The holiday season is a busy and magical time, filled with family traditions, celebrations, and plenty of reasons to spread a little extra cheer. But it’s also a wonderful opportunity to slow down, look beyond our own families, and remember those in our community who could use a helping hand. Teaching our children the importance of kindness, generosity, and compassion starts with showing them how small acts of giving can make a big difference in someone else’s life. Whether it’s donating toys or clothing, volunteering time together, supporting a local organization, or lending a hand to a neighbor, there are so many meaningful ways to get involved. We’ve gathered lots of opportunities throughout our area to help your family give back, get involved, and make a positive impact during the holidays and all year long. After all, the spirit of giving is something worth carrying with us well beyond the holiday season!
OUR OWN SUSQUEHANNA CARES CALENDAR
Find (and share) local help on the Susquehanna Cares Calendar
Families are always asking us where to find a free community meal, a coat drive or a diaper giveaway. The Susquehanna Cares Calendar answers that in one place. We built it with our friends at CSO (Central Susquehanna Opportunities), and it lists free and low-cost resources that local nonprofits, churches and community groups are offering around Bloomsburg, Danville, Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Sunbury and the towns in between.
You can browse by what you need:
- Food & Meals: pantries, food distributions and community dinners
- Clothing, Diapers & Hygiene Products: giveaways, closets and drives
- Health & Wellness: screenings, clinics and support programs
- Community & Career Resources: job help, classes and other services
Have something to add? If your church, nonprofit or community group is hosting a meal, drive, clinic or giveaway, you can submit it to the calendar for free. The more groups that add events, the easier it gets for neighbors to find help when they need it.
🧸Toys for Tots- Local Drives
The mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to assist the U. S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas.
North Shore Railroad | Toys for Tots Drive
These cool little cars- called NARCOA Speeders- will travel up our NSHR line – from Northumberland, through Danville and Bloomsburg, to Berwick, and return. Anyone is welcome to come alongside the railroad tracks to meet the speeder drivers and hand them a new, unwrapped toy for the drive.
Union County Industrial Railroad | Toys for Tots Drive
Join the NARCOA Speeders on the Union County Industrial Railroad!
Cars will travel the UCIR – from New Columbia, to Allenwood, then through Lewisburg to Winfield, and return. Anyone is welcome to meet the speeder drivers and hand them a new, unwrapped toy for the drive at the designated stops.
Donate to Toys for Tots at Journey Bank Locations
You can also donate toys at other times to your local Toys for Tots chapter
🎁Samaritan’s Purse- Operation Christmas Child
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.
Every year since 1993, Samaritan’s Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children around the world. Since 1993, more than 209 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their first gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love.
Collection week is early to mid November each year. Local drop off locations are available in Bloomsburg, Berwick, Elysburg, Lewisburg, Mifflingburg, Milton, Muncy, Sunbury, Winfield, & Williamsport!
💝Wreaths Across America
Colleen Marion champions this event in Danville, and has over 2,800 wreaths ready to be laid on veteran’s graves in 39 cemeteries. Part of the mission of this program is to teach children the value of freedom.
2026 Ceremony: December 19, 12pm, @ Odd Fellows Cemetery (Danville)
National Website
Theme for 2026: “Remember Me”
Info for Elan Memorial Park (Bloomsburg)
Colleen’s Tips:
- They need LOTS of volunteers
- Rain or Shine
- Arrive early if possible
- Once you have a wreath you will go up to a headstone with a flag (denoting veteran), say the person’s name and then a short thank you or prayer
- There will be a fellowship gathering afterwards with soup & hot beverages as a thank you to all volunteers
🌟The Brighter Christmas Fund
The Brighter Christmas Fund was launched in 1985 by Press Enterprise Chairman Paul R. Eyerly III as a campaign focused on giving back to the local community. Since its conception, the paper’s readers donated more than $2 million to help families in need during the holiday season.
The Brighter Christmas Fund joined the Community Giving Foundation‘s family of funds in 2019, passing off administrative functions once based in the newspaper’s business office. Your gift helps provide charitable grants to nonprofit agencies to support those in need in our community during the holiday season.
🫶Women’s Giving Circle
Get to know the nonprofits supporting women and girls!
Giving back doesn’t have to mean figuring it all out on your own. For over 3 years, our founder, Colleen Bowman, has been an active member of the committee, and the cause is near and dear to all our hearts!
The Women’s Giving Circle is a group of women who pool their donations and decide together where the money goes. Colleen says the best part has been getting to know the local organizations doing the work. Through the circle, members learn which nonprofits are supporting women and girls in our community, what they need, and where a gift can make the biggest difference.
