The Gift Of Time

Every year, requests go out in our area for thousands of volunteers, and every year, thousands step up to fill the need, especially over the holidays. What's listed here on the cover of Scene and inside the section are only a few of the opportunities available. There are plenty more. You can help these agencies by calling the telephone numbers listed. You can find others through central numbers listed on these pages or by contacting your local churches, schools, community centers or other social-service organizations. And remember, say the people who run these programs, volunteering is not just a seasonal thing. Many of them could use your help all year long.

Atlantic Street Center. Seattle. 329-2050. Volunteer jobs include setup, cooking, serving and cleanup for holiday meal, Dec. 8 at Beacon Hill United Methodist Church. Volunteers also needed to transport toys to the center Dec. 16 and select and wrap them for distribution Dec. 21-22.

Toys for Tots. Since 1947, the Marine Corps Reserve has sponsored this toy collection and giveaway. You can donate new, unwrapped toys; volunteer to help; or send a donation. Call 525-3605 (beginning Nov. 26) for information. Drop off toys at all Bon Marche stores, Bolt Temporary Services, King County libraries, Seattle Public libraries and Toys R Us stores. Or send a check to Toys for Tots Foundation, 7500 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115-5000.

Corporations for Kids Drive. Benefits Northwest Harvest's InfantsCorner and the Salvation Army. Businesses are asked to organize employees to collect baby food, toys, formula, diapers and other infant supplies. Call 625-0755 (Northwest Harvest) or 217-1280 (Salvation Army) for information on how to register.

Friend to Friend, Nursing Home Visitation Program, 246-5150. Matches volunteers with residents for one-year commitment. Will also refer volunteers to nearest nursing or retirement home to assist with holiday parties, meals and one-on-one visits.

Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP). Seattle. 329-4111. Holiday Party Assistance - The Annual Children's Christmas Party, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 17, is for low-income children 12 and under. Needed: gift donations and volunteers to wrap gifts. Volunteers also needed to pass out gifts and refreshments on day of party.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society. Seattle. 767-9975. Needs volunteers to distribute toys, help with holiday dinners or adopt families.

Volunteers of America/Greenwood Food Bank. 782-6731. Needs volunteers to sort canned goods and prepare Thanksgiving bags 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. Solicit gifts for 10- to 15-year-olds. Wrap and distribute gifts Dec. 16-18.

Volunteers of America of Puget Sound. Seattle. 523-3565. Drivers to pick up barrels of food and toys, now through Dec. 23. Volunteers needed to wrap gifts and fill food bags, help with deliveries. Food bank volunteers needed.

Salvation Army. Various sites. Adopt-a-family: Obtain a wish list from the Salvation Army for a needy family and provide items. 447-9944. Volunteers needed to interview clients, process applications, sort toys and assist low-income parents as they select gifts in the Toy 'n' Joy stores. 255-5969 (Renton), 454-9447 (Bellevue), 767-3150 (West Seattle) or 442-8383 (downtown Seattle). Volunteers at Salvation Army Christmas Centers and Toy 'n' Joy stores in King County to help with clients, decorate, deliver donations, stock room, computer entry, translation, etc. Need 500 volunteers at the central store. 442-8383.

The YWCA. 461-3214. Adopt-a-family: Volunteers purchase gifts and grocery gift certificates for homeless and low-income families. Contribute food and beverages to a holiday dinner for homeless families in Seattle's Central Area or volunteer at the event, Dec. 24. Donate holiday decorations for a YWCA shelter. Contribute toys, clothing or household items for "Christmas Eve Families," those who enter shelters in late December and miss the adopt-a-family program. Socks, mittens, gloves, lip balm for women at Angeline Day Center for homeless women.

The City of Bellevue's Giving Trees, at City Hall, Crossroads Shopping Center. Bellevue. 455-6800. The trees are decorated with ornaments indicating gifts for people in need. Residents may select ornaments and return the gift, which will then be wrapped and distributed.

The Fremont Public Association. Seattle. Several volunteer opportunities available, including: neighbor-to-neighbor volunteers are matched to elderly, disabled or ill people who need companionship, chore assistance or other help to be able to live in their homes. 727-0216. Partners in Caring, help with chores for people in Seattle Housing Authority building. 727-0227. Fremont Food Bank also is seeking volunteers. 633-6410.

Medina Children's Service. Seattle. 461-4520. Serves teens in the Seattle area who are not in school, have become parents, who are involved in criminal violence or are at risk. Need clothes, diapers, toys, gloves, etc.

