Stories

SHAREable: 8 Ways to Do GOOD Over Thanksgiving Weekend!

Looking for a GOOD activity for you and your family to do together this Thanksgiving weekend? 

Or have a little extra time to spare while offices are closed and your turkey is roasting? 

Give a local nonprofit reason to be thankful for YOU this Thanksgiving when you attend one of these festive events or volunteer opportunities hosted by SHARE Charlotte nonprofit partners this holiday season:

1. Pause the Macy’s Day Parade and get moving with Angels and Sparrows 8th Annual Thanksgiving 5K. This family and pet friendly walk/run is untimed and will be held on Thanksgiving morning at the greenway adjacent to Birkdale Village and will begin from Fleet Feet Sports… and because no holiday celebration is complete without GOOD food, there is pre-race coffee, hot chocolate, and doughnuts! Proceeds benefit Angels and Sparrows, a Soup Kitchen helping to end Hunger in Charlotte.
2. Magical twinkle lights, live orchestral music, and an illuminated prairie garden make up this year’s Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Holidays at the Garden. Discover more lights than ever before, a musically orchestrated topiary display, illuminated prairie garden, fire and ice in the perennial gardens, quaint buildings from Department 56’s Dickens’ Village Series® and more. You can experience the display daily from Nov. 29 through Jan. 5!
3. Santa is coming early to Charlotte this year....to Pet in the City! Get free photos with Santa, participate in raffles, see rescue groups and support both Charlotte Black Dogs and this local business on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30.
4. What is a Dude-a-palooza? We are so glad you asked! Wilson’s Dude-a-palooza Market is a free pop-up market being held on Nov. 30 at C3 Labs. Don’t miss the Charlotte Community ToolBank’s booth where they will be selling gently used tools and accessories priced at up to 50% off retail to attending dudes and dudettes! Proceeds from The Toolbank's sales will help them provide tools to other nonprofits in Charlotte.
5. Kick off the holiday season by hosting a toy drive for babies and toddlers that are a part of Care Ring’s Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program. Toys need to be collected by Dec. 1 and Care Ring will pick up the toys you collect. NFP is a poverty-fighting program that pairs a Registered Nurse with a first-time, low-income mother to guide and mentor her through her pregnancy, prepare her for motherhood, and help her achieve economic self-sufficiency. 
6. Don’t miss your opportunity to kick off the holiday season with a laugh! Volunteer to be a Greeter / Helper at WYTV7 Christian Broadcasters Network Comedy #GivingTuesdayCLT Fundraiser on Nov. 30. 
7. Grab your friends and family and put together a Happy Home Bucket for families in our area that are experiencing homelessness. Your group can collect brooms, mops, all-purpose cleaner, sponges, dish soap, floor cleaner, and mop buckets. Charlotte Family Housing empowers working families experiencing homelessness to achieve long-term self-sufficiency through shelter, housing, supportive services and advocacy.
8. ​​​​​​Grab some index cards, colorful markers, and get creative by making flashcards for students served by Classroom Central. Classroom central provides free school supplies to over 127,000 students in the Charlotte area.

Of course, these are not the only ways to do GOOD this Thanksgiving weekend, head over to sharecharlotte.org to see the needs of hundreds of local nonprofits and how you can get invovled TODAY!