Christmas trees are covered in ornaments, lights are illuminating houses, and festive music is echoing from local shops – it is indeed the holiday season! And what better way to celebrate than by giving back to the community? At MetzWood, we’re passionate about supporting non-profit organizations in the Capital Region and Hudson Valley that leave an impact on our neighborhoods. If you want to join us in giving back, look no further than these charities, food drives, volunteer opportunities, and more!
Local Food Drives
With so many winter holidays revolving around food, giving to food pantries and drives could mean one of your neighbors can provide their family with a special meal to celebrate this year. Here are some organizations accepting support this year:
- Valatie Food Pantry
- Town of Ghent Food Pantry
- Chatham Silent Pantry
- Catholic Community of Northern Columbia County
Monetary Donation
Sometimes, the best way to support your favorite charity is with a simple monetary donation. With cash donations, organizations can buy exactly what they need instead of risking collecting items that aren’t in high demand. Here are some local organizations that can benefit from your monetary donations this holiday season:
- Girls on the Run Capital Region is a non-profit organization that focuses on building school-aged girls’ confidence, character, and abilities through the sport of running. Your donations ensure the organization can offer crucial services and programs to young girls. Girls on the Run Capital Region is our current supported charity for our Help Our Community Referral Program.
- A no-effort way to donate while doing your holiday shopping? Use Columbia County Habitat for Humanity’s Amazon Smile link! When you use this link to go to Amazon and complete your purchases, the company will donate a portion of every purchase to Habitat for Humanity at no cost to you! It’s a no-effort way to give back to the community while checking off your to-do list.
- For animal lovers, donating to Mohawk Hudson Humane Society is a great way to give back to local dogs, cats, bunnies, and mice in need. Lions and tigers and bears oh, my!
Local Volunteer Opportunities
If you’re ready to take a more hands-on approach to give back, plenty of organizations offer volunteer opportunities, especially this time of year.
- Become a Friend of the Library! This volunteer organization ensures that the Chatham Public Library presents activities and events that keep the community enriched and engaged year–round.
- Feed your neighbors at the Columbia County Recovery Kitchen. The kitchen started shortly after the pandemic when food insecurity became a concern for people who suddenly lost jobs or access to other resources. Whatever your abilities, you can assist in providing hot meals for your community.
- Interested in more outdoorsy activities? Cornell Cooperative Extension is a great place to look for environmental opportunities! You can be involved in youth development, community education, and even research initiatives. It’s a great resource for those who are looking to get their hands dirty.
- Morris Memorial is a local Chatham non-profit that focuses on providing valuable enrichment and services to families and children throughout the community. Volunteers can assist with their many exciting fundraisers and activities
Referrals for a Good Cause
Outside of providing insurance products to our community, we also are dedicated to giving back. Every time our clients or partners make a referral on our behalf, we donate to our yearly featured charity. Currently, our Help Our Community Referral Program is supporting Girls on the Run Capital Region. Stay tuned to see who we’ll be supporting in 2023! Those who make a referral are also entered into a monthly drawing for a $100 Visa Cash Card and a quarterly drawing for a 4K HD TV.
The best gifts to give during the holiday season are the ones that benefit your community. Join Metzwood this winter in providing cheer to our neighbors!
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