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
Kansas City 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 favorite 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 Kansas City’s food pantries are also looking for volunteers to help sort donations, stock shelves, and assist with distribution. Kansas Center Dream Center, Harvesters Community Food Network, Giving Hope, and Community Assistance Council all have 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. One City Cafe, Nourish KC, Hot Lunch Service Inc., Cross-Lines Community Kitchen 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, Kansas City’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. The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, Pawsitive Tails, KC Pet Project, KC PAWS, Wayside Waifs, and Unleashed Pet Rescue & Adoption are incredible animal shelters in Kansas City. If you don’t have time to volunteer, these shelters all appreciate and desperately need donations! 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 Kansas City offers heartfelt ways for couples to lend a hand to seniors. KC Shepherd’s Center offers a wide variety of senior assistance programs. You can volunteer for programs like Meals on Wheels which delivers meals to homebound seniors, the Friendly Visitor Programs where volunteers visit seniors and enrich their lives through socialization, KC Rakes! where volunteers help with light yard work for seniors in need, and more. All of these programs will provide you and your sweetheart an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of seniors together.
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 Kansas City. 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, City Thrift, Red Racks, and Blessings Abound thrift stores and donation centers.
Thanksgiving is all about thanks, but what if we turned that thanks into action? Volunteering or making a donation together in Kansas City 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.
