Giving Back in Orange County: Holiday Volunteering Ideas

With the holidays right around the corner, many of us are planning family gatherings, tasty home-cooked meals, sparkling lights, and traditions that make this season feel special. It’s also a time when gratitude feels a little closer to the surface, and with full hearts, a lot of us feel a pull to give back.

If the holidays are a season of joy, they can also be a season of generosity. Volunteering is a beautiful way to spread that joy a little further, connect with neighbors, and support people who may be experiencing a very different kind of holiday.

Here are a few ways to get involved right here in Orange County:

1. Friendly Center

Website: https://friendlycenter.org/volunteer/

The Friendly Center provides wrap-around services that help families overcome crisis and the barriers of poverty. During the holidays, they often need help with things like:

• Gratitude basket collection and distribution

• Toy set-up and toy distribution days

• Ongoing support at their Orange and Buena Park locations

Whether it’s a one-time shift or a regular volunteer commitment, you’ll be supporting local families in a meaningful, hands-on way.

2. Clothing the Homeless

Website: http://www.clothingthehomeless.org/volunteers

Clothing the Homeless serves people experiencing homelessness in Orange County through a mobile clothing distribution system. Volunteers help sort, organize, and distribute clothing at various events throughout the year.

Can’t make an event? They also accept clothing donations and can be reached at contact@clothingthehomeless.org for more details. Warm coats, sturdy shoes, and everyday basics can make a huge difference during the colder months.

3. Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County

Website: https://feedoc.org/get-involved/

Second Harvest Food Bank works with partners across the county to provide dignified, equitable, and consistent access to nutritious food. Volunteers help with:

• Packing and sorting food at the distribution center

• Assisting with special events and community outreach

• Supporting programs that make it easier for families to put healthy meals on the table

A few hours of time can translate into hundreds of meals for neighbors facing food insecurity, which is especially important during the holiday season.

4. Stand Up To Trash

Website: https://www.standuptotrash.com/beach-sign-up

Stand Up To Trash hosts beach clean-ups and educational events focused on how everyday choices we make, what we plant, and what we throw away, affect marine ecosystems and ultimately human health.

They regularly offer weekend cleanups (including dates in November and December), where volunteers can:

• Collect trash along the shoreline

• Learn about ocean conservation

• Model environmental stewardship

It’s a great option for families, friend groups, or anyone who wants to turn a morning at the beach into something meaningful.

5. Orange County Rescue Mission

Website: https://www.rescuemission.org/volunteer/

Orange County Rescue Mission is a faith-based program in Tustin that provides long-term housing, meals, job training, counseling, and support to help individuals and families move from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

They offer year-round volunteer opportunities and donation drives where community members can:

• Serve meals or help in the kitchen

• Sort clothing and organize donations in the warehouse

• Assemble food boxes and hygiene kits for outreach

• Support children’s programs at the Parent & Child Enrichment Center

• Host drives for food, diapers, baby items, and hygiene products with friends, workplaces, or schools.

  
  

It’s a meaningful way to turn a few hours or a simple donation drive into long-term support for neighbors working hard to rebuild their lives.

A Few Tips for Choosing a Holiday Volunteer Opportunity

• Start with what you care about. Food insecurity, children’s programs, housing, the environment…there’s a place for every passion.

• Consider your time and energy. A single holiday event is wonderful; a recurring shift in the new year is just as impactful.

• Bring someone with you. Volunteering can become a new tradition with family, friends, or coworkers.

• Ask what’s most needed. Organizations may need volunteers, donated goods, financial contributions, or all three.

How LuxaDaisy Celebrates Community

At LuxaDaisy, our mission is to highlight women-led businesses, support intentional living, and create spaces where community feels welcoming and warm. Giving back is part of that vision. The same spirit that fills our mission to live well also inspires us to share resources, uplift neighbors, and make it easier for people to find ways to serve.

The holidays are a natural time to lean into that mission. Whether you volunteer with one of the organizations listed here, support a local nonprofit you already love, or simply look for small ways to help someone nearby, you are part of the story we hope to tell in Orange County: one of kindness, connection, and community care.

LuxaDaisy Ho-Ho Hygiene and Food Drive: December 14, 2025 - Collecting food and essentials to share comfort and care this holiday season. More info coming soon!

Do you have a holiday charity tradition?  Let us know in the comments below.

If you try one of these volunteer opportunities, we would love to hear about your experience and any new holiday traditions you start because of it.