VolunTOTS invites families to help spread love during Thanksgiving week

Photo above by Libby Penner used by permission via Unsplash.

When Thanksgiving approaches, many families don’t have the resources to plan a holiday meal. Every day of the year, food insecurity is a real experience for many people in our region. That challenge doesn’t take a break for the holidays.

At the same time, many families who do have the resources they need are wondering how they might help others — and how they might teach their kids the importance of stepping up to help others in the community.

The nonprofit organization VolunTOTS, founded in 2021 to offer volunteering opportunities for very young kids and their families, has several events planned to gather healthy food this Thanksgiving season.

There are two ways families — including the littlest kids! — can get involved.

Packing Boxes with VolunTOTS

As they did last year, VolunTOTS welcomes families to help pack boxes of donated food this Thanksgiving season. And the project has grown. Last year they hosted box-packing at one location. This year, they’ve got three locations on two dates:

Saturday, Nov. 19: Temple Emanuel of South Hills, beginning at 10 a.m.

This event welcomes VolunTOTS, ages 3 to 5-ish, and also VolunTYKES, which can be in first through fifth grade, to pack boxes of donated food. There are no participation limits this year, but registration is required. Click here to register.

Saturday, Nov. 19: Discovery Christian Church, beginning at 10:30 a.m. 

The goal is to pack 200 boxes of food for the Lighthouse Foundation. There are no participation limits this year, but registration is required. Click here to register.

Sunday, Nov. 20: 1620 Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill, beginning at 9 a.m.

This event packing food boxes for city families welcomes VolunTOTS, ages 3 to 5-ish, and also VolunTYKES, which can be in first through fifth grade, to pack boxes of donated food. There are no participation limits this year, but registration is required. Click here to register.

Donating food for the VolunTOTS packing events

Want to help, but can’t make it to one of these events? That’s not a problem. VolunTOTS is collecting food for these Thanksgiving food boxes, and you can sign up to donate: Just e-mail VolunTOTS founder Cami Teacoach at cami@voluntots.org.

And if you’re looking for future opportunities to help others, stay tuned for details on VolunTOTS’ big holiday project, called Bridge to Home. This series of volunteer opportunities offers Pittsburgh-region families a range of different ways to support the foster care system during the holiday season. We’ll have a story on that soon!

Want to learn more about VolunTOTS? Check out this story: I can do it! VolunTOTS empowers little kids to do good in Pittsburgh communities.

And do you know a child who does good in our community? We’re always interested in hearing about Kidsburgh Kind Kids. Learn more here.