By: Adriana Avila, Staff Reporter
How to help this holiday season
In Albuquerque there are an estimated 17,000 homeless people and the majority are children. It is easy to forget these numbers or someone sitting on a street corner because everyone has his own struggles to deal with. This holiday season instead of giving them a shrug or a stare, give them some extra time and resources. It is a great gift and it is not expensive. Listed below are a few organizations that offer these resources and would love a helping hand.
Food Delivery Once per Month
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Suite 200
The Jewish Family Service of New Mexico is a hands-on program that delivers food boxes the first Thursday of every month to homebound seniors. The service is in need of drivers to deliver boxes. For more information, visit jfsnm.org or call Debbie Garduño at 348-4514.
Meals on Wheels
5901 Harper Dr. NE
Meals on Wheels deliver meals to those who are unable to prepare their own food. They serve hot and healthy meals to anyone in need. The non-profit is in need of a kitchen office volunteer to help a couple of mornings for three hours starting at 9 a.m. They are needed to match up menus to meal sacks and lids and labeling the meal sacks and lids. For more information, visit mow-nm.org or call 823-8060.
Rio Grande Food Project
600 Coors Blvd. NW
The Rio Grande Food Project is looking for someone to restock shelves from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are also looking for someone to pack a week’s worth of food boxes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information visit rgfp.org.
The Storehouse
106 Broadway Blvd. SE
The Storehouse need volunteers to help register customers at the front desk, assist customers in the food court, stock food shelves, sort and grade donations of food and clothing, direct traffic in the parking lot, and clean. For more information visit thestorehouseabq.org.
Hospice of the Sandias
105 Hospital Loop NE
The Hospice of Sandias is looking for volunteers to help take care of the terminally ill. They provide palliative and supportive care to people and their families who are confronting incurable illness or those who have a life expectancy of less than six months. For more information, visit hospiceofthesandias.com or call Maralee Self at 881-5342.
Joy Junction
4500 Second St. SW
Joy Junction is a homeless shelter that is in need of volunteers for a variety of assignments that include serving meals, reading to children, tutoring adults, and more.
Volunteers are needed to entertain the children by either playing games with the kids, stage a carnival, and even put up a concert. Suggestions are welcome.
For more information visit joyjunction. org or call 463-4818.
Bernalillo County Council of the PTA Clothing Bank
1730 University Blvd. SE
BCCPTA is having a clothing drive Dec. 3-7 and there will be Reflections Intake Day Saturday Dec.8. It is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. For more information, visit bccpta.org.
Coronado Giving Tree
6600 Menaul Blvd. NE
The Giving Tree will be at the Sears entrance in the Coronado Shopping Center. Spread throughout the tree there will be a tags with holiday wishes from worthy children. Purchase a gift and bring it back to The Giving Tree with the tag attached before Christmas. They will make sure all the gifts are delivered on time to the children for a much deserved Christmas. For more information, visit their website at coronadocenter.com or stop by for a look.