Boyers Children's Clinic & Preschool. Seattle. 325-8477. Needs diapers, car seats, high chairs, stroller, etc. Serves families with children from birth to age 3 with developmental disabilities.

First Place, P.O. Box 22536, Seattle, WA 98122. Adopt-a-family, gifts needed for homeless children and their families (clothes, toys, toiletries, etc.).

Ruth Dykeman Children's Center. Seattle. 242-1698. Adopt-a-family: Holiday meals, clothing and toys for low-income families.

Family Services. Seattle. 722-6540. Adopt-a-family, gifts for low-income single parents and families. Volunteers to solicit gifts for elderly and disabled persons.

Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center. Seattle. 323-5770. Two volunteers (prefer those with sign-language skills) to set up a party for families Dec. 14. Also need gifts, toys for children birth to 3 years old who are deaf or hearing impaired.

Southeast Youth and Family Services. Seattle. 721-5542. Adopt-a-family gift-giving to a needy family.

Denny Place Youth Shelter. Seattle. 328-5693. Needs gifts, practical and fun, for 15 teenagers on Christmas Day, and a Christmas tree and decorations.

The Seattle Junior Chamber of Commerce. Seattle. 286-2014. Match volunteers in adopt-a-family programs. Also collecting donations of blankets, nonperishable food and clean clothing. The food will go to Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline; clothing and blankets to Operation Nightwatch.

The Washington Association of Churches and the Washington Farm Workers Union. 885-1396. Seeks toys for children in farm worker families. Cash donations are welcome.

Seattle AIDS Support Group. 322-2437. Volunteers to sell Christmas trees Nov. 25-Dec. 24.

The Northwest AIDS Foundation. Seattle. 860-6241. Provides case management and education services.

Northwest Harvest. Gives food to more than 300 hunger programs in the state. 625-0755 or 1-800-722-6924, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for food bank locations, where holiday meals are being served, volunteer opportunities, etc.

King County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Seattle. 727-0321. Knit-It-Alls volunteers make hats, scarves, gloves and baby and children's items for distribution to more than 50 shelters. Tutors and mentors for at-risk children, adult literacy tutors, drivers and general clerical.

South King County Group Home. Seattle. 241-8789. Adopt-a-family, for eight developmentally disabled young adults.

Providence Medical Center. Seattle. 320-3779. Volunteers to set up and decorate trees Nov. 25-Dec. 1. Assistance with holiday parties.

Community Psychiatric Clinic. Seattle. 298-2790. Needs help in providing gifts for chronically mentally ill adults. Volunteers needed to work as a team to recruit people to sponsor group home residents and provide gifts from Christmas wish lists.

Camp Fire Boys and Girls. Seattle. 461-8550. Provide food and gifts for teen parents and their children.

Catholic Community Services, Refugee Assistance Program. Seattle. 323-9450. Adopt-a-family. Christmas welcome baskets for newly arrived refugees. Prepare gift of household items or personal hygiene items and deliver to refugee family.

Central Area Youth Association, Seattle. 322-6640. Adopt-a-youth by providing clothing, gifts, etc., to youths in the Mentor program. Need volunteers to solicit gifts and/or donations for the Christmas party. Sponsors to provide gifts for Teen PATH, a program for homeless teen parents.

Chinese Information and Service Center, Seattle. 624-5633. Need groceries or department store vouchers for clients who are single mothers in domestic violence environment. Assist with holiday party Dec. 19, for newcomer youths ages 10 to 20. Solicit gifts and toys for newcomer children and youths.

Community House. Seattle. 322-2387. Needs Christmas gifts for more than 150 low-income, chronically ill adults. Clothes, toiletries, cooking items, etc.

Food Lifeline, Seattle. 1-800-404-7543. Phone volunteers needed for food drive 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 16, and food handlers to unload donations.

The Giving Tree. 340-1575. Assemble, paint, sand and oil wooden toys for children for Christmas.

The Westlake, St. Martin's on Westlake. 340-0410. Solicit Christmas gifts for residents of The Westlake. Volunteers needed to staff front desk Dec. 24-27.

Highline Senior Center. 244-3686. Help with decorating for the holidays and Christmas activities.

Neighborhood House. Seattle. 461-8435. Adopt-a-family: Select gifts for low-income residents of public housing. Holiday meal assistance: Food baskets for residents for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Holiday-related opportunities: Pick up gifts from local businesses from Dec. 13-23. Staff holiday gift shops, sort gifts and assist clients with gift selection Dec. 19-23.

