Holiday feed the hungry and volunteer opportunities around Capitol Hill

Let Bill Pond’s many years of service on Broadway be an inspiration:

Retired carpenter Bill Pond spends his Sundays cooking, starting his famous chicken noodle soup (textured and fresh with a spicy kick) around 10 a.m., with veggies he grew in his garden. While the soup slow cooks, he prepares for a hot dog meal that will feed up to 50 people, maybe more.

Below, CHS has compiled a roster of hot meal, drives, service, gift basket and volunteer opportunities on and around Capitol Hill and central Seattle. If you’d like to give and contribute, it’s a good time of year to get involved. If you know of something we’ve missed, please let us know. We’ll continue to update this post through the holidays.

Embedded at the bottom of this post is a roster from Seattle.gov’s Emergency Food page documenting almost all of the food banks in the city. You’ll find location and contact information for each for donation and volunteer needs.

View Seattle-area Meal Programs in a larger map

This map from the Meals Partnership Coalition shows locations of regular hot meal services in the city.
On the map, you’ll note Capitol Hill’s Community Lunch program. We’re told they’ll again be hosting dinner this Thanksgiving at Broadway’s All Pilgrims Church — as the service does every Thursday. Learn more at communitylunch.org.
16th Ave’s Jewish Family Service has many opportunities to help — including their holiday gift basket program:

Individuals and groups participate in bringing joy to seniors and people with disabilities each year at Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah, Purim and Passover. Help by donating items; collecting food at a grocery store; or filling, decorating and/or delivering the baskets. Sign up for just one portion of the project…or pick a holiday with your group and see it through from beginning to end.

Other Coast Cafe Capitol Hill is running a coat drive:

Our coat drive for Heroes For The Homeless is a underway! We’ve already had our super-volunteer Nathan come by to pick up the first boxload of coats, socks and gloves. Could you take a moment to go through your closets to find the coats you just don’t wear any more? We are trying to raise 100 coats – we need your help to reach our goal by the end of November! Imagine being outside right now…so cold…

Piecora’s annually offers a free Thanksgiving meal to those in need. Usually runs 11:30 AM to 1 PM if you meet somebody on the Hill who is hungry that day.
Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission feeds the hungry every Sunday at the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church on Harvard from 2-6p. Volunteers will be there on Thanksgiving also starting at 3 PM. You can view a roster of donation needs here.
E Madison’s Jubilee Women’s Center has a holiday wish list for donations this season.
Saturday, the St. Joseph’s parish will be preparing and serving a meal for 150 at the Recovery Cafe. Volunteer information here.
First Hill’s Mary’s Place is serving a Thanksgiving dinner and could use a hand:

At Mary’s Place and the Church of Mary Magdalene, we serve a Thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday before the date! We need volunteers to help provide one dish of the meal for about 200 people, volunteers to help serve the meal, to help in the kitchen, to help set-up, to greet families as they come in, and to help clean-up afterwards! This is an awesome opportunity to show love to families who may not otherwise be able to have a Thanksgiving meal. Open to all ages!

The YWCA East Cherry branch needs volunteers to help with holiday basket delivery on Monday.
Plymouth Housing Group is also looking for volunteers to help with its downtown Thanksgiving meals:

Plymouth Housing Group provides supportive, affordable housing and opportunities for formerly-homeless adults in downtown Seattle. Because many individuals come to Plymouth Housing Group from the streets, they may not know anyone at all in the building where they live. Thanksgiving is a time for our residents to enjoy a home-cooked meal with the good company of their community. You can help make this Thanksgiving special by contributing a gift of food to one of our supportive housing buildings. While you are making your own dinner, why not add an extra turkey, dessert or side dish to donate to Plymouth residents? This celebration brings connection and comfort for our residents who may no longer be in contact with family and friends. For more information on how you can help, please call Elisabeth at (206) 374-9409, ext. 135 or email [email protected].