Give Thanks and Give Back | Vancouver WA Charities and Food Banks

Thanksgiving isn’t just a time to give thanks, it’s also a time to think about how we can give back. People need help now more than ever, and Vancouver has numerous opportunities for volunteering and donating throughout the year. Last week we talked about the Clark County Food Bank. This week we’ve linked a comprehensive list of local charities and volunteer opportunities at the end of this blog. Read on to see a few of the major Vancouver charities and food banks you can give back to this winter. 

Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO) 

The Winter Hospitality Overflow is an incredible organization that works with the homeless community in Vancouver, Washington to help those in need during the winter’s coldest months. Guests are offered a warm place to sleep, a hot shower, and a meal. These are basic human needs that are often hard to come by for the homeless community, and the winter is an especially tough time. WHO usually has hundreds of volunteers, but this year they’ve had to resort to paid staff instead of volunteers to ensure safety and hygiene precautions. To meet these costs, they need to raise $50,000 to ensure that the WHO program can continue to serve the community during these trying times. Visit their website to learn more, and donate today! 

The Giving Closet 

The Giving Closet’s motto is “no one should be hungry, unclothed, or unloved within our reach,” and they really live up to that! Founded by the Vancouver Church back in 2000, The Giving Closet has a 9,000 sq. foot free community store that supplies basic life essentials such as clothing, toiletries, food, and household items. They also provide books and toys! Visit their website to learn more, and donate some much needed winter clothing. 

Share 

Share has been serving the people of Vancouver for over 40 years! This organization has helped thousands of people in need, providing services to individuals and families in a variety of ways. They work with numerous Share partners to provide housing for people experiencing homelessness, including the Share House, Share Homestead, and WHO. They have an Outreach program that services over 1,100 hard to reach and hard-to-serve homeless individuals each year. Share provides everything from clothing and hygiene to laundry and showers. They also have case managers who can meet with clients and help assist them with existing social services, find stable housing, and more. Learn more on their website, and consider donating this winter.