Surely you’ve heard “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” the seemingly endless tribute to a true love who gives out a lot of strange gifts. Consider this list of ideas like playing the song backward—and finding ways to give back to the community without disturbing a partridge in a pear tree.
Foster a Pet
Foster volunteers are the biggest need at NOCO Humane this holiday season, says Scott Wendelberger, marketing and communications manager for the animal shelter, which has campuses in Loveland, Evans and Greeley.
“With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the shelter tends to get busier and more full,” he says, “so it’s wonderful having extra fosters who can accept an animal or two.”
Training is required to foster an animal with one of Northern Colorado’s many shelters. Here are some organizations in need of fosters:
• All Aboard Animal Rescue
• Animal Friends Alliance
• Big Bones Canine Rescue
• Bounce Animal Rescue – 100 percent foster-based
• Colorado Kitty Coalition – 100 percent foster-based; partner of Loveland’s NoCo Cat Cafe
• NOCO Humane
• Until They’re Home – Provides temporary fosters for pets whose owners are experiencing crisis
Animal shelters generally offer opportunities to walk dogs, clean kennels and pitch in other ways. Reach out to them to see how you can help.
Serve meals to those in need
United Way of Weld County is looking for volunteers to prepare and serve meals during the holidays. Volunteers make (or buy) approximately 60 servings and bring the dish hot and ready to serve at the Housing Navigation Center in Greeley. Then they work alongside shelter staff to serve drinks and plate the meals.
To get involved, contact Brianna Hardy, the Housing Navigation Center’s volunteer management coordinator, at 970.304.6187, or visit bit.ly/4nJRvbc. The Salvation Army, food banks, local nonprofits and some churches also serve meals during the holidays and could use your help. Ask them what meals are needed and when you can volunteer.
Give someone a ride
Organizations such as 60 Plus Ride in Weld County and Senior Alternatives in Transportation (SAINT) in Larimer County help older adults maintain their independence by offering free rides to doctor appointments, the grocery store and other stops. This holiday season, you can make a difference in the lives of those with limited mobility by volunteering as a driver. Check out this link for a list of local transportation services for seniors: bit.ly/4pOySnI.
Give the gift of reading
Reading scores have dropped across the country in recent years. As of 2023, just over half of fourth graders in Larimer County were reading at their grade level, according to Larimer County’s United Way chapter. The organization hopes to improve that by contributing to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which gives more than 6,000 Larimer County kids a free book every month. Just $25 funds a full year of books for one child, says Franz Quiñones, marketing manager for United Way of Larimer County.
“These books build early literacy, spark joy and help set kids up for success in school and beyond,” he says.
Go to uwaylc.org/imaginationlibrary to learn more. If you want to support kids’ literacy by giving your time, many school districts offer ways to volunteer, like working as a tutor or as a Battle of the Books coach.
Help your neighbor
Marcy Yoder, senior manager of the City of Fort Collins’ neighborhood services, says simple acts of kindness go a long way. She’s heard about residents joining lonely neighbors for a talk on the porch, neighbors raking the yard of a woman caring for her sick spouse and neighbors dropping off treats to celebrate birthdays.
“It starts with knowing who your neighbors are,” Yoder says. “Introduce yourself and your household. Knowing a little more about your neighbors sets you up to help out when needed.”
Fort Collins’ neighborhood services offers tools on how to meet, organize and help your neighbors. There’s a similar department in most Northern Colorado cities and towns: Some, like the Neighborhood Resource Office in Greeley, connect volunteers to help with specific tasks such as shoveling snow.
Coach or referee games at the Boys & Girls Clubs
Each season includes at least one practice and one game per week, typically lasting six weeks. The commitment to coach or referee games is a minimum of four hours per week. Depending on the season, some games run on weekends, and some run during the week.
The sports include basketball (January and February), soccer (April and May), kickball (June and July) and flag football (September through October). Coaches must attend a meeting before the season and go through a background check for $25. They’re paid $300 per season.
You can also lead yoga sessions, cooking clubs and hiking and biking trips and even guide kids through art projects. These opportunities run from 2-7 p.m. on weekdays.
Dave Dixon, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County, says they also need sports equipment if you have new or gently used items to donate. For more information, call 970.353.1278 in Weld County and 970.223.1709 in Larimer County.
Provide warmth in the coldest time of year
Many local nonprofits and churches accept gently worn coats as donations. Those include the Greeley Interfaith Association, which allows low-income families to purchase the clothing at greatly reduced prices, and Coats for Colorado, which has a drop-off location in Fort Collins.
The Street Dog Coalition accepts dog coats to give to pets with unhoused owners. NOCO Humane also has a drop-off box for pet coats at its Greeley and Loveland campuses.
“We’ve done this the past two years, and the response is always very inspiring, leaving us with more than 50 coats each year,” says Wendelberger of NOCO Humane.
Stock the pantry
Food banks in Larimer and Weld counties are in high demand this time of year, and they try to provide special meals for the holidays. Donate canned goods, money or whatever non-perishable items you can spare to help out this year. Here are some places that will accept them:
• Weld Food Bank in Greeley
• FoCo Cafe in Fort Collins – Provides meals to anyone regardless of their ability to pay. They need volunteers to support their limited staff.
• Food Bank for Larimer County in Fort Collins and Loveland
• House of Neighborly Service in Loveland and Berthoud – Provides basic needs such as food and clothing.
• The Salvation Army in Larimer and Weld counties – Local chapters give out food boxes in addition to other services.
• Windsor Severance Food Pantry in Windsor
Give blood
UCHealth’s Garth Englund Blood Center in Greeley and Fort Collins accepts walk-in blood donations on weekdays, though you can also call to make an appointment. Vitalant, Banner Health’s blood donations contractor, hosts blood drives in Greeley too. Learn more at vitalant.org/banner.
UCHealth gets 80 percent of its blood from community blood drives and could always use more of them. Email donateblood@uchealth.org for information on how to host a blood drive.
Donate to Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots started when the wife of U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Bill Hendrick asked him to deliver handmade dolls to an agency that fulfilled toy requests for low-income children. When Hendrick couldn’t find one, he started his own in 1947. The agency went national a year later and now fills thousands of toy requests from service organizations and churches in each county.
In Weld County alone, the national organization’s local chapter distributed more than 20,000 toys to youth in 2024. You can search for Weld and Larimer County drop-off sites at toysfortots.org, or donate cash.
Spend your dollars locally
The holidays are a crucial time for local businesses. In fact, many small businesses make up to 80 percent of their revenue during the holidays, according to the Small Business Administration. Not only do small businesses have unique gifts—many local craft and gift stores stock up specifically for the holidays—but the owner might even be there to help you find something special for everyone on your list.
Local restaurants consider the holidays a crucial time as well. The two biggest order days on GrubHub are the day before Thanksgiving and the day after (Black Friday), according to the company’s website. Treating yourself to a break from holiday cooking by dining out or ordering your favorite dish to go makes a big difference for those businesses. And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a coffee or beer at a local joint to wind down from the hectic season.
Volunteer your time
If there’s a cause near and dear to your heart, there’s probably a way to help. You can start at your local United Way chapter, which will have dozens of ideas, or search for the region’s most reputable nonprofits through the Better Business Bureau. Simply calling a nonprofit and asking how you can help will unearth lots of opportunities during the giving season.
