With the holidays right around the corner, now is the perfect time to give back by supporting a local cause.
To find out how, U of G's Student Volunteer Connections (SVC) at the Experiential Learning Hub has put together a Holiday Giving Guide to help fill the needs of community partners within the Guelph-Wellington region.
The guide showcases 31 local nonprofit/charity organizations that seek extra support this holiday season in the form of monetary and item donations, as well as volunteers to contribute their help with holiday events and programs.
SVC hopes the guide will inspire individuals to give back to the community and promote the work of local organizations.
"I think the biggest thing with this guide is the accessibility aspect. Everybody can look for an organization that they want to support. Researching different organizations can be very time consuming," said SVC program assistant Grace Seminara.
"So, here you have a list, all in one place. I think this is the most important part. It just makes everything so much easier and increases the likelihood that people will want to give back."
The guide was once an annual tradition of the People and Information Network (PIN), a non-profit organization that connected the Guelph and Wellington County communities with volunteer opportunities.
When that organization closed in 2023, U of G's Student Volunteer Connections took over and distributed its own take on the Holiday Giving Guide. With the success of last year's guide, the tradition continues.
This year, SVC took steps to begin preparations earlier, issuing a call for submissions in October, collaborating with organizations in November to finalize edits. The earlier timeline allows the Guide to be more closely aligned with the spirit of the holiday season and to better support organizations seeking assistance.
"We are so excited. It's the second year we are running it. This is a co-op role for me, for the last eight months. I think it's so special, and I'm so grateful to have this opportunity," Seminara said.
"There were 35 organizations and charities last year. It was last minute when we took it on from PIN. This year, there are 31 organizations in the guide."
The Experiential Learning Hub is home to experiential learning opportunities on and off-campus, co-op, career education and community engaged learning.
SVC hopes the guide will encourage individuals to give back to the community, in whatever capacity they can, and raise awareness for the work local organizations do.
"Last year, we heard that an organization was able to meet their funding goal, which was really wonderful. I hope others did as well. Organizations have said thank you very much and express their gratitude that this is all in one place and that there is this resource after PIN dissolved," Seminara said.
"Someone reached out saying thank you so much for creating this guide and that it helps the community come together. And that just makes me so happy because that's exactly what I want to hear."
Needs are not just monetary. Seminara said quite a few organizations are looking for volunteers over the holiday season.
"The Elliott Community, for example, is looking for a piano player. So, it can just be little things, if people have the skills or the time. The Salvation Army is looking for kettle bell ringers. The food bank is looking for people to help pack orders. If people have the time, there is a need for it," Seminara said.
"We know that these organizations are stretched all year round. It's especially prominent over the holidays where there might be increased demand of their services."
For anyone interested in donating time, items, or money to an organization this year, download the Holiday Giving Guide here.
"I think overall, this is about supporting the community and supporting students. It's about filling that gap wherever we can," she said.
"For me, the biggest thing is just seeing the impact that it has. You don't really realize until you hear from people, the gratitude they have, and how helpful it is."
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