At Martha’s Village, we believe in providing many different opportunities to help the homeless community in Coachella Valley. Whether you are looking to donate your time in the form on volunteering, gathering together your coworkers to sponsor a food drive, or sharing your expertise in the form of teaching a workshop, we have opportunities for everyone to help.
Below we share 10 ways you can help the homeless community in Coachella Valley.
1. Volunteer
Little compares to the impact one can have by donating their time to volunteer for the homeless community. At Martha’s Village, our volunteers are a huge part of our organization, and without them we would not be able to achieve the level of aid and awareness we strive for each and every day.
A few of the areas where you can volunteer your time are in:
- Food Services
- Maintenance
- Children’s Services
- Our Thrift Store
- Emergency Services
- Career & Education Services
- Front Desk Reception
We are always looking for volunteers to join our team. You can learn more here.
2. Donate a Cash Contribution
We know how busy life can get, especially during the summer. A great way to help the homeless community, without dedicating much of your personal time, is donating a cash contribution. We make it easy for you to donate cash online, or you can send us a check via mail. You can learn more about how to donate a cash contribution here.
3. Sponsor a Food Drive
If you’re looking for way to bring together a group of people – whether at your job, in your neighborhood, or at an organization you are part of – then sponsoring a food drive is a great way to do just that.
When you sponsor our food drive, it benefits our mission in a few key ways:
- You’re helping to spread the word of hunger to your friends and colleagues.
- We save on fuel costs! By only picking up a larger volume of donations, instead of a lot of small trips, our funds can go much further.
Learn how you can sponsor a food drive here.
4. Run in the Thanksgiving 5K
One of our most well-attended (and fun!) events each year is our Thanksgiving 5K race. Start your Thanksgiving day with your family and friends by running or walking to benefit the homeless community. Last years race alone helped to feed over a quarter million people. Our goal is to surpass those numbers this year!
You can learn more about the race and register early here.
5. Planned Gifts
While cash donations are one way to donate on a monetary level, one can also donate a planned gift by contributing a long-term security (in the form of stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares) to Martha’s Village. This easy, and highly tax-efficient donation allow your dollars to go further, and is a personal expression of your goals, interests, and beliefs. We are happy to work with you and your financial advisors to prepare a plan that reflects your interests and provides benefits for everyone invovlved.
To learn more about planned gifts, and get in touch with our staff, click here.
6. Clean Out Your Household Goods
If your kitchen cabinets are full of utensils, dishes, and gravy boats that you no longer need, then a great way to help the homeless community is to donate them! All of your household goods including anything from dishes, to furniture, to bedding – anything you could use in your home – can be donated to Martha’s Village.
The best part? Anything you’d like to donate, we would be more than happy to pick up! You can learn more, and schedule a pickup here.
7. Have Clothes You Don’t Wear Anymore? Donate Them!
Tidying up your closet, and ridding your wardrobe of clothes you no longer wear anymore may seem like a tedious (and quite frankly, a dreaded) task, but doing so could make a much bigger difference than you may imagine. Donating your clothing to Martha’s Village will not only help clean up your closet, but it will also provide clothing to those in need.
Learn more about our clothing donation program, and how to donate here.
8. Hold a Donation Drive
Similar to a food drive, a donation drive is a great way to bring together a group of people with a common goal in mind – helping the homeless community. Inspire your friends, coworkers, or neighbors to collect cash, clothes, household goods, food, and more to donate to the homeless. This is a great way to build a sense of community, while simultaneously helping those in need.
9. Lead a Workshop
Leading a workshop is a great way to donate your time, and your expertise, to the homeless community. We are always open to workshop ideas – whether thats a motivational speech, a cooking class, or a writing workshop – we welcome it all. Contact us to share your ideas for workshops today.
10. Translate or Teach English
Are you fluent in multiple languages? If so, we are always looking for volunteers to translate and/or teach English at Martha’s Village. Contact us today to learn how you can help those hoping to better their English-speaking abilities.
Are you interested in learning more about our ways to help the homeless community in Coachella Valley? Let us know!