Maintain Trails or Remove Invasive Weeds in the Blue Hills 

Friends of the Blue Hills

Date/Time(s):

• Brushing with Ruth: Friday, September 20, 9 a.m.–noon.
• October Trail Maintenance: Saturday, October 5, 9 a.m.–noon.

Location: Blue Hills Reservation, Milton.

Ages: Volunteers should be 16 years old or older.

Time Commitment: Two to three hours.

Each year, people like you help to care for over 125 miles of trails in the Blue Hills Reservation. Volunteers participate in our trail maintenance and invasive weed removal events from April to December. At all events, you will work under the supervision of a trail leader. No experience or equipment is necessary! You can join one event or help out often. If you have a group interested in having their own event, please email us to set up a special event for you. 

What We'll Be Doing: These are outdoor events. Depending on the specific event you choose, you will be improving the trails or pulling invasive plants.

What You Should Know: Wear sturdy shoes, like sneakers or hiking boots. No open-toe shoes. We recommend long pants and long sleeves for pulling weeds. Bring work or gardening gloves if you have them. We hope to see you soon!

Contact: info@friendsofthebluehills.org. Click here and scroll down to register.

https://friendsofthebluehills.org

Walk or Run Our Annual 5K!

Room To Grow

Date/Time: Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15.

Location: Choose your own location.

Ages: All ages are welcome with a parent chaperone.

Time Commitment: Two to three hours.

Grab a pair of shoes (along with your friends, kiddos, and pets), and let’s get outside together. Participants can complete their 5K anywhere, anytime on Saturday, September 14 or 15. You can even take the whole weekend if you need it! We will be coming together virtually as one community across Boston, New York, and beyond to run and celebrate. This year, we’re celebrating 26 years of partnering with families raising babies in low-income communities. We hope to make our 5K bigger than ever and want you to join us in sharing our mission and growing our community. 

Contact: Jessie Beck, jbeck@roomtogrow.org. Registration for our annual 5K is available online. You can register as an individual or start building your team today!

www.roomtogrow.org

33rd Annual Golf Tournament

Friends of Boston Homeless

Date/Time: Monday, September 16. The Putting Green opens at 11 a.m. and the shotgun start is at 1 p.m.

Location: Bass Rocks Golf Club, 34 Beach Road, Gloucester.

Ages: Participants must be 15 years old or older.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Golfers of all ages, please join us for a day filled with great people, golf and giving, and with views of the Atlantic Ocean on almost every hole. Each foursome team helps one more person move out of homelessness into safe, stable housing and connect to the supports and opportunities they need to live peaceful, hopeful futures in our community. This beautiful but demanding seaside links offers a wide variety of shot-making situations caused by the ever-changing winds, chocolate drop mounds, fast rolling greens, and long fescue areas. This course is enjoyed by all because it is just plain fun! Goodie bags, lunch box, dinner buffet on the deck, raffle, silent auction, putting contest, great prizes, and more. Registration fee is $300 per individual ($225 for young adults under 34). 

Contact: Mariann Bucina Roca, mariannbucina@fobh.org. You can register here or mail in the registration form. Thank you!

www.fobh.org

Bike To The Beach (25, 50, and 100-mile routes)

The New England Ride for AUTISM & disABILITIES

Date/Time: Saturday, September 28, 7 a.m.

Location:

• Starting line: BU Nickerson Field, Harry Agganis Way and Commonwealth Ave, Boston.
• Finish line: 72 Fort Adams Dr, Newport, RI.

Free parking for riders and volunteers is available at 125 Dummer St, Brookline. Participants will receive an e-coupon following registration.

Ages: Riders must be old enough to bike a minimum of 25 miles. Volunteers of all ages are welcome with an adult chaperone.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Bike to the Beach invites you to join the most fun and most impactful challenge of your life! This beautiful ride to Newport, Rhode Island is also the best way to support autism and disabilities. Bike to the Beach is not just the host of charity bike events, but a community made up of individuals, cyclists, local organizations, advocates, philanthropists, corporate companies, and national partners. It is our goal to support individuals and families with autism and disabilities in the best way that we can. As a result, we focus on supporting Local Support Services, Research, Advocacy, and Awareness. We accomplish this through our balance of partnerships at the local and national levels. Ride a beautiful, easy-to-ride 100, 50, or 25-mile route that will finish at the beach. Virtual rides are also an option to support this fundraising effort. Fully stocked rest stops are located every 15 miles (about 1 stop per hour). There are several options for registration (including fundraising guidelines) available to fit everyone’s budget. 

