By now, most of us have had our fill of turkey, eggnog and pumpkin spice.
It’s time, whether we like it or not, to stow our lights and blow-up Santas, pack up our ornaments, toss tinsel and otherwise un-deck the halls. But our holiday spirit — that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when being kind to each other or giving a gift — doesn’t have to go the way of our worse-for-wear Christmas trees.
The generosity and giving, particularly to those less fortunate, that we practice during the holiday season doesn’t have to stop at January 1. The hungry are still hungry. The homeless are still homeless. We have some suggestions to continue giving — whether it’s money, food, or your valuable time — year-round.
Food Banks and Free Kitchens
Several area churches and nonprofits serve hot meals to the hungry, but those meals don’t make themselves — consider signing up to cook or clean up.
Centralia’s Gather Church’s Eat Free Cafe serves free meals from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 360-827-0264.
Bethel Church’s Hub City Mission serves lunch through its Table Ministry every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact hubcitymission@bethel-church.com for more information.
In Chehalis, the Lewis County Gospel Mission serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, and brunch with sack lunches to go Saturday and Sunday.
Go to lewiscountygospelmission.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities. The organization currently needs help with bookkeeping, cooking and janitorial and maintenance duties.
Food banks are also in need of donations and volunteers.
The Hub City Mission’s food pantry distributes food boxes on the last Saturday of each month at 9 a.m. and has a fresh market on the second Saturday of the month at the same time at 416 N. Tower Avenue in Centralia.
Bethel, Gather and the gospel mission also give out warm clothes, sleeping bags and toiletries as donations are available. Tents are especially sought after. Many of us have an extra coat or pair of boots we haven’t thought of this year — consider donating gently used items to someone who needs them more.
Cold Weather Shelter
Bethel Church’s Hub City Mission also manages Lewis County’s severe weather shelter, located for the past two winters at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds.
The shelter is open nights that fall below 38 degrees, giving the homeless an opportunity to get a hot shower and a warm, dry bed for a night — a potentially life-saving service.
But the shelter can only open if there are volunteers available. Consider signing up, or at least learning more. Shelter volunteer training sessions are scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 7, Feb. 4 and March 4 at the Hub City Mission at 416 N. Tower Avenue in Centralia.
Contact hubcitymission@bethel-church.com for more information.
Help an Animal in Need
Not all of us can adopt a pet, but there are more ways to help, like volunteering at the Lewis County Animal Shelter. The shelter is filled with dogs and cats who need care while they wait for their forever home. Consider donating your time to walk a dog, pet a cat or donate food and other pet care items.
For more information, call 360-740-1290.
United Way
If you don’t have a specific cause in mind, consider donating to United Way of Lewis County. United Way puts donations to good use as part of their strategy to lift 30 percent of Lewis County residents out of poverty by 2030. Money donated to United Way is distributed as grants to community organizations working to help lift residents out of poverty.
In addition to monetary donations, United Way also has volunteer opportunities, including its reading buddy program.
For more information, call 360-748-8100 or go to lewiscountyuw.com.
