Give the gift of comfort and joy!
While the spirit of giving runs deep during this time of year, knowing where to direct your generosity can sometimes feel overwhelming. Fortunately, Atlanta offers an array of opportunities to transform your holiday goodwill into a tangible impact that goes far beyond writing a check. Whether you have an hour to spare, a few dollars to donate or the wish to make your regular holiday shopping more purposeful, these organizations and programs make it easy to turn your seasonal spirit into year-round change.
Thanksgiving Mobile Food Pantry
The Center Helping Obesity In Children End Successfully (CHOICES) hosts an annual Thanksgiving Mobile Food Pantry that provides holiday meals to families facing food insecurity. It aims to supply each family with a complete Thanksgiving dinner as well as enough healthy fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and groceries to last a full week. Last year, 700 volunteers helped the pantry serve 144,000 meals, packing 120,000 pounds of groceries over just two days.. This year, the annual event is scheduled for Nov. 22 at Atlanta Technical College.
Doggie’s Day Out
This heartwarming initiative lets you become Santa’s helper by whisking away four-legged friends from their kennel confines for magical adventures around town. Pups sport “adopt me” vests and leashes during their 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. adventure. Whether you’re strolling through a park, treating them to a festive pup cup or simply sharing cozy companionship, you’re giving these deserving dogs precious moments of normalcy while boosting their adoption prospects. Volunteers must be 18 years old with a valid driver’s license. Sign up to make tails wag and hearts merry.
Meals on Wheels
Make your holiday giving deliciously meaningful by buying gifts from the Purposeful Gourmet line from Meals on Wheels Atlanta. Items such as handcrafted candied pecans, dark chocolate bars and jars of wildflower honey are created in Meals on Wheels’ commercial kitchen by an executive chef and registered dietician. These treats make perfect gifts for hosts, colleagues or loved ones while directly funding the nonprofit that serves over 1,800 daily meals to combat senior hunger, food insecurity and social isolation.
Angel Tree
Atlanta’s Angel Tree program serves over 8,000 children annually. Interested Atlantans can participate by selecting tags from the Angel Tree Atlanta website or shopping online through Walmart’s Spark Good Registry. Simply choose a child’s wish list, purchase the requested clothing and toys and bring or ship them to the Angel Tree Warehouse at 2029 Tucker Industrial Road by Dec. 5. The Salvation Army then distributes gifts to families, ensuring every child experiences a little Christmas joy.
Operation Christmas Child
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan’s Purse has delivered shoebox gifts to over 232 million children in more than 170 countries and territories. Participating is simple. Start with a shoebox and label it for a boy or girl along with the appropriate age range. Fill it with a medium to large “wow” item like a soccer ball or stuffed animal plus fun toys, school supplies, hygiene items and a note. Drop off your completed shoebox at local collection sites during National Collection Week, Nov. 17 – 24, or build your box completely online for ultimate convenience.
samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child
Toys for Tots
The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program brings Christmas smiles to Atlanta’s children in need by collecting and distributing new, unwrapped toys during the holiday season. In 2024, the organization donated 834,737 toys to kids throughout the metro area. You can participate by donating new toys throughout the year at any Georgia State Patrol office, or you can shop online directly from Atlanta Toys for Tots’ Amazon wish list.