If you are not able to ride but would like to volunteer there are many options available! Register here for volunteer information. Please tell us what town on the route you are closest to when you register (please select New England 2024). Volunteers may select the time of day and also the type of activity: cheering at the start of the race, cheering at the end of the race, or volunteering at water/rest stop stations. 

Contact: Email info@biketothebeach.org to reach our volunteer coordinator. Riding registration is available online. Register here for volunteer information.

https://biketothebeach.org/new-england/

Start a Collection Drive

Circle of Hope

Date/Time: Ongoing project. Donations may be dropped off Mondays-Thursdays from 10 a.m.–noon and Saturdays (September–June) from 10 a.m.–noon. Please note: Circle of Hope’s donation center will be closed from July 26 through September 2. Some staff will be working remotely during this time so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Location: Deliver donations to 1329 Highland Ave, Needham.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Circle of Hope has kept pace with the growth in homelessness. We make regular donations to 26 homeless shelters, healthcare clinics, universities, and other programs throughout Greater Boston and Metro West. We need your help giving seasonal essentials to families experiencing homelessness. Running a drive is a relatively simple yet high-impact way to help families and individuals who are homeless. Please help fill our shelves for our upcoming shelter and clinic deliveries.

We especially need new and gently used sneakers for children and adults in all sizes and new and gently used unisex infant clothing in all sizes. 

You can also ship items directly to Circle of Hope through our Amazon Wish List or your preferred online retailer. Our shipping address is 1329 Highland Ave. Needham, MA 02492.

Contact: carolyn@circleofhopeonline.org.

www.circleofhopeonline.org

2024 Mystery Quilt Challenge 

Project Linus

Date/Time: Online registration is open through September 30.

Location: Your home or community. Completed quilts can be dropped off at a local Massachusetts chapter.

Ages: All ages are welcome.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Project Linus provides handmade blankets to children 0-18 in the United States who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. 

What is the Project Linus Mystery Quilt Challenge?

The Mystery Quilt Challenge is a yearly fundraiser for Project Linus. Eight clues are revealed over eight weeks which will give participants very detailed, written with video instructions to complete a beautiful child-sized quilt. All levels of quilting expertise are welcome from novice to experienced! Click here for more details on what the challenge is all about, and how it started. 

How much does it cost?

The cost of participating in the Challenge is a $20.00 donation to Project Linus. If you specify your local chapter on your registration form the donation will be most appreciated and will be used for Project Linus related expenses in your local area.

How do I participate? 

There will be a weekly "Clue" available online and activated each week on Saturday. Our Mystery Clues page is password-protected and only those who have officially registered for the 2024 Challenge will be able to enter. NOTE: Clues will NOT be emailed to you - they are available for download from our website only.

Thank you for supporting Project Linus. We would love to have you join us for this year's challenge! 

Contact: mary@projectlinus.org. Registration may be found here.

www.projectlinus.org

9th Annual Fill the Bus

Catie's Closet

Date/Time: Ongoing from August 1 through September 30.

Location(s):  

Boston Center: Please contact us at 617.272.3621.

Dracut Center: Please contact us at 978.957.2200.

Ages: All ages and group sizes are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Catie’s Closet provides a crucial service of offering clean clothing and toiletries to students in their own schools who are experiencing homelessness or need support. Join us for our 9th annual Fill the Bus event and help us collect over 80,000 items for back-to-school! Having a safe place like Catie’s Closet and access to basic necessities helps students envision a future where they can proudly be themselves and celebrate their uniqueness and identity. There are four ways for your family to have a major impact this year with Catie’s Closet:

Fund it: host a company or community-wide fundraiser to raise much-needed funds to purchase items for the Closet.

Pack it: Build a Confidence Pack. Confidence packs are strategically designed packages targeting our most urgent needs. We have six different themes: Hygiene (toiletry products), Undies (underwear and socks), School (school supplies), Uniform (tops and bottoms), and Gym (tops and shorts and sneakers), as well as a First Day of School Pack, which is a brand-new outfit from head to toe. If you are interested in building confidence packs, please email Bethany@catiescloset.org.

Run it: Participate in our 5th Annual Virtual 5K and fundraise for brand-new pairs of sneakers for children in need this school year. Register as an individual or team.

Give it: Host a clothing and basic necessities drive. We will provide you with all the materials you need, including a customized flyer – all you have to do is advertise and collect! Reach out to our team to register and plan your drive, and receive your custom flyer.

Learn more about how you can make your summer impactful for the school year ahead by visiting our website.

