Make Giving Back Part of Your Holiday Tradition

The holiday season has a way of bringing people together. We gather around tables, reconnect with family and friends, exchange gifts, and celebrate traditions that matter to us. For many, it’s also a time to look beyond our own celebrations and ask a simple question: How can I help someone in my community?

Giving back can take many forms. You might volunteer with your family, organize a donation drive with coworkers, purchase a gift for a child, or help provide a holiday meal for neighbors in need.

And this year, finding the right way to help just got a little easier.

Granite United Way is excited to share our 2026 Holiday Giving & Volunteerism Guide, a free resource featuring opportunities to support 30 organizations across New Hampshire and beyond. The guide provides holiday volunteer opportunities, gift drives, food collections, and seasonal needs to help individuals, families, and businesses make a meaningful difference in their communities.

Find a Way to Give That Feels Meaningful to You

There are so many ways to make a difference during the holiday season, and the best place to start is with something that matters to you.

Our Holiday Giving & Volunteerism Guide features opportunities in three categories:

• Holiday Gift Drives & Family Support: Help make the season brighter for children and families by donating toys, books, clothing, gift cards, and other holiday gifts.
• Warmth, Wellness & Everyday Essentials: Support neighbors by providing winter clothing, personal care items, household supplies, and other necessities.
• Food, Meals & Community: Help address food insecurity by donating groceries, supporting holiday meals, or volunteering with local organizations.

The guide also includes important dates, contact information, volunteer registration details, and links to online wish lists, making it easier to find an opportunity that fits your interests, schedule, and location.

Whether you have a few hours to volunteer or want to organize a collection with friends or coworkers, there’s an opportunity to get involved.

Make Giving a Family Tradition

The holidays can be an especially meaningful time to introduce children and young people to the importance of helping others.

Consider choosing an opportunity together. Children can help select toys or books for a holiday gift drive, shop for items on a family’s wish list, or collect food and winter clothing for a local nonprofit.

For example, the Circle Program’s Giving Tree helps fulfill holiday wishes for girls ages 9 to 18, while Operation Santa Claus provides gifts to more than 3,000 New Hampshire children. Both offer opportunities for families to make a difference together through holiday giving.

These experiences also create opportunities for conversations about generosity, compassion, and the needs of others in our communities.

When families give back together, they can create memories and traditions that last well beyond the holiday season. Be sure to check with participating organizations about age requirements and volunteer availability before making plans.

Give Nonprofits What They Need Most

Generosity can have an even greater impact when it responds directly to a community need.

Before purchasing items for a donation drive, take a few minutes to review the organization’s requested supplies and donation guidelines. A nonprofit asking for specific winter clothing sizes, grocery gift cards, or personal care products is doing so because those items will best support the people it serves.

For example, Pittsfield Youth Workshop is collecting food, winter coats, and household essentials to support local youth and families. Community Caregivers of Greater Derry is seeking personal care items for homebound older adults, while Whole Village Family Resource Center is collecting winter clothing to help children stay warm.

Many participating organizations have also shared online wish lists, making it convenient to purchase exactly what they need.

The same approach applies to volunteering. Some opportunities fill quickly, while others may have ongoing needs throughout the season. Contacting organizations directly helps ensure your time and generosity make the greatest possible difference.

Bring Your Workplace or Community Group Together

Giving back is even more meaningful when you invite others to participate.

The holiday season offers a wonderful opportunity for businesses, community groups, and friends to come together around a shared cause.

Consider organizing a workplace gift drive, collecting winter clothing, sponsoring holiday wishes, or volunteering as a team.

Granite United Way’s Holiday Giving & Volunteerism Guide includes opportunities for individuals and groups, including ways to support The Salvation Army’s holiday programs, volunteer with Operation Santa Claus, and help local nonprofits collect essential supplies.

For businesses, these activities can strengthen employee connections while making a meaningful contribution to the communities where employees live and work.

Whether you’re coordinating a company-wide effort or inviting a few coworkers to participate, the guide can help you find a way to get involved.

Let the Holidays Be a Beginning

The generosity that fills our communities during November and December matters. But the needs our nonprofit partners address continue throughout the year.

If you discover an organization or cause that resonates with you this holiday season, consider staying connected. Sign up for its newsletter, volunteer again, or make giving back an annual tradition.

That spirit of connection feels especially meaningful as Granite United Way looks ahead to its 100th anniversary in 2027. For nearly a century, people across New Hampshire have come together through United Way to care for their neighbors and strengthen their communities.

As we prepare to celebrate this milestone, we hope this holiday season inspires even more people to get involved and carry that spirit of service into our next 100 years.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Explore the 2026 Granite United Way Holiday Giving & Volunteerism Guide to discover opportunities across New Hampshire and beyond. Find a way to give back that is meaningful to you, your family, or your workplace.

Looking for opportunities to volunteer throughout the year? Visit graniteuw.org/volunteer.

Please contact participating organizations directly to confirm current needs, deadlines, drop-off instructions, and volunteer availability.