EOC Multi-Ethnic Center. Bellevue. 643-3558. Christmas food baskets and/or toys for children (refugee families).

Friends of Youth. Redmond. 869-6490. Tree of Giving, canned foods for shelters; new clothing donations for shelters; adopt teen moms and babies. Holiday parties for foster-care families and for boys in Griffin Home. Holiday meal assistance: meal prep and delivery for teens in shelter programs (Issaquah, Bellevue and Kenmore). Gift wrapping at Griffin Home and Issaquah facility. Year-end project: site cleanup, painting, etc.

Noel House Women's Shelter. Seattle. 441-3210. Needs women to help with a holiday dinner for 40 to 60 women at the shelter, 4-7 p.m., Nov. 25. Also needs Christmas gifts for women ages 18-84 who stay at Noel House, including movie passes, store gift certificates, bus passes, restaurant certificates, etc., or call for suggestions.

Operational Emergency Center. Seattle. 725-2100. Adopt-a-family program matches sponsors with needy families and seniors who need gifts and holiday food.

Central Youth and Family Services. Seattle. 322-7676 ext. 202. Provide a gift for a young client by picking an envelope off a tree in agency lobby (beginning Dec. 1) or by calling the agency.

Pacific Medical Center, Seattle. 326-4084. Collects new items: clothing, toys, hair-care and skin-care products for women and children in four local women's shelters and a local school. Gifts should be brought to Pacific Medical Center, Community Resource Office by Dec. 15.

Pike Market Senior Center, Seattle. 728-2773. More than 200 seniors would appreciate gifts. Volunteers to sort and wrap gifts and pass them out at holiday party.

Echohawk. 781-5677. People to help make stockings for native elders and people on the streets. Adopt a Native American family.

Kirkland Interfaith Transitional Housing. Kirkland. 822-8428. Provide food basket and gifts for families in program. Also need volunteer to do spot roof repair and to re-hang doorway.

ElderHealth Northwest. Seattle. 467-7033. Adopt-a-family: Small, useful gifts, new if possible, for 200 older men and women: socks, combs, brushes, soaps, small bottles of shampoo, playing cards, greeting cards, calendars, candies, books, magazines, etc. Also need assistance with meal service, decorating help. Hours flexible between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dec 6-31.

Jewish Family Service. Seattle. 461-3240. Adopt-a-family: holiday gifts for Jewish families.

Pacific Arts Center, Seattle. 443-5437. Help monitor Art for the Holidays art exhibit and gift sale Dec. 3-29. Take money, issue receipts, keep records of sales, stock and monitor gallery.

Clothes for Kids. Lynnwood. 670-7285. Provide new hats, gloves, scarves, slippers, backpacks for children in the Edmonds School District.

American Red Cross. 1-206-572-4830. Deliver Thanksgiving dinners to homebound frail elderly throughout Pierce County on Thanksgiving Day. Same program on Christmas Day. Deliver poinsettias to businesses Nov. 28-Dec. 20 for annual fund-raiser.

Southeast Seattle Senior Center, Seattle. 722-0317. Adopt-a-family: Provide food, clothing and gifts to family members. Holiday Meal Assistance: six or seven volunteers to set up, serve, clean up and wash dishes for a Christmas dinner 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 22.

Street Outreach Services, Seattle. 625-0858. Holiday Fair noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Seattle Center, party for the homeless and others living in crisis situations. Donations of kids' and adults' clothing and toys.

Big Brothers of King County, Kirkland. 822-6687. Adopt-a-family: Provide food, clothing, gifts for family members. Delivery week of Christmas.

Columbia Lutheran Home. 632-7400. Gift donations needed for the home's 122 residents. Volunteers will wrap the gifts a few days before Christmas. Bring unwrapped gifts by Dec. 15. Friendly volunteers especially needed during the holidays to visit with residents.

Lutheran Social Services. 672-6009. Volunteers needed to help put together holiday gift baskets for sale.

New Beginnings Shelter for Battered Women and Children. 783-4520. New clothing and toys needed. Call for wishlist.

United Cerebral Palsy Association of King-Snohomish Counties, Seattle. 632-2827. Need money and gift donations, small personal-care items (perfume, cologne, makeup), mittens, hats, knit slippers, audio books on tape, movie passes, batteries, bird feeders and seed.

Wallingford Senior Center, Seattle. 461-7825. Gift donations for homebound seniors. Holiday party Dec. 30, help set up dining room, serve and clear, six volunteers needed. Year-end projects: help with interior painting, carpet shampoo, kitchen cleanup, building a coat rack.

