 2023, we’re not sure if Meals on Wheels is hosting their traditional Thanksgiving meal delivery volunteer opportunity this year (you may have to make a longer commitment to volunteer for meal delivery with Meals on Wheels), but you can still make a meaningful impact by participating in Thanksgiving Day holiday card making. Help us bring a smile to a senior’s face (and yours too) by making handmade Thanksgiving cards. In past yeas, 4,500handmade cards have been delivered to homebound seniors.
– Confirmed as of 11/3/2023

SF SPCA Holiday Windows at Macy’s 2023 – Volunteer Positions Unconfirmed for 2023 (last checked 11/3/23)
Every winter, adorable and adoptable puppies and kittens take over the windows of Macy’s Union Square. The 2023 Holiday Windows return November 17 through December 31, 2023. In past years, SF SPCA volunteers have helped spread holiday cheer at the annual holiday SPCA pop-up adoption center at the Macy’s Holiday Windows at Union Square. Although the adoption center is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas day, it’s open every other day for the holidays. It’s unclear if SF SPCA is accpeting volunteers for the Holiday Windows in 2023. These volunteer positions often book up quickly. We’ve reached out to SF SPCA for 2023 updates on volunteering. 

Gobble Gobble Give – Not Likely Occuring in San Francisco for 2023 (last checked 11/3/23)
In past years, volunteers have come together to gather dry goods, blankets and toiletires, plus box up warm food in take out containers, and walk the streets of their community to hand out care packages to unhoused individuals and families. The San Francisco edition of Gobble Gobble Give last took place in 2019 at Slim’s; since then, Slim’s has shut down. The Gobble Gobble Give San Francisco Facebook page says, “We appreciate everyone that joined us in San Francisco in the past and hope to once again gather our GGG Fam back to the Bay Area! Until then, please continue to follow and support us in other cities across the country.” It’s unclear for now if there will be a 2023 edition, but it doesn’t look likely. Hopefully, it’ll return to San Francisco in 2024.