The holiday season is the perfect opportunity for families and friends to gather, reconnect and de-stress. However, for families in need, the holidays can be full of stress and anxiety. Community service is an important aspect of society, but in the season of giving, it becomes even more necessary. In Arlington, there are countless opportunities to give back and spread holiday cheer to those who may not be able to afford or accommodate the joys of the holiday season.

This time of year seems to inspire more people to donate to different charities and nonprofits. It is a lot of work to sort the donations and get them to where they need to be. This is one of the main reasons for the increased need for volunteer help around this time of year. In addition to helping organizations sort their donations, many non-profits run drives and raise money during the holidays and need help from the community to organize and run them.

Locally, there are many ways to volunteer and give back around the holidays and year-round. A great resource to find these opportunities is Volunteer Arlington’s website. Volunteer Arlington’s mission is to “connect individuals, groups and businesses with local volunteer opportunities.”

Their website is a great resource for teens and adults hoping to find volunteer opportunities that fit with their age, schedule and interests. According to Executive Director Lisa Fikes, there are over 200 nonprofits in Arlington that they can direct you to.

Unfortunately, there are some age restrictions on certain volunteer jobs; however, Fikes stresses that there are still ways for the youth to get involved.

“There are ways that the youth can volunteer through advocacy and sharing about missions they are interested in,” Fikes said.

Fikes also encourages teens to not let things like age limits stop them from working towards a cause they care about.

“Don’t let potential barriers stop you, if you are interested in serving… come up with your own service project, be in touch with an organization and be a self-starter and the doors can open for you,” Fikes said.

During the holidays, some of the service opportunities include many different donation drives, like the annual holiday food drive at AFAC and many others that focus on bringing the holidays to people in need. The holidays should be a special time of year for everyone and community service can help make that a reality.

“It is a good time to remind people to be aware and expose people to the needs of the community,” Fikes said.

Besides drives, there are a variety other chances to give back around the holidays that support a multitude of causes including Doorways’ Holiday Wishes program, The Department of Human Services’ Secret Santa and the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run 5k.

The biggest volunteering initiative in Arlington County also takes place in the next few months: The MLK Day of Service. The MLK Day of service is hosted by Volunteer Arlington on January 21, and begins at Washington-Lee High School with a presentation from the organizers. After the presentation, volunteers move on to their selected organization to help give back to their communities from ten to noon.

“It is going to be a great opportunity for young people and families to get involved in lots of opportunities that aren’t normally happening throughout the year,” Fikes said.

While volunteering is important during the holiday season, it is also important year-round.

“The soup kitchens need to serve the people every day throughout the year, and the children need to be mentored every day,” Fikes said.

So, while it is important to do your part during the holiday season, it is important to remember that there are always ways to help and do your part. Community service can impact the lives of others in a positive way, but it can also can be beneficial to the volunteer themselves.

“It can bring about well-being and happiness and peace of mind that bring value to a life, like not much else can,” Fikes said.

The holiday season is a time where most people have a lengthy to-do list. Making food, decorating the house and buying gifts, all are tedious tasks that make your holidays merry and bright. However, it is important to remember that the holiday season is about bringing joy to other people and one way to do that is by contributing to a cause important to you. Whether it is a donation of time or money, even if it is a small amount of either, it counts and it does help to make a difference.