Published: October 28, 2025
Acts of Kindness: Thanksgiving serves as a reminder that helping others is always in season
There are many simple ways to give back, not just during the holidays but all year round. Here, we share ideas for you and your family to make a positive impact in your neighborhood and community.
Volunteer at an urban farm or garden. Projects like this not only help food-insecure families, but also they teach children a hands-on lesson about how things grow. Community gardening projects, such as The Fruitful Field in Deerfield Beach seek volunteers to weed, mulch, plant seeds and harvest produce. There are a variety of farm-related tasks available, some with minimum age requirements, so be sure to do a little research to find the right fit for your crew.
Give to a food bank. Kids can donate essential items through a collection drive at school or off-site, or help pack boxes at a distribution center. Local organizations like Feeding South Florida, Farm Share and Harvest Drive Florida aim to feed families and fight hunger by collecting non-perishable items and other goods.
Donate clothing or toys. Have your child sift through old clothes that no longer fit and donate them to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or a local charity such as The Caring Place or the South Florida Donation Center. The same can be done with toys they no longer play with.
Make holiday cards. Break out the markers, glue, glitter, or any other crafty supplies you might have on hand, and have the kiddos create handmade cards with uplifting drawings or cheerful messages. Once they’ve created a small collection, make an appointment with a local assisted living facility or nursing home to see if you can drop them off, or better yet, hand-deliver them to residents.
Help a neighbor. There are endless ways to do this. Drop off cookies. Leave flowers on the doorstep. Wash their car. Offer to run an errand. Small gestures go a long way.
Clean up the beach or a park. This is a great way to give back to the community and the environment. Equip yourself with gloves, a grabber tool, and a trash bag and head off in your own neighborhood, or join one of the many organized programs that seek volunteers year-round. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton schedules beach cleanups for groups and organizations at all three city beaches. Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties also coordinate park and beach cleanup events throughout the year.
Assist animals. Volunteer at a local shelter, or look online at their wishlist to see what donations they are in need of. Oftentimes, shelters and veterinarians’ offices will also accept gently used towels, blankets and bed sheets to make bedding for the fur babies.
Be thankful. One of the simplest ways to show gratitude and to give thanks is to let each person at the Thanksgiving dinner table take a turn to say who and what they are thankful for. Just a few kind words can go a long way.
Looking for other ways to volunteer? HandsOn South Florida is a one-stop shop that matches volunteers with a wide range of non-profit organizations, programs and events ranging from ecology and science to art and literacy. For more information, visit http://www.handsonbroward.org or http://www.handsonmiami.org.