Office of Alumni Engagement
Giving Tuesday 2023
This year, for Giving Tuesday, we're giving back. Obies donate their time to many impactful organizations nationwide; consider volunteering to support our cause!
The Office of Alumni Engagement has highlighted a few opportunities in our most densely populated alumni regions, but we encourage alumni to choose any organization that is meaningful to them. If you can't make a gift, consider contributing to our goal of 500 service hours! Alumni who contribute between November 18-December 10, 2023, will receive a uniquely Obie magnet.
2023 Giving Tuesday Magnet
Step 1: Volunteer
Choose from one of our many regional service opportunities below or volunteer at a local organization that means something to you!
While there are many wonderful organizations in each area, we tried our best to source organizations that offer drop-in volunteer opportunities or are in need of non-monetary donations to support our Giving Tuesday initiative.
Greater Cleveland Volunteers enriches the community and individuals through volunteer service. Find opportunities from more than 80 local nonprofits.
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in Northeast Ohio having served more than 349,000 people in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland, and Richland counties in FY2022.
Shoes and Clothes for Kids’ mission is to improve K-8 school attendance by eliminating the lack of appropriate clothes, shoes and school supplies as barriers. Help to pack and distribute over 100,000 items to local kids in need.
Fieldstone Farm: Theraputic Riding Center
Fieldstone Farm is one of the largest and most respected therapeutic equine centers in the country serving approximately 900 students annually. Therapy horses help people of all ages with a variety of emotional, physical and cognitive challenges reach goals.
The mission of the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank is to foster literacy and a love of reading by distributing free books to children in need through collaboration with community partners. The Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank is working to ensure all kids in Greater Cleveland have books to build their own home libraries. Drop in shifts are offered Tuesday-Saturday.
City Dogs works to provide financial assistance for the animals at Cleveland Animal Care and Control, which includes daily enrichment opportunities, medical care and supporting the CITY DOGS adoption and volunteer programs. Walk the dogs, attend community events, or help a pup find a home!
So Others Might Eats strives to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness of individuals, families, senior citizens, veterans, and those affected by physical or mental illness through the comprehensive Whole Person Care approach. Many drop in opportunities are available through SOME's Volunteer Hub
Bread for the City provides food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to reduce the burden of poverty. The organization also works to seek justice and uproot racism--a major cause of poverty. Support grocery deliveries, the diaper program, the clothing boutique, and other operations.
- Donate a holiday turkey! Holiday Helpings
The mission of Playtime Project is to cultivate resilience in children experiencing family housing insecurity by providing and expanding access to transformative play experiences. Assist with behind-the-scenes work as a general volunteer, help with transportation needs, or go through training to become a Play Ranger!
Rock Creek Conservancy is a watershed organization protecting Rock Creek and the philanthropic and stewardship partner to the entirety of Rock Creek (National) Park. The Conservancy’s mission is to restore Rock Creek and its parklands as a natural oasis for all people to appreciate and protect. Clean up the park, weed out invasive species with your friends, or participate in one of many individual volunteer opportunities.
Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach the next generation the value of freedom. Our volunteers are the beating heart of the program and work year-round to share this important mission and inspire others to join. Wreaths Across America honors veterans with their annual wreath-laying ceremony. As a volunteer, you will join tens of thousands across the nation in placing wreaths on the markers of our fallen heroes. As you place each wreath, you will “say their name" to ensure that the legacy of duty, service, and sacrifice of each veteran is never forgotten.
Suited for Change provides professional attire, coaching, and skills training to women in need who are seeking employment. Volunteers act as stylists as well as career coaches both virtually and in-person.
Through a filtered search engine, you can find volunteer opportunities that fit your availability, location, and interests.
SCORE helps small businesses achieve their goals through mentoring and training. Mentor a small business owner, present at a workshop, or help with administrative needs.
Carter Burden Network promotes the well-being of older adults 60 and older through a continuum of services, advocacy, arts and culture, health and wellness and volunteer programs, all oriented to individual, family and community needs. Opportunities can range from a one-time service day to a long-term volunteer commitment.
City Harvest rescues perfectly good, nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste and delivers it for free to New Yorkers experiencing hunger. City Harvest offers a variety of volunteer opportunities in New York City, including participating in food rescue and distribution, providing nutrition education to people of all ages, and more.
Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Harbor. Governors Island relies on individual volunteers to help keep this incredible public space welcoming and beautiful for all. The Friends of Governors Island’s volunteer program has something for everyone, whether you’re hoping to try your hand at gardening, meet new people, or become a true Island insider.
