Where to Volunteer in Gallatin This Holiday Season

Gallatin residents can volunteer this holiday season with Feed Sumner, Gallatin CARES, Mid-Cumberland Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity of Sumner County, the Humane Society of Sumner County, Gallatin Shalom Zone, United Way of Sumner County and the City of Gallatin. Most organizations require advance contact or onboarding, and holiday-specific shifts may be announced later in the year.

Gallatin residents who want to volunteer during the 2026 holiday season have several verified starting points, but the right choice depends on the kind of service, time commitment and age requirements involved. Food assistance is available through Feed Sumner, Gallatin CARES and United Way of Sumner County; Meals on Wheels connects volunteers with older adults; Habitat for Humanity offers ReStore and build-related roles; and animal lovers can apply with the Humane Society of Sumner County.

The organizations below publish ongoing volunteer pathways. Because seasonal campaigns and holiday shifts can change, contact the organization directly before planning around a specific Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year date.

Quick answer: where to start volunteering in Gallatin

If you want to… — Consider… — What the organization currently says

Sort food, pack bags or help with food drives — Feed Sumner — No experience is required; group opportunities and community-service hours are available. Volunteers should complete the onboarding process.

Help clients at a pantry or thrift store — Gallatin CARES — Published roles include packing food bags, greeting clients, picking up donations, organizing food drives and sorting thrift-store donations.

Deliver meals to older adults — Mid-Cumberland Meals on Wheels — Gallatin routes are weekday, lunchtime opportunities requiring an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time shift.

Work around pets — Humane Society of Sumner County — Volunteers must be at least 16 under the organization’s stated policy and should apply at the shelter during published volunteer hours.

Help with housing or retail reuse — Habitat for Humanity of Sumner County — Opportunities include the ReStore, build days, committees, administrative support, photography and special events.

Support children, families or holiday programs — Gallatin Shalom Zone — Its volunteer application lists special events, Toys for Tots, after-school mentoring, office assistance and other programs.

Find a broader match — United Way of Sumner County — United Way connects volunteers with its own projects and partner agencies, including Meals on Wheels, CASA and seasonal drives.

Food assistance and holiday hunger relief

Feed Sumner

Feed Sumner is a practical choice for residents who want warehouse, food-drive or distribution work. The organization says volunteers can help with food-related service without specialized experience, and it welcomes churches, schools, clubs and businesses. Volunteers must complete its onboarding checklist and acknowledgment before serving.

Published roles include greeting clients, sorting donations and loading food boxes. Feed Sumner also says it can provide community-service opportunities for students, scouts and others. Volunteers who cannot lift heavy items can ask about lower-lifting roles, such as greeting or sorting.

Feed Sumner lists its address as 1121 Gregory Drive in Gallatin. Its volunteer page directs prospective volunteers to contact the volunteer and program coordinator about upcoming opportunities; it lists 615-348-4463 and [email protected] for volunteer questions.

May suit: Individuals, families with age-appropriate children, student groups, churches and businesses seeking a food-bank project.

Before signing up: Ask whether the available holiday project is a regular warehouse shift, a distribution assignment or a food drive. The organization states that volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes.

Gallatin CARES

Gallatin CARES offers two main service areas: a food pantry and a thrift store. Its volunteer page lists packing food bags, greeting clients, picking up donations and organizing food drives for the pantry. Thrift-store tasks include sorting donated items, bringing donations and helping spread the word about the store.

The organization lists its location as 330 North Durham Avenue in Gallatin and provides 615-452-5732 as its phone number. Prospective volunteers should use the organization’s contact option to ask about current shifts and whether a group project is available during the holiday season.

May suit: People who prefer direct pantry service, donation sorting or a smaller local volunteer setting.

Holiday tip: If you are organizing a workplace or neighborhood drive, ask Gallatin CARES which food, household or clothing items are most useful before collecting. Needs can change, and a targeted drive is usually more useful than an uncoordinated mix of donations.

United Way of Sumner County

United Way of Sumner County is useful when you are not sure which type of service fits. The organization maintains a volunteer sign-up process and connects people with United Way projects and partner agencies across Sumner County.

Its published volunteer information includes a Winter Care Drive involving new hats and gloves and gently used coats, a United We Feed food drive, group projects requested by businesses or community organizations, and partner opportunities with Meals on Wheels and CASA.

United Way also lists continuing partner opportunities. These include Meals on Wheels routes in Gallatin or Hendersonville, CASA advocacy for children involved in court proceedings, and Community Life Ride, a volunteer-driven transportation program for adults age 60 and older who no longer drive.

May suit: New residents, visitors looking for a structured connection, businesses planning a group project and volunteers who want several causes compared in one place.

Volunteer with Meals on Wheels

Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency’s Meals on Wheels program serves the Gallatin, Portland and White House area through home-delivered meals. The agency says volunteers help pack and deliver weekday lunchtime meals.

This is not the easiest fit for a one-day holiday project. Mid-Cumberland states that it does not currently offer evening or weekend Meals on Wheels volunteer opportunities and cannot use one-time volunteers because of background-check costs. It seeks people willing to make an ongoing commitment.

The agency’s volunteer information says Gallatin-area routes are generally picked up around lunchtime on weekdays. United Way describes a typical route as taking about 45 minutes, although the actual time can vary by route and conditions.

