December 25 Day of Service
Kindness the J Way
While things may look different this year JCC Cares is teaming up with local non-profits to spread love and joy this holiday season to those who need it most. Instead of one day of volunteering, we have different activities scheduled throughout the month of December. Not quite comfortable volunteering in person, no problem we have drop off opportunities for you. We have projects for all ages, from young to old, throughout Orange County.
Make and serve meals, drop off gift bags to home-bound seniors, donate blood, donate food, assemble and deliver hygiene kits, and deliver holiday cheer to our community heroes and those in need.
Take a look at the grids below for 25 Volunteer Opportunities, 25 Acts of Kindness, and 25 Things on our Wishlist
Baked Goods Drive
Several of our December 25 projects are throwing holiday brunches and parties to bring smiles and cheer. We’re looking for muffins, breads, and cookies…anything that can be enjoyed as an individual bite (no pies or cakes please).
Drop off baked goods at the JCC ‘s front desk on Wednesday, December 23, 8am-8pm.
All baked goods need to be delivered in disposable containers. 
25 Volunteer Opportunities
Opportunities throughout the month of December
| Activity | Location | Date and Time | Volunteers needed | Description | Registration |
| Food Drive benefitting Radiant Health Services and Families Forward | JCC | December 1, 1 - 5 p.m. | Drop off non-perishable food products for local non-profits. Items needed include: Canned beans, canned vegetables, pasta, pasta sauce, ramen, canned tuna, canned chicken, peanut butter, jelly, granola bars. | ||
| Decorating and assembling Christmas stockings | JCC | December 3, 5 - 7 p.m. | 15 | Come to the JCC to help decorate and assemble Christmas stockings for guests staying at local shelters. | |
| Neighborhood Cleanup | Your home | December 12, anytime | Go for a walk with your family or friends around your neighborhood and clean up any trash that may be around. | ||
| Blood Drive | JCC | December 15, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. | 40 | Donate blood at the JCC to benefit the American Red Cross. |  |
| Chanukah Party at the J | JCC | December 16, 5 - 7 p.m. | Make tzedakah boxes at the JCC's Chanukah party. | ||
| Volunteer at the OC Food Bank | OC Food Bank | December 22, 9 - 11 a.m. | 20 | Help assemble and pack food boxes for needy seniors and families in our community. |
Onsite volunteer opportunities on December 25
| Organization | Location | Time | Volunteers needed | Description | Registration |
| Family's Promise | Fullerton | 8 - 10 a.m. | 5 | Make and serve breakfast | |
| Family Shelter | Orange | 8 - 10 a.m. | 5 | Serve breakfast | |
| Friendship Shelter | Laguna Beach | 6 - 8 p.m. | 6 | Make dinner off site for 30 people, and then serve dinner onsite. | |
| Jamboree Housing - The Meadows | Irvine | 9 - 11 a.m. | 6 | Knock on doors and deliver giftbags to seniors. | |
| JCC | Irvine | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | 30 | Participate in a variety of community service projects on-site at the JCC. This is a great event for families with little kids. | |
| Potter's Lane | Westminster | 9:45 a.m. - noon | 6 | Make breakfast offsite for 30 people and then serve breakfast onsite | |
| Preparing a Meal | JCC | 10 -11:30 a.m. | 6 | Join other volunteers and Chef Liron at the JCC to prepare dinner for Friendship Shelter. |
Minimal contact opportunities on December 25
| Organization | Location | Time | Volunteers needed | Description | Registration |
| Family Shelter | Anaheim | noon | 1 | Volunteers will pick up sack lunches from the JCC and deliver to the family shelter | |
| Fresh Beginnings | Around OC | 10:30 a.m. | 5 | Volunteers will pick up holiday food boxes and gifts at the JCC and deliver to families in need | |
| Illumination Foundation - La Mesa Shelter | Anaheim | Make breakfast offsite, deliver ready to eat meal to shelter. | |||
| Illumination Foundation - Navigation Shelter | Fullerton | Make breakfast offsite, deliver ready to eat meal to shelter. | |||
| Lighthouse Church | Costa Mesa | 8 a.m. | Full | Deliver ready to eat meal to shelter. | |
| Ronald McDonald House | Anaheim | 8 a.m. | Full | Deliver ready to eat meal to shelter. | |
| WISE Place | Santa Ana | 8:30 a.m. | Make breakfast offsite, deliver ready to eat meal to shelter. |
Deliveries
| Organization | Location | Time | Volunteers needed | Description | Registration |
| Family Shelter | Around OC | 12 p.m. | 0 | Volunteers will pick up sack lunches from the JCC and deliver to the family shelter | FULL |
