San Francisco “How to Volunteer” for the Holidays 2023 Guide

December is in full swing, so why not spread some holiday cheer? Give back to San Francisco with one of these great volunteer opportunities.

Spend your Christmas with the elderly, prepare meals to feed to homeless, choose children’s toys, and more. It’s the best gift you can give – no stressful shopping required.

City Impact’s Christmas 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. 
December 25, 2023 | 9 am to 1:30 pm | 186 Eddy St., San Francisco
RSVP online. A $25 registration fee is required and will go directly towards making this event possible. – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023

GLIDE’s Grocery Bag Giveaway 2023
December 13, 2023 | 7 am – 1 pm
GLIDE, 330 Ellis St., SF

This year the do-gooders at GLIDE Memorial Church will give away thousands of bags full of groceries to individuals and families in the Tenderloin and across the city. 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

GLIDE’s Toy Sort & Giveaway 2023
December 21, 2023 | 9 am – Noon
330 Ellis St., San Francisco, CA

GLIDE will be collecting toys, packing them into bags and distributing them to children (up to 11 years) who are enrolled in GLIDE programs. 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.

Consider donating a toy in advance for their annual GLIDE Toy Wonderland event on December 21, 2023 where they distribute toys to very-low-income families in our community. – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023

Salvation Army San Francisco Angel Tree Distribution 2023
December 19, 2023
The Salvation Army Kroc Center, 240 Turk Street, San Francisco, CA

Want to be Santa’s Helper this year? Volunteer with the Salvation Army San Francisco as we distribute toys to low income families. Families will be pre-assigned a time slot/date to collect their pre-bagged toys and will arrive either by car or on foot. Volunteers are needed to assist with distribution. We need around 6 volunteers per shift to assist with:

• Organizing and distributing pre-bagged toys as clients arrive
• Helping with the flow of traffic during active distribution

Volunteers can sign up for a morning or afternoon shift, or both. Spanish, Cantonese or Mandarin language skills are a bonus. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023

Salvation Army San Francisco’s Toy Sorting & Packing 2023
December 11-15, 2023 | 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
The Salvation Army Kroc Center, 240 Turk Street, San Francisco, CA

We are looking for Elves (volunteers) to help us pack Christmas toys for children in need this holiday season. Volunteers will select toys from our stock of toy donations and match (as closely as possible) the toys requested by the families. The toys will then be packed into bags and labelled for the family to pick up during their assigned distribution appointment. Volunteers should be familiar with children ages 0-12 so as to help select appropriate toys for our families. Volunteers can sign up for a morning or afternoon shift, or both. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023

GLIDE’s Christmas Eve Prime Rib Luncheon Celebration 2023
December 24, 2023 | 11 am–1 pm
GLIDE, 330 Ellis St, SF

Volunteer at GLIDE for their annual Christmas Eve celebration sponsored each year by Joe Betz and San Francisco’s House of Prime Rib who provide prime rib and all the sides for GLIDE’s special mouthwatering Christmas Eve Brunch to as many as 2,400 guests in the outdoor tented dining room. Additionally, GLIDE will deliver 200 meals to encampments across the city. 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

GLIDE’s Christmas Eve & Christmas Meals
December 24-25, 2023 | Various shifts available starting from 6:30 am
GLIDE, 330 Ellis St, SF

GLIDE invites you to volunteer on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas to help provide thousands of homeless and needy families and individuals. Volunteer shifts are available for Christmas Eve and Christmas breakfast, Christmas Eve “GLIDE on the Go” which serves thePrime Rib Luncheon out in the community, Christmas meal prep and service, and Christmas Turkey and Ham Carving. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 12/6/2023

Little Brothers: Friends of the Elderly’s Christmas Elder Visits
December 23-25, 2023 | Various shifts
Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly San Francisco Bay Area, 909 Hyde Street, Suite 628, San Francisco, CA 

Help spread the holiday cheer and visit our older friends on during Christmas week. Little Brothers would like to invite you to participate in their upcoming December Holiday Events happening December 23rd – December 25th. There are many different ways to volunteer: In-person visits, Remote visit (limited availability), and Holiday gift deliveries (In-person visits with gift bag). For in-person visits, you MUST pick up your older adult(s) holiday gift between December 23rd-24th.Please note, in order to participate in their In-Home Visit program, you must complete a volunteer orientation and background check. You are more than welcome to bring along family or friends. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 12/6/2023

Salvation Army Christmas Meal Delivery 2023
December 25, 2023 | 6 am – 1 pm
The Salvation Army Culinary Training Academy, 155 Clara Street, San Francisco, CA

Help brighten someone’s Christmas morning by preparing and delivering a fresh home-style meal with all the trimmings straight to their door. Volunteers are needed to cook, drive and deliver meals on Christmas morning to 4,000 homebound individuals throughout San Francisco. You will receive an orientation, refreshments, a route sheet (who to deliver to), directions and meals. Most deliveries will consist of 20-40 meals and will take no around 1.5 to 2 hours (no longer than 3 hours maximum) to complete. All deliveries occur within San Francisco. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023