52 Weeks of Charity

There is something magical about volunteering during the holidays.

The energy feels different — hopeful, generous, and full of possibility. And one of the most memorable holiday volunteer experiences my husband and I shared was helping with the Lava Love holiday giveaway event in Morristown, New Jersey.

Held at a local church, the space was filled wall-to-wall with toys, coats, clothing, and food supplies, all waiting to be distributed to families in need. The sheer volume of donations was inspiring, but even more powerful was the spirit of community behind it.

This event was organized by POWER Changes Lives Inc., a nonprofit whose name truly reflects its mission.

POWER stands for People Organized Working Evolving Reaching, and their work centers on supporting low-income, minority, and underserved communities while helping build sustainable futures. Their programs address a wide range of challenges, including food insecurity, housing instability, education access, social justice reform, and family wellness.

What makes POWER Changes Lives especially meaningful is that its leadership understands adversity firsthand.

The organization’s President and CEO built POWER from lived experience, having faced poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity as a young single parent of four children. That journey shaped the organization’s mission: to not only help people survive, but to create opportunities for individuals and families to thrive.

As volunteers at the Lava Love event, my husband and I joined others in organizing and distributing items to families preparing for the holiday season. Parents searched through clothing racks, children’s eyes lit up as they spotted toys, and volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure everyone felt welcomed and supported.

Moments like these remind you that something as simple as a warm coat or a new toy can carry tremendous meaning.

Beyond this holiday event, POWER Changes Lives runs an impressive range of programs designed to create long-term impact, including:

• Operation Holiday — Helping donors adopt families in need and provide gifts and essential supplies
• Project F.E.E.D. (Friends Ensuring Every Dinner) — Providing over 100,000 meals to individuals experiencing food insecurity
• Power Play — Supporting social justice reform by helping remove barriers within the legal system
• Senior Connect — Providing free technology to seniors to help them stay connected to healthcare and loved ones
• POWER Village — Building tiny homes to provide shelter to those without stable housing

One of their most innovative programs is LavaLove itself … a 29-foot custom-designed mobile hygiene trailer equipped with showers, laundry facilities, and resources for individuals without reliable access to basic hygiene services. \

It’s a powerful reminder that dignity begins with meeting basic human needs.

What stayed with me most from this experience wasn’t just the scale of the event. It was the feeling of shared purpose. Volunteers from all walks of life came together, united by the simple goal of helping families feel cared for during the holiday season.

Volunteering alongside my husband made the experience even more meaningful. Giving back together created memories we’ll carry long after the decorations were packed away.

As I reflect on this experience, I’m reminded that the holidays are about celebration and connection. Making sure that every family, regardless of circumstance, feels seen, supported, and valued. Events like Lava Love show what’s possible when communities rally around one another.

And they reinforce one of the lessons I continue to learn throughout my #52WeeksOfCharity journey:

Warmth isn’t just something we wear, sometimes it’s something we give.

Learn more about the organization at: http://www.powerchangeslives.com/