| Fresh Beginnings | Around OC | 10:30 a.m. | 0 | Volunteers will pick up holiday food boxes and gifts at the JCC and deliver to families in need | FULL |
| Lighthouse | Costa Mesa | 11:30 a.m. | 0 | Volunteers will pick up toiletry kits and socks in a box to deliver to the emergency shelter | FULL |
| Meadows | Around OC | 11 a.m. | 0 | Volunteers will pick up cookies and brownies from the JCC to deliver to the Meadows | FULL |
| Southwest Community Center | Around OC | 12 p.m. | 0 | Volunteers will pick up sack lunches from the JCC and deliver to the Southwest Community Center | FULL |
| The Towers | Around OC | 12p.m. | 0 | Volunteers will pick up cookies and brownies from the JCC to deliver to the Tower | FULL |
Volunteers
| Organization | Location | Time | Volunteers Needed | Description | Registration |
| Bubbe and Zayde's | Santa Ana | 12 - 2 p.m. | 0 | Play games with the residents. This event is good for families. | FULL |
| Family shelter | Orange | 7 - 10 a.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast for guests. Volunteers must be 13 or older. | FULL |
| Fire Stations | JCC | 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | 0 | Baking brownies at the JCC and then delivering to local fire and police stations. This is a great event for families with little kids. | FULL |
| Fire Stations | JCC | 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. | 0 | Baking brownies at the JCC and then delivering to local fire and police stations. This is a great event for families with little kids. | FULL |
| Fisher House | Long Beach | 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast for guests | FULL |
| Fisher House | Long Beach | 12 - 4 p.m. | 0 | Make and serve dinner for guests |
FULL |
| Friendship Shelter | Laguna Beach | 6 - 8 p.m. | 0 | Make and serve dinner for guests | FULL |
| Heritage Pointe | Mission Viejo | 10 - 11 a.m. | 0 | Socializing with the residents and participating in a Chanukah sing-a-long. | FULL |
| Heritage Pointe | Mission Viejo | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | 0 | Serve as waiters in the dining hall. Volunteers must be 14 or older. | FULL |
| Heritage Pointe | Mission Viejo | 2 - 3:30 p.m. | 0 | Socializing with the residents and making sack lunches for the homeless. | FULL |
| Illumination Foundation - La Mesa Shelter | Anaheim | 7:30 - 10 a.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast for guests. Volunteers must be 18 or older. | FULL |
| Illumination Foundation - Recuperative Care Center | Westminster | 8 - 10:30 a.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast for guests. Volunteers must be 18 or older. | FULL |
| JCC | Irvine | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | 10 | Participate in a variety of community service projects on-site at the JCC. This is a great event for families with little kids. |  |
| Lighthouse Church | Costa Mesa | 8:30 - 11 a.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast. Minimum age is 13 | FULL |
| Mary's Kitchen | Orange | 9 - 11 a.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast for guests. Volunteers must be 12 or older. | FULL |
| Mary's Kitchen | Orange | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | 0 | Make and serve meals for guests. Volunteers must be 12 or older. | FULL |
| Meadows | Irvine | 9 -11 a.m. | 0 | Cooking and setting up brunch | FULL |
| Meadows | Irvine | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | 0 | Serving brunch | FULL |
| Potter's Lane |
Westminster |
8 - 10:30 a.m. | 0 | Serve breakfast | FULL |
| Preparing a Meal |
Irvine |
10 -11:30 a.m. | 0 | Join other young professionals and Chef Liron at the JCC to prepare dinner for Friendship Shelter. | FULL |
| Ronald McDonald House | Orange | 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. | 0 | Making breakfast | FULL |
| Salvation Army - Hospitality House | Santa Ana | 6 - 9 a.m. | 0 | In partnership with Solomon Society make and serve breakfast. Volunteers must be 18 or older. | FULL |
| Southwest Community Center | Santa Ana | 7 - 9:30 a.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast for guests. This event is good for families. | FULL |
| The Tower | Costa Mesa | 1 - 3 p.m. | 0 | Playing games and socializing with the residents. This event is good for families. | FULL |
| Tustin Temporary Shelter | Tustin | 7:30 - 10 a.m. | 0 | Make and serve breakfast for guests. Volunteers must be 13 or older. | FULL |
| Veteran's Outreach OC | Garden Grove | 8:30 -11 a.m. | 0 | Cooking breakfast for veterans | FULL |
| WISE Place | Santa Ana | 8:15 - 11:30 a.m. | 0 | Cooking and serving breakfast. | FULL |
If you have any questions, contact Heather Zucker.