by Adam Knauer

Video Podcast Editor

By choosing to volunteer, you have the opportunity to strengthen your city while

connecting with other families and contributing to a cause that you care about. This November

holds some fantastic opportunities for you to get involved.

The twelfth annual “Silicon Valley Turkey Trot” is coming up on Nov. 24. Before the

feast, the parades, and the pies, come and run in the Turkey Trot. Take your friends or family

and make a new tradition. The Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation organizes walks

that benefit important community charities. This event aims to assist Silicon Valley by improving

the lives of others in this region by providing money for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and

education. Volunteers are needed to help with running this Thanksgiving activity, and you can

register on their website where all the details are located. Some of the things you can expect to

do as a volunteer are direct participants; watch for traffic; encourage runners along the path;

distribute monitors, t-shirts, and refreshments; and clean up. Over the 11 years so far, this event

has raised over five million dollars to support people with their most basic needs in Silicon

Valley.

On Thanksgiving, the majority of us will indulge in a plethora of delicious foods like

turkey, pie, and mashed potatoes. However, for too many families across the Bay area, this is

not a reality. If you’re searching for a way volunteer at a food bank, this is the perfect place to

get started. To give back this holiday season or all year, look to Bay Area Hunger. This is a

large organization with food banks located in Marin and San Francisco, which supply food to

over 30,000 families each week. You can sign up on their website to work in one of their

warehouses.

Thanksgiving is dedicated to spending time with family and friends to give thanks for all

of the blessings received throughout the previous year. If you are looking for a new way to

spend your Thanksgiving day, community service could be your answer. Whatever organization

you choose to give back to this holiday season, your help will be appreciated.