At the most recent Women’s Giving Circle event, Colleen brought along two of our own: Molly Werntz, our Content Director, and Megan Smith, our Events Director. It was a good reminder that this kind of thing is better with friends. You don’t need to know anyone or have it all figured out to show up. Just come curious.
🫶Youth in Philanthropy
Are you interested in having your high schooler learn about community giving and local nonprofits? Below is information about the amazing Youth in Philanthropy program!
Youth in Philanthropy is a philanthropic-oriented education program offered by the Community Giving Foundation. The purpose of the program is for youth to understand the meaning of philanthropy, learn about the local nonprofit world, and take part in the grantmaking process. Through this program, students are empowered to make a positive impact in their communities now and in the future.
🎶Music Together of Bloomsburg: Nurse Family Partnership
Kerry Kenny, Music Together of Bloomsburg“Music Together of Bloomsburg has set up a Scholarship Fund to work locally with Nurse Family Partnership and offer classes to families who normally may not have the expendable income to attend. I believe everyone should have a joyful parenting experience and music can always help with that!
The partnership of Music Together of Bloomsburg and NFP will provide new moms with the positivity, confidence, and tools they need to not only assure a healthy start for their babies, but to envision a life of stability and opportunities for success for both mom and child. Any monetary amount is just fine!”
🎄Salvation Army Service Centers
“We are specifically busy during the months of October-December when we are in need of volunteers for our Red Kettle and Angel Tree programs, but we can always use volunteers and businesses who are interested in giving their time at our smaller events throughout the year.”
BLOOMSBURG
Contact: Lizzette Velazquez
Email or 570-452-3765 (call or text)
MILTON, LEWISBURG, WATSONTOWN AREAS
Contact: Valerie Harris
Email or 570-742-4231
LOCAL SALVATION ARMY ANGEL TREE COLLECTION LOCATIONS
Walmart (Multiple locations- Buckhorn, Shamokin/Sunbury, and more)
Sam’s Club (Muncy)
Tractor Supply (Multiple Locations)
Journey Bank (Multiple Branches)
Multiple Restaurants: Bandit’s Roadhouse & Tiffany’s Subs (Berwick); Applebee’s, Tiffany’s Downtown, & Unida Pizza (Bloomsburg); Tiffany’s Subs (Orangeville)
🫶Other Organizations and Events We Love:
Good Samaritan (Danville): Donate new and gently used clothes, sheets, & towels
Dwell Orphan Care (Bloomsburg): Donate items for children entering foster care in our area
Meals on Wheels (Columbia/Montour, Union/Snyder, and Northumberland Counties): Have your child help you deliver meals
Ronald McDonald House (Danville): Donate to the Season of Giving drive, host a meal, contribute to a wish list, and lots more options to help families in need
TreeFest (Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble): A fun event where they also hold a food and toy drive every year. They also collect food at their Food Preview performance for the holiday show
AGAPE Love From Above to Our Community (Bloomsburg): Collecting gift certificates for people in need; year round programs to help our community via donations, drives, and more
Engaged Bucknell (Lewisburg): Find lots of engagement opportunities and collaborations including volunteering, engaged learning, and research projects
SUN Area Technical Institute Food Drive
Grace Covenant Community Church (Middleburg)
TreeFest of Children’s Books
Rudy Gelnett Memorial Library (Sunbury)
Friendship Meal- Wesley United Methodist Church (Bloomsburg)
Sign up to bring and set up a meal for those in need
Stuff the Caboose Community Food Drive
Steamtown National Historic Site (Scranton)
Jeralee’s Toy Drive
Benefits the Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital (Danville)
Drop off locations include:
Berwick: Berwick City Hall, Beauty & Bubbles, LLC Dog Grooming, Locks by Lemons Hair Salon
Bloomsburg: Bloomsburg Tag/Title/Notary, M&M Carpet, Chiropractiv Care Center, Edith’s Market and Catering, Growing Oaks Chiropractic, Killer King Customs, Martha’s Pet Supply, Pro Rehab, Bloom Naturally, Fort McClure VFW Post 804, Strike a Pose Dance Studio
Catawissa: Catawissa Chiropractic
Danville: Animal Care Center, Java Mama, Wild for Salmon
Dunmore: USA Metal Roofs
Legacy Dental Toy Drive (Danville)
Collecting toys to benefit Janet Weis Children’s Hospital
Drop-off location in Danville
The Women’s Center- Columbia Montour Counties (Bloomsburg)
Free Thanksgiving Meal- Bloomsburg Christian Church
Year-round Volunteer Opportunities
The Susquehanna Valley United Way has a plethora of volunteering and service opportunities listed on their website; check it out for lots of institutions and foundations that are looking for helping hands!