May suit: Adults with dependable weekday availability, a vehicle and an interest in delivering meals and providing a brief social connection to older adults.

Before signing up: Ask about the current background-check process, route availability, driving requirements and whether children may accompany an adult volunteer. Do not assume a holiday-week schedule is the same as a regular weekday schedule.

Help animals in Sumner County

The Humane Society of Sumner County provides volunteer opportunities connected to animal care, fundraising and administrative support. Its volunteer page specifically mentions walking dogs, stuffing envelopes for educational mailings and assisting with fundraising events.

The organization’s published policy says volunteers must be at least 16. It directs prospective volunteers to visit the shelter Wednesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to complete a volunteer application.

The shelter is at 16 Volunteer Drive in Hendersonville, making it a Sumner County option rather than a Gallatin city-limits opportunity. The organization lists 615-822-0061 and [email protected] for contact.

May suit: Teens age 16 and older, adults who want animal-related service and volunteers comfortable with recurring shelter or event work.

Holiday tip: Animal shelters may need help with both hands-on tasks and behind-the-scenes fundraising or supply drives. Ask which roles are open before arriving; do not assume walk-in animal-care shifts are available.

Support housing and neighborhood projects

Habitat for Humanity of Sumner County lists several ways to volunteer, including work at its ReStore, build days, committees, special events, administrative support, photography and meal preparation for volunteer projects.

The organization says ReStore volunteers may help with donation acquisition, merchandising, customer service, pricing and store organization. Build-day volunteers do not need construction experience, according to the organization, because crew leaders provide guidance.

Habitat for Humanity of Sumner County lists its address as 327 Sumner Hall Drive in Gallatin, with 615-452-9606 and [email protected] as contact information.

May suit: Adults, skilled tradespeople, people interested in retail reuse and volunteers who want a project-based alternative to food distribution.

Before signing up: Ask whether the available opportunity is at the ReStore, a construction site, an office or a special event. Build schedules and volunteer capacity can vary by project.

Youth, family and holiday programs

Gallatin Shalom Zone

Gallatin Shalom Zone’s volunteer application lists programs and activities including after-school mentoring, BotBall coding and robotics, building upkeep, English as a Second Language, office assistance, special events and Toys for Tots.

The organization lists its location as 260 East Winchester Street in Gallatin and provides 615-230-5906 as its phone number. Its application asks volunteers to identify programs or events of interest, which makes it a useful starting point for people who want to match their skills with a specific program rather than accept a general assignment.

May suit: Families, educators, people with office or technology skills and volunteers looking for youth, education or holiday-program work.

CASA of Sumner County

United Way lists CASA of Sumner County as seeking diverse volunteers to advocate for children involved in court proceedings, primarily because of abuse or neglect. The opportunity involves a substantial service role rather than a casual holiday shift, so interested volunteers should ask about training, screening and the expected time commitment.

May suit: Adults looking for an ongoing child-advocacy commitment and people prepared to complete required training and screening.

How to choose a volunteer opportunity

Use these questions before applying:

1. Do you want a single project or an ongoing role? Feed drives, sorting projects and special events may be easier to schedule than Meals on Wheels or CASA, which describe continuing commitments.
2. How much physical work is appropriate? Food warehouses, construction sites and animal shelters can involve standing, lifting or outdoor work. Ask about lighter-duty roles if needed.
3. Are you volunteering with children? Confirm minimum ages, adult-supervision rules and whether the organization accepts family groups.
4. Do you need service-hour documentation? Feed Sumner states that it offers community-service opportunities. Ask any other organization about documentation before completing a court, school or scholarship requirement.
5. Can you volunteer during the workweek? Meals on Wheels specifically describes weekday lunchtime delivery, while some holiday events may occur on evenings or weekends.
6. Do you need a holiday-specific assignment? Ask whether the organization has a 2026 seasonal campaign, a waitlist or a year-round role that can begin before December.

Before you sign up

• Contact the organization directly instead of arriving unannounced.
• Ask about age limits, background checks, training, transportation and physical requirements.
• Confirm the exact date, arrival time, parking instructions and cancellation policy.
• For group projects, provide the group size and preferred dates early.
• Wear clothing and shoes appropriate to the assignment; Feed Sumner specifically requires closed-toe shoes.
• Do not bring donated goods that were not requested. Ask for the current wish list or most-needed items.
• Recheck holiday schedules in November and December because seasonal shifts, donation deadlines and capacity can change.

For broader seasonal planning, pair this guide with MyGallatin’s [Gallatin holiday lights guide](/articles/gallatin-holiday-lights-guide) and [annual Gallatin event planning calendar](/articles/annual-gallatin-event-planning-calendar). Those pages can help visitors and new residents combine a volunteer project with other December activities without treating an event listing as a substitute for the organization’s own volunteer instructions.

A practical next step

Choose one cause and contact it with three details: the number of volunteers, the dates you can serve and the type of work you prefer. If you need help comparing causes, start with United Way of Sumner County. If you want a direct Gallatin assignment, Feed Sumner, Gallatin CARES, Habitat for Humanity of Sumner County and Gallatin Shalom Zone are the clearest starting points in the current published information.

Last verified: August 22, 2026. Holiday-specific 2026 shifts and seasonal campaigns should be confirmed with each organization before making plans.