There’s something irresistibly cozy about crisp air, falling leaves, and the way Thanksgiving makes you want to snuggle up and reflect on what truly matters. This year, why not turn that warm feeling into action by volunteering or giving back together as your date activity? Giving back doesn’t just feel good, it lets you build memories that linger longer than pumpkin pie. Here are some local and heartwarming ways to pair your love for each other with love for the community.
1) Addressing Food Insecurities~ Nourish Love by Feeding Neighbors
Austin has several wonderful organizations who help combat food insecurity. Community food pantries are the perfect place for a giving back date that’s satisfying in more ways than one. Grab your sweetheart and head to your local grocery store where you can fill a cart together with non-perishable food items to donate to the food pantry of your choice. Many of Austin’s food pantries are also looking for volunteers to help sort donations, stock shelves, and assist with distribution. Central Texas Food Bank, Hope Food Pantry, Caritas of Austin and Hungry Souls are great food banks. Another date idea that will fill your hearts while you help fill others bellies is volunteering to prepare or serve a hot meal to those in need. Angel House Soup Kitchen, Trinity Center Austin, Our Shared Kitchen, and The Charlie Center are always looking for volunteers. All of these organizations also accept monetary donations for those short on time.
2) Animal Shelters~ Snuggle & Save Lives
If your hearts melt at puppy eyes or kitten purrs, Austin’s animal rescues are calling. Volunteer together at one of the animal rescues where you can walk dogs, help with cleaning, and give some cute animals a bath together. As their tails wag, your hearts will grow! Depending on your circumstances, you may even be able to foster or adopt a rescue animal together. Austin Animal Services, Austin Pets Alive!, and Austin Humane Society are incredible animal shelters in Austin. If you don’t have time to volunteer, these shelters all appreciate and desperately need donations! So you can still help out by heading to the store, grabbing a cart, and filling it together with pet supplies to donate to the shelter of your choice. Whether you’re volunteering together or making a donation, it’s the purrfect way to show some love and do some good together.
3) Senior Support~ Serve Up Warmth & Connection
Thanksgiving is the season to honor wisdom and Austin offers heartfelt ways for couples to lend a hand to seniors. Meals on Wheels Central Texas delivers meals to homebound older adults, offers social interaction, and often needs volunteers to help with meal delivery or friendly visits. Chariot and Drive a Senior ATX are both organizations that utilize volunteers to help seniors get to and from medical appointments, grocery stores, and senior centers. Capital City Village has a variety of volunteer opportunities including transportation help, yard and housework help, technology help, and more. Make it a date to volunteer with one of these organizations and use your date to help a senior! These organizations are always in need of volunteers and donations.
4) Thrifting for a Cause~ Good Fun, Good Cause
Here are a couple of fun date ideas that help support the various thrift stores in Austin. Head to the thrift store with your sweetheart. Once you’re at the store the fun can start. You are each tasked with finding a date outfit for your sweetheart (no picking your own outfit)! You can put a budget on each outfit to make it more challenging, or pick a theme, whatever you want. Once you’ve picked each other’s outfit, head to the check out and buy them to wear on your date. Another option is to clean out your closet(s) and home(s) together and find some items you no longer need/want to donate to the thrift stores for resale. Thrifting together feels playful, but the impact is serious. Every item you drop off or purchase helps someone get a job, build skills, have a warm meal, gives them a safe place to stay for the night, etc. We recommend Goodwill, Salvation Army, Top Drawer Thrift, and Hope Family Thrift Store.
Thanksgiving is all about thanks, but what if we turned that thanks into action? Volunteering or making a donation together in Austin not only strengthens your bond, it also makes your love story part of something bigger. So grab your sweetheart, roll up those sleeves, and let’s spread the kind of gratitude that lights up the world.
