The 2025 holiday season is already off to a festive start and brimming with opportunities to give back to others and spread joy. MCPS students throughout the county have made it their mission to give back to their communities this holiday season, both by continuing age-old traditions and introducing new methods.
At Sherwood High School, student organizations, including the school’s chapter of Leo Club, have introduced several opportunities to give back. The available opportunities this year include paper snowflake making for pediatric patients and a toy donation drive in partnership with Olney 4Kidz and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
“Making snowflakes for pediatric patients is one of my favorite Leo Club activities,” Leo Club vice president Jordan Pisner said. “It feels great to know that something so simple can brighten a child’s day and show them we care during the holidays!”
Photo Courtesy of Nisha Khatri
The toy drive, according to Leo Club co-president and Olney 4Kidz founder Nhi Truong, intends to spread joy and provide comfort to children spending their holidays in hospitals. “We are using the holiday season to host a toy drive because many children in hospitals are going through tough times and do not have the joy or support that usually comes with Christmas. Some of them cannot open gifts at home, so we wanted to make sure they still receive presents,” she said.
Sherwood’s Animal Outreach student organization has a similar donation drive, a Winter Donation Drive, with proceeds to go to local animal shelters. The organization has been collecting blankets, towels, and pet-safe toys for donations for the past three years.
“Animals are an often forgotten about population, especially during the winter months,” Animal Outreach vice president Alexa Walters explained. “Sherwood’s Animal Outreach is ensuring that this isn’t the case, through collections of warm gear.”
Additionally, MoCo EmpowHER, in collaboration with Kits to Heart, is hosting a Service Day on December 17 from 6:00-8:00 pm to create care kits for cancer patients. This opportunity is available to all MCPS middle and high school students, aimed at creating a thoughtful and collaborative way of fostering positive change.
Even beyond school-affiliated organizations, there are many opportunities to give back to the community in Montgomery County, from donating in drives for resources to volunteering at events. Through the Montgomery County Holiday Giving Project, people can donate items such as food, gift cards and toys. Volunteering is also an option, with The Arc enabling individuals to fulfill holiday wish lists and wrap the donated gifts.
Several cities in Montgomery County, including Gaithersburg and Rockville, have Meals on Wheels locations where people can volunteer to deliver meals to those in need. Alternatively, the community can also volunteer at food banks like Nourish Now and So What Else Inc. Nourish Now works to recover surplus food from their food donor partners, including several restaurants, foods, and caterers; they then distribute these foods and drinks to over 19,000 individuals. So What Else Inc. similarly provides for underserved communities in the area, providing food, basic necessities, and out-of-school programming.
Whether it be through these existing opportunities or through new ways to give back, Montgomery County is always in need of volunteers, and many students are more than happy to meet these needs. “[We want to make sure people] feel cared for, no matter where they are,” Truong said.
Written by Nisha Khatri
Photo courtesy of Nisha Khatri and Creative Commons