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It's the time of year when you see the annual Faceache humble-brag posts of 'I'm helping at the local food kitchen/homeless shelter/old peoples lunch' etc. popping up.
But I've often wondered if the people who help all year round are annoyed with the once-a-year helpers or if they appreciate the help?
Or is is seen as a good recruitment opportunity with the knowledge one or two may stay on and help more in the future.
Surely helping out at any time of year is good. People think Christmas time is a time where more help is need because cold and forced happiness. Homless people more likely to come and get food from soup kitchens, people are mentally struggling. So more help required.
If people that help all year round are annoyed they get extra help at this time of year then they need to have a word with themselves, IMO.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are people that help just for the instagrams, but if they're actually helping then again, whats the problem.
Our local places don't want extra people for Christmas, they use volunteers that have been involved throughout the year. So the message to those wanting to just do Christmas is "we're fine for then but we'd love to have you as a general helper all year"
MrsRNP runs a community kitchen - started it in the first lockdown Christmas and run since then.
We collect perishable food from local supermarkets and help from the local butcher's. MrsRNP and helpers then cook them up in the local church and has an open door policy for anyone who needs a warm meal and company. There's also a FOC help yourself food table.
The first lockdown Christmas she (and volunteers) did 300frozen three course Xmas dinners that were distributed round the valley along with Xmas hampers of donated goods from local businessess. Last Xmas she did 100covers for Xmas dinner again in the local church. Was a great day!
All this takes an army of volunteers and any extra help is always welcome especially at Xmas.
I'm helping till I get an MBE then ****ing it off!
I’m helping till I get an MBE then **** it off!
You might be better playing tennis......
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are people that help just for the instagrams, but if they’re actually helping then again, whats the problem.
I'm not saying the help is a problem, I just wondered if the regular helpers get pissed off with the once-a-year people.
Sorry, wasn't saying you had a problem, more why would people have a problem with extra help, if they need extra help at this time of year.
I’m not saying the help is a problem, I just wondered if the regular helpers get pissed off with the once-a-year people.
in MrsRNP case - no, for her the extra helpers were ones that were originally furloughed, lost jobs or closed their businesses during covid and wanted to give something back or just do something different with their time/life. They have since gone on to get jobs or a different direction and so aren't available on a weekly basis but still want to give time when they have it available.
Can't comment for longer established or larger charities but that's my reply from mine/MrsRNP point of view.
Speaking of which - if anyone is in the Rossendale area and needs a brew/warm up/chat/something to eat - call in (don't worry its not church based - they just happen to have an unused commercial grade kitchen that my Mrs commandeered)
I’m not saying the help is a problem, I just wondered if the regular helpers get pissed off with the once-a-year people.
There a factor that time to volunteer for many people is limited - Christmas is time when a lot of people have a break from work whether they want it or not so theres an opportunity to be helpful that isnt there the rest of the year round
I think at Christmas theres more to be done - as in even if you're running something regularly people put on more of an effort at Christmas, theres often more need because cold and expense and loneliness are much more amplified and theres just the sense that its a time to do something a bit more and make water you do more special. But those same regular volunteers also have friends and families and plans for them at Christmas too so easing their vounteering burden can maybe be a help, or making their effort go further can be a help and 'company' is something special in its own right. A lot of the causes that people support - poverty, homelessness and so have direct effects on the body in terms of health and hunger that are addressed by food and shelter and safety but they also have a massive impact of person in terms of alienation and invisibility - its hugely beneficial to just be someones friend for a while and let those people know they have friends and allies out there.
Our local places don’t want extra people for Christmas, they use volunteers that have been involved throughout the year. So the message to those wanting to just do Christmas is “we’re fine for then but we’d love to have you as a general helper all year”
Same here in Leeds, the time and resources it takes to train/vet a volunteer doesn't make financial sense for a week or so for the charities. Usually a thread on reddit with some absolute melt complaining about this.
It's a time factor I think around Christmas - more people have it, and more people need to fill it.
I signed up for vaccination stewarding and did a few shifts last Christmas, but haven't been able to fit it in again since.
If anyone wants to to nominate me for a gong, I'll nominate you in return?
The foodbank I volunteer at sometimes is incredibly seasonal, both in terms of work needed and donations. It's a chicken and egg thing, they'll have the warehouse absolutely at its fullest once the last big christmas donations come in, and then they'll be using a lot of that stock for a huge chunk of the year. I tend to volunteer seasonally for much the same reason, and that's definitely something they need but only because the donations are also so seasonal. I'm sure they'd rather have a steady stream of both donations and work but, that's not going to happen really and this is probably next best.