Start a new tradition this holiday season: volunteer! The Volunteer Center of Rhode Island, in conjunction with the Points of Light Foundation and The Walt Disney Company, invites families to take part in National Family Volunteer Day activities Nov. 17. Choose one of many volunteer projects for all ages planned to help families spend quality time together while giving back to their community.

Visit www.vcri.org and click on the “Family Volunteer Day” headline or contact the agencies listed below directly for information about times, locations and descriptions of their project.

These projects need volunteers on Nov. 17:

Help organize Project Outreach’s food pantry in Providence; contact Morgan McCallin at mmccalli@providence.edu.

Greet community members during an electronic and computer recycling drive for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council in Cumberland; contact Kristin Zawistowski at (401) 724-2200 or e-mail kristin@tourblackstone.com.

Play with other families while enjoying the culture and fun of the Providence Children’s Museum in Providence; contact Kelly Fenton at (401) 273-5437 or e-mail fenton@childrenmuseum.org.

Protect Rhode Island’s beautiful shoreline at Little Mussachuck Creek and Narragansett Bay for the Barrington Land Conservation Trust in Barrington; contact Helen Tjader at (401) 245-6209 or e-mail hhtjader@cox.net.

Bring your upbeat personality and genuine family attitude for a friendly visitation for the West Warwick Jaycees of Kent County to the Group Home in Cranston; contact Jack Lancellotta at (401) 828-9191 or e-mail wwjayceeskc@aol.com.

Pack and deliver holiday dinner baskets to needy families in the Providence area for Meals on Wheels of RI; contact Lori Incerpi at (401) 351-6700 or e-mail lincerpi@rimeals.org.

Help with fundraising efforts for Hope for Animals animal shelter in Smithfield; contact Ann Sepe at (401) 996-4129 or e-mail AJM3S@aol.com.

Brighten the holidays for the Audubon Environmental Education Centers volunteers by creating ornaments in Bristol; contact Cathy Corey at (401) 245-7500 or e-mail ccorey@asri.org.

Family volunteers are also invited to participate on Sunday, November 10 for:

Build family values and clean Rhode Island beaches for Save the Bay at Scarborough Beach in Narragansett; contact Stephany Hessler at (401) 272-3540 or e-mail shessler@savebay.org.

For information on additional projects during the weeks leading up to and following Thanksgiving or how to incorporate volunteering and community service into your family life, contact Lauren Paola at (401) 421-6547, ext. 104 or email lpaola@vcri.org.

Volunteer opportunities are provided by the Volunteer Center of Rhode Island. To list a volunteer opportunity, call (401) 421-6547 or (800) VOLUNTEER; to search volunteer opportunities, go to www.vcri.org.

—MARY BETH WOODWARD