Washington Special Olympics. 362-4949. Wrap gifts at Southcenter Mall now through Dec. 24. Fall sports tournaments Dec. 10-11 at various locations.

Christmas Faeries. Seattle. 323-6611 or 726-6130. Call first for ideas to help fill holiday baskets for children and adults with AIDS.

Bailey-Boushay House. Seattle. 322-5300. New, unwrapped gifts for clients living with AIDS. By Dec. 20. Suggestions include bathrobes, slippers, movie passes, toasters and other small appliances, alarm clocks, backpacks, clothing, gift certificates, books on tape, tape players, stamps, blank tapes, coffee and disposable cameras. Volunteers to pick up gifts.

Children's Home Society Families First Program, Auburn. 854-0700. Adopt-a-family: Call for specifics. Holiday Store provides free gifts for parents to select. Need new gifts: toys, clothes, household items such as pillow cases, etc.

Connection Adult Day Center, Renton. 226-2483. Holiday gift donations: need 18 Christmas gifts for both men and women. People with talents for holiday sing-alongs.

Domestic Abuse Women's Network. Kent. 656-4305. Adopt-a-family. Gift solicitation; work with adopt-a-family coordinator to solicit gifts from individuals and businesses.

Crossroads Community Center. Bellevue. 453-4874. Sponsor a family and provide food baskets and gifts. Need donations of food, money, clothing and toys for children and teens.

Kent Youth and Family Services, Kent. 859-0300. Adopt-A-Family needs clothing, food and toys. Greg Payton.

Lifetime Advocacy Plus. 367-8055. Adopt-a-family: Need small gifts for developmentally disabled, elderly and adult clients for whom the agency is guardian.

United Cerebral Palsy Association of King-Snohomish counties. 632-2827. Need entertainment, snacks and Santa, and volunteers to assist with holiday party. Also need gift donations - perfume, cologne, mittens, hats, knit slippers, audio tapes, books on tape, movie passes, etc.

Phinney Neighborhood Association. 783-2245. Adopt-a-family: Through the Giving Tree program at the Phinney Center, Nov. 27-Dec. 20. Pick up names of people in need, return gifts to center. Volunteer at Winter Festival Arts & Crafts Fair 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3-4. Set up, clean up, admissions, parking, booths.

Regency at Renton Rehabilitation. Renton. 226-4610. Adopt a senior. Holiday party assistance: Volunteers needed 10 a.m. Dec. 21 and 10:30 a.m. Dec. 22. Gifts needed.

Jewish Family Service. Seattle. 461-3240. Provide holiday gifts for Jewish families through the adopt-a-family program.

Washington Women's Employment and Education. Kent. 859-3718. Buy gifts and groceries for a family during the holidays, through the adopt-a-family program. Donate to or help with holiday party for low-income families of South King County, 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 11 at St. Anthony's Church in Kent.

Auburn Christian Action Program (ACAP) Day Care Association, Auburn. 939-0870. Adopt-a-family needs 50-75 food baskets for low-income and/or homeless families. Volunteers needed for various other tasks.

Bellevue Youth Link. 637-5254. New Year's Eve party for Bellevue Teens (Midnight Blast '95) Dec 31, 7:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Need adult chaperones. Also need adult drivers for Safe Rides Home for Teens, contact: Robin Haasetch 637-6182.

DSHS, Children and Family Services. Eastside office, 649-4154, bring a toy for a child in need, help sort and transport gifts in mid December.

Des Moines Area Food Bank. Des Moines. Volunteers needed at toy bank Dec. 21-23. Leave message for Mary Jo at 878-8709.

Children's Services of Sno-Valley. Snoqualmie. 888-2777. Holiday party: Need entertainment for winter party appropriate for preschool-age children. Midday meal at winter party; need food, beverages, help with serving.

Evergreen Vista Convalescent Center. Kirkland. 821-0404. Need crafts, gift items for holiday bazaar Dec. 2. Also one-to-one visits. Call Nancy Newby.

Eastside Mental Health. Bellevue. 889-7126 or 889-7136. Provide food, gifts, clothing for adopt-a-family for Christmas. Assist with holiday parties for emotionally disturbed children in schools or group homes. Provide meals for staff who work holidays. Toy donations and delivery.

Eastside Sexual Assault Center for Children. Bellevue. 688-5130. Need doctor kits, Playmobile police vehicle or ambulance, Magnadoodle sketching toys, toy dishes, toy food, starter Lego sets, Max cooperative game.

