It is the season of giving. While you are out shopping this season, you might want to think about the needs of local nonprofits. Here are some of their needs:

Grace Community Church/Panther Valley Food Pantry

Grace Community Church/Panther Valley Food Pantry’s main need is for grocery store gift cards. Even $5 or $10 cards can help fill in the gap where other donations are lacking.

Any donations can be mailed to Grace Community Church/Panther Valley Food Pantry, 15 W. Ridge St., Lansford, PA 18232, or call 570-645-2212.

St. John Neumann

St. John Neumann Regional School in Palmerton and Slatington is the only remaining Catholic School in Carbon County and we would like to remain for years to come. The school would like to request a few items:

1. Cash donations

2. Gift cards to be used as prizes

3. Cases of white copier paper

Contact: 259 Lafayette Ave. in Palmerton or 641 W. Washington St. in Slatington; 610-826-2354 or 610-767-2935; or www.sjnrschool.org.

West End fire and rescue

West End Fire and Rescue in Mahanoy City can always use cleaning supplies including paper towels, cases of water and gift cards to Walmart and Sam’s Club for supplies.

Contact Kathleen Gavala at 570-778-5500.

Family Promise

Family Promise of Carbon County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit family shelter program in Lehighton.

• Toiletries: Shampoos, soaps and lotions, loofahs, razors, deodorant, first aid supplies.

• Baby items: Formula, wipes and diapers

• Undergarments: All sizes are needed for men, women and children.

• Day center supplies: dish soap, liquid hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels.

Contact: 167 S. Third St., Lehighton, PA 18235, or call 610-379-4757.

Friends of Beltzville

The Friends of Beltzville State Park is a nonprofit dedicated to promote and maintain the park and promote its usage by all.

The group’s wish list is for work tools such as: wheel barrow, long-handled spade, lawn rake, metal rake, branch trimmer, pruning shears, pitch fork, kneeling pads, weeding tools, tool box, pick, hoe.

Any tools donated will be greatly appreciated and put to good use to help maintain the park’s environment.

Contact Friends of Beltzville State Park Vice Chairman John Dworsky at 484-629-9038 to donate.

Volunteer requests

Area groups are always looking for volunteers.

Carbon County Friends of Animals

Carbon County Friends of Animals, located in Jim Thorpe, is always in need of volunteers to help with various fundraising events.

Volunteer opportunities could include selling items, manning a booth at an event, such as the shelter’s upcoming Erin’s Chocolate Sale and Chinese auction at the Carbon Plaza Mall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 13, 14 and 15, or providing some love and attention to the felines that are currently in the shelter.

If you or someone you know would like to assist the organization with upcoming events, contact any of the board members or call the shelter at 570-325-9400.

Forgotten Felines and Fidos

Forgotten Felines and Fidos is in need of volunteers to help with the daily cleaning of the shelter, especially weekdays. Most cleaning is done in the morning between 8-11 a.m. In addition, foster homes are needed to help socialize cats and kittens, and volunteers are needed to help with fundraising.

Forgotten Felines and Fidos is at 6022 Mountain Road, Germansville, PA 18053. Volunteer coordinator Mary Ann can be contacted by email at fffvolunteer@verizon.net or by phone at 610-737-6851.

Miller-Keystone Blood Center

Someone needs to give out snacks with a smile while monitoring the donors and making sure they are doing well after donating.

Canteen attendants attend to blood donors after the donation process is complete. They offer a drink and a snack, while ensuring the donor is feeling well and remains in the canteen for at least 15 minutes.

Volunteers can help at a variety of blood drives in the community at high schools, colleges, businesses, churches or other community organizations. You choose when and where you would like to volunteer. It could be once a month or as often as you would like. Most of the need is during the work day. Blood drives can be between four and seven hours. If we get enough volunteers, we can break the longer ones into shifts, but we cannot help you fulfill community service hours.

Every 2 seconds someone needs blood. Please consider helping us make sure it is available.

A one-plus-hour orientation and then on-the-job training is required. Criminal background check and child abuse clearances are required (free for volunteers). Most blood drives are during the workweek.

Please contact Carol Grace Hicks at 800-223-6667 or Chicks@giveapint.org for more information.

St. Luke’s

St. Luke’s Miners and Gnaden Huetten campuses are looking for volunteers to help make a difference with our patients in the Skilled Nursing Unit, Inpatient Nursing, Emergency Department or Hospice by spending time socializing, providing comfort items, and assist staff with various supportive duties. St. Luke’s volunteers are greatly appreciated and a valued member of our team! Join our program today by calling 484-526-4600 or visit our website at www.slhn.org/volunteerNOW

Email tneditor@tnonline.com to let us know what the wish list is for your nonprofit group.

Please be sure to include your contact information so people can fulfill your wishes.

We will compile everyone’s lists and run them in the Times News during the holiday season.