Contact: bethany@catiescloset.org.

www.catiescloset.org

2024 Jimmy Fund Walk

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Date/Time: Sunday, October 6. See the handbook for start locations and times.

Location(s): Hopkinton, Wellesley, Newton, Dana-Farber, and Boston Common Finish Line.

Volunteering locations:

• Hopkinton: Marathon Walk start.
• Wellesley: Half Marathon Walk start.
• Newton: 10K Walk start.
• Dana-Farber: 5K Walk start.
• Boston Common (corner of Charles Street and Beacon Street): Jimmy Fund Walk Finish Line.
• Refueling stations along the Boston Marathon® course.

Ages: All ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

On Sunday, October 6, participants will take to the Boston Marathon® course for the 2024 Jimmy Fund Walk. The Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai raises the most money of any single-day walk in the nation and has raised more than $167 million since 1989 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Each year, more than 800 friends, family members, and colleagues volunteer their time to support the Jimmy Fund Walk and Dana-Farber’s mission, to provide adults and children with cancer with the best treatment available today while developing tomorrow’s cures through cutting-edge research.

Volunteers are needed to help with a variety of roles including:

• Event setup and breakdown.
• Walker registration and check-in.
• Food and beverage distribution.
• Green team clean-up.
• Cheer squads along the course.

Contact: Alli Meade, allison_meade@dfci.harvard.edu. Volunteers are needed at several locations along the Marathon route. Register here today! Select your location when you register or email Alli Meade with any questions.

www.danafarber.jimmyfund.org

13th Annual Ride For Food

Three Squares New England

Date/Time(s): Sunday, October 6, 7:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

• 7:30 a.m. Registration opens. Coffee, food, DJ, and bike mechanics will be available onsite.
• 8:30 a.m. 50-mile riders depart.
• 9:45 a.m. 25-mile riders depart.
• 10 a.m. Walkers depart.
• 11 a.m. Band begins.
• 11:30 a.m. Lunch begins.
• 1:30 p.m. Event concludes.

Location: Noble and Greenough Campus McLeod Field, Dedham.

Ages: All ages are welcome to walk, volunteer, or participate as an off-the-beaten-path participant with an adult chaperone. Riders must be 14 years old or older and riders under 18 years old must have a parent-signed waiver.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Our vision is to end hunger. In Massachusetts, 1-in-5 households, and 1 in 3 children are impacted by hunger every day. Three Squares New England's mission is to provide our Hunger Relief Partner Organizations with a turnkey platform to raise funds for their programs and advocate for an equitable food system for all.

There are three ways to participate. 

Are you a biker? Join our 25 and 50-mile rides. 

Are you a walker? Join our onsite 5k walk.

Can’t make it on October 6? Join our Off the Beaten Path option. Choose your preferred activity (bike, spin, run, walk, hike, kayak, etc). Join virtually whenever and wherever you would like. Register here. Registration fee for ride and 5k is $85. Off the Beaten Path is $50. Create a subteam of three or more people and get your registration fee waived completely. Plus, the subteam that raises the most money will be offered a tour and hayride at the Gleaners' headquarters at Stonefield Farm in Acton! Please reach out to outreach@bostonareagleaners.org before registering online to receive your registration discount code.

Volunteers are also needed and greatly appreciated. Register here to volunteer and let us know how you can help (set up, clean up, registration help, cheering, and more)!

Contact: outreach@bostonareagleaners.org.

Ride for Food - Three Squares New England

Make a Meal

Lasagna Love

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity.

Location: Lasagna Love opportunities are available in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Australia.

Ages: Families with children of all ages are encouraged to participate.

Time Commitment: Flexible.

Lasagna Love is a global grassroots movement with thousands of volunteers cooking and delivering meals to families in need in their communities. What we do is simple: we feed families, spread kindness, and strengthen communities. Our mission is to help address the incredible rise in food insecurity among families but, also, to provide a simple act of love and kindness during this time full of uncertainty and stress. Lasagna Love matches neighbors who can provide a meal with a neighbor who needs a little help. You can customize your participation by deciding how often you participate: once a month, multiple lasagnas weekly, or somewhere in between. You decide how far you can drive to deliver a meal and if you can accommodate special diets like vegetarian or gluten-free. The Lasagna Love System matches you with a neighbor in need. We also provide online training to help you get started and able to drop off meals contact-free, and recipes if you are looking for inspiration and any other support you need. We also provide proof of volunteer community service hours if needed for school.

Contact: outreachnetwork@lasagnalove.org. Check here to see if Lasagna Love is currently in your neighborhood.

lasagnalove.org