Why you shouldn't volunteer at a soup kitchen this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a day to be grateful for what you have and to think about giving back to others. In the spirit of giving, thousands of well-meaning people search for opportunities to volunteer at soup kitchens or food banks on Thanksgiving day each year.

Here’s why you shouldn’t.

“If you really want to volunteer, pick any day, but don’t pick Thanksgiving or the day after Thanksgiving,” said Eileen Heisman, CEO and President of the National Philanthropic Trust.

It may seem counterintuitive to argue that you shouldn’t volunteer on a day that literally has “giving” in the name, but Heisman explained that many charities, especially smaller ones, can be overwhelmed by an influx of one-time volunteers. It takes charities time and resources to train volunteers, she said, and making a long-term commitment is the best way to help.

"We often end up having to turn away people who show up the day of the event wanting to help because we simply do not have enough room to accommodate the number of people who want to participate," said Matt Vaughan spokesperson at Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada.

Vaughan said they prefer people to sign up for holiday volunteer opportunities several months in advance.

"That way if we fill all of our spots for the meals we still have enough time to find other opportunities for them," he said. "We also need volunteers year-round and encourage people to tour our facility to find out what program would be a good fit for them."

Mary Lou Bozza, director of development at Haley House, a nonprofit that runs a soup kitchen in Boston, said that while charities do have volunteering lulls, the holidays aren't one of them. 

“We do have volunteer needs those days, but we often get so much interest that it's hard to manage that,” Bozza said. 

She suggested finding other ways to give back, like donating to a holiday clothing drive.

Heisman also encouraged people in the giving spirit to donate their time or money on #GivingTuesday, a global charitable campaign on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. 

“Giving money is always wonderful,” she said. “If you do have the ability to raise money, think about giving a cash gift.”

Before you make any commitment, do your research. Heisman cautioned that not all charities have the resources to utilize volunteer labor effectively.

"Inventory really carefully the kinds of organizations that touch your heart and make a few phone calls," she said.

And remember, you aren't just limited to soup kitchens and food pantries. 

There are hundreds of seasonal volunteer opportunities, including turkey trots — road races on or around Thanksgiving that raise money for local charities — said Greg Baldwin, President of VolunteerMatch, a nonprofit that connects volunteers and charities.

"There's lots of skilled volunteer opportunities that people might not think about for photographers, DJs, web development folks," Baldwin said. Spending a few hours doing organizational work, like helping a local food pantry create a website or sort out its finances, can potentially be more helpful than simply serving food.

Baldwin added that charities really need help in early spring and summer months when there are fewer volunteers.

“We’re trying to use the holidays as much as we can as a point of entry for people to get involved throughout the remainder of the year,” he said.

Use the holiday to to think about where you can really be effective and make a real commitment. Remember, Baldwin said, charities are open year-round.

"They need help all the time, not just when people are reminded of that."

Mike Higdon, city life reporter at the Reno Gazette Journal contributed to this story