Volunteers play a central role in powering Food Bank’s mission. Whether filing tax returns for low-income New Yorkers, distributing groceries to our pantry clients, or advocating through social media, you can make an impact in many ways with Food Bank For New York City! Take part in both in-person and virtual opportunities.
St. Anthony’s offers hope, stability, and renewal and is “designed to meet people where they’re at.” They always need help preparing and serving meals in their dining room, sorting and assisting shoppers in the Free Clothing Program, and helping with basic computer questions in the Tech Lab.
One Warm Coat’s mission is to provide free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability. Donate a coat, hold a coat drive, or get involved with their zero waste initiative.
GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Join in on one of many holiday volunteering opportunities.
Learn about sustainable gardening, get your hands dirty, and help keep the garden beautiful. No prior experience needed! Volunteer shifts are offered on a drop-in basis on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Musicians On Call brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients, family members, and caregivers in healthcare environments. MOC provides volunteer opportunities for musicians and non-musicians.
RWF's work enables individuals and organizations to participate in the global community by donating and volunteering to help both LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ people affected by natural disasters, hunger, poverty, disease, oppression, and war.
Chicago Cares builds upon community partnerships in core neighborhoods on the city’s South and West Sides, challenging Chicagoans’ preconceived notions and contributing directly to neighborhood revitalization plans along the way. As a result, our volunteers meet immediate community needs and forge ahead on community priorities. Chicago Cares offers opportunities with a range of engagement levels, impact areas, and project types.
The mission of the Chicago Furniture Bank is to provide dignity, stability and comfort to Chicagoans that face poverty by allowing clients to handpick an entire home's worth of furnishings for free. Help in the warehouse, sort donations, or work in the office.
Greater Chicago Food Depository
GCFD strives to end hunger by connecting our neighbors with healthy food and advancing solutions that address the root causes of hunger. Do something hands-on, be a delivery driver, or help with a GCFD event.
The Honeycomb Project engages, mobilizes, and inspires whole families to build strong and connected communities through service. Find a volunteer project to tackle with your family, tutor students online, or mentor a teen.
New moms provides housing, paid job training, college success, and family support for those impacted by systemic and structural barriers. Participate in individual or group volunteer opportunities or hire a grad!
ILAO is looking for licensed Illinois attournies and experienced, certified paralegals to volunteer. Volunteer opportunities can be completed remotely, align to your skillset and values, and are flexible depending on your schedule.
GBFB is dedicated to reach their goal of providing three meals a day to our neighbors in need across Eastern Massachusetts with the help of supporters, staff, partners and volunteers.
Rosie's Place seeks to provide a safe and nurturing environment that helps poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity and find security in their lives. Volunteer to serve meals, work in the food pantry, teach a class and more.
The mission of the Prison Book Program is to support people in prison by sending them free books and print resources that meet their specific needs and interests. Read requests, pick the best book for them, pack it and send.
Bikes Not Bombs envisions a more just, equitable, and sustainable world powered by bicycles and led by Black and other marginalized people. Volunteer tasks may include, flattening bikes, stripping bikes, sorting parts, building up bikes, and general cleaning and housekeeping tasks.
Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive at home, at school and at play. Cradles to Crayons uses a 3-step model to make this happen, with volunteers as a crucial part of the process.
Christopher’s Haven manages 4 fully-furnished and equipped apartments and a private community recreation area known as “The Loft." The Loft is located across the street across the street from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and in close proximity to other area medical centers. Activities include summer camps, excursions, sporting events, tickets and other experiences.
Monetary Donations
Monetary donations will be accepted as a form of service, but will not contribute to our goal of 500 service hours. Please fill out the service completion form to receive a magnet for a monetary donation.
Non-Monetary Donations
Non-monetary donations (i.e. donations of cans to a food bank, blankets to an animal shelter, hygiene products to a women's shelter, toiletries to a veteran organization, etc.) will also be accepted as a form of service. Please fill out the service completion form to receive a magnet for a non-monetary donation.
Want to volunteer with Oberlin?
We have numerous opportunities to get involved as an alumni both locally and regionally!
Show your Obie pride!
Wear your Obie gear while you volunteer and make sure to snap a picture to be featured in future outreach!
Step 2: Share Your Experience
Share photos, stories, and feedback from your experience.
Fill out the service completion form here
Step 3: Receive Your Magnet
That's it! Once you have submitted your service completion form, our team will mail the 2023 Giving Tuesday magnet directly to you. Thank you for donating your time to a worthy cause.