Kindering Center. Bellevue. 747-4004. Need people to help serve meal, entertainment and a Santa for holiday party for 14 foster children with special needs and their families. Volunteers to paint and assemble greeting cards for center fund raisers.

Hillhaven Rehabilitation & Health Care. Renton. 226-7500. Adopt-a-resident: provide gifts - sweat suits, wall decorations, dusters, robes. Volunteers needed for holiday party, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 22.

Shoreline Senior Center. 365-1536. Volunteers needed for holiday party 11:45 a.m. Dec. 20 and for gift wrapping Dec. 12-16.

Children's Home Society. Auburn. 854-0700 ext. 174. Thanksgiving baskets, gifts for the Holiday Store and adopt-a-family support needed.

Bellevue Art Museum. Bellevue. 454-3322. Extra volunteer help for the holidays.

Bellevue Community College: Displaced Homemakers' Program. Bellevue. 641-2279. Need food baskets and gifts for adopt-a-family program.

Bellevue School District: Fair Start. Bellevue. 455-6078. Needs toys and clothes for children birth to 12 years.

Eastside Adult Day Center. Bellevue, 867-1799. Santa for holiday party.

Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center. Woodinville. 882-1554. Volunteers to decorate on Dec. 10, prior to holiday party.

Eastside Baby Corner. Issaquah. 865-0234. Need items like formula, diapers, clothes, cribs, toys for children birth to 10 years.

Multi Service Centers. Various locations. Adopt-a-family, distribute food and gifts. Bellevue, 747-4826. Kirkland, 821-7150. Redmond, 882-0241. Federal Way, 838-6810. Bothell/Northshore, 485-6521. Snoqualmie, 333-4163.

Mount Si Helping Hand. North Bend. 888-0096. Food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas and toys for children birth to 14 years.

Northshore Senior Center. Bothell. 487-2441. Holiday meal assistance.

Overlake Service League. Bellevue, 747-6777. Adopt-a-family: Volunteers on distribution day Nov. 22 and Dec. 14-15. Donations needed.

Residence East. Issaquah. 392-9554. Need opportunities for residents to be involved in holiday charitable events - caroling, serving meals, etc.

WROC (Up and Out of Poverty). Bellevue. 328-5975. Adopt a family for Christmas: For women on public assistance who are developing career plans. Organize, plan and get donations for holiday party.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Everett. 259-5147. Need helpers to put on a Dec. 23 Christmas party for kids. Chaperones, gift wrappers, party planners, Santas and cookie bakers, toys needed.

Snohomish Chalet/Delta Rehabilitation. 568-2168. Needs carolers and holiday entertainers for a Christmas party for head-injured and developmentally disabled adults.

Bethany on Broadway. Everett. 259-5508. The nursing home needs party planners, carolers and Santas.

Catholic Community Services. Everett. 259-9188. Volunteers to work phones, prepare and deliver Christmas food boxes to clients.

Deaconess Children's Services. Everett. 259-0146. Volunteers to make cookies and snacks for parties in December. Also party decorators. Nonperishable food needed as well as new clothing and toys for children from infant to 3 years old and seventh- to ninth-graders. Christmas wrapping. Also an adopt-a-family program. Other needs: furniture for infants and toddlers and an adult rocking chair.

Quilceda House. 653-2481. Needs holiday transportation helpers to take developmentally disabled adults shopping and to Christmas events. Also need Friend to Friend volunteers.

ARC (Advocates for the Rights of Citizens with Developmental Disabilities). Everett. 258-2459. Need donations of non-perishable food and gifts for men, women and children.

Bridge Program, Salvation Army. Everett. 259-8129. Fresh, frozen, non-perishable and holiday goods. Also clothing, new underwear and socks, hats, gloves, belts, personal items for youth ages 13-19.

Center for Battered Women. Everett. 259-2827. Needs gifts for children birth to age 15 and their mothers and non-perishable food for a Christmas party.

Grandview Resident Council. Everett. 259-5856. Christmas party mid-December for youths 0-14. Need presents for children.

Homeless Project, Olympic Mental Health. Everett. 252-1301. Need adult clothing such as mittens, hats, scarves, underwear, personal items and socks, blankets.

Source Child Center. 771-7241. Looking for someone to "adopt" a child for a year by providing a gift, card or care package on holidays.

Volunteers of America. Everett. 259-3191, ext. 357. Fresh, frozen and non-perishable food donations. Also needs holiday workers to fill food baskets and stock cupboards.