Here's how you can give back around Denver this holiday season

It's time to help your heart grow three times in size — just in case you need it to.

Driving the news: We rounded up some of the best opportunities to volunteer in metro Denver as the holiday season approaches.

Zoom in: Here are 10 local organizations that need your helping hand.

A Little Help: Connects people with older adults to provide them with transportation, handiwork and other services.

Catholic Charities: Looks for volunteers to help with kitchen meal prep, including peeling and chopping veggies and fruits.

Children's Hospital Colorado: Always in need of blood donations, which are critically needed for procedures at the hospital, since it carries out more than 14,000 blood transfusions every year.

Denver Dream Center: Helps formerly incarcerated people with reentry, and runs a closet and food pantry collecting items for families and people in need.

Denver Food Rescue: Partners with retailers including grocery stores and farmers markets to get fresh food and perishable items for its free grocery programs in the city.

Food Bank of the Rockies: Provides food for people in need and is looking for volunteers at its main distribution center in Denver, which can be done individually or in groups.

Kitchen One for One: Needs volunteers for food prep and meal serving for its restaurant-quality meals, which it provides to impoverished residents and people experiencing homelessness.

Rose Andom Center: Provides resources for domestic violence victims, and is seeking coaches to help people aged 7 to 16 who have been impacted by violence.

The Salvation Army: Needs volunteers for its food prep, cooking, packaging and delivery for Thanksgiving Day for cities including Denver, Aurora, and Lakewood.

Project Angel Heart: Provides meals for people with severe illnesses, including folks who are not well enough to get groceries or cook for themselves.

Celebrating Giving Tuesday in Denver

Colorado Gives Day is Dec. 5, but you can start donating anytime.

Zoom in: The day was created by the Colorado Gives Foundation and lets you pick from multiple causes including animals, housing and shelter, education, food and nutrition, and health care.

• Early giving started on Nov. 1, and has already raised $3.1 million from more than 11,000 donors, according to the nonprofit organizing the initiative.
• Donations made between then and Dec. 5 qualify for prizes and incentives, including $5,000 awarded to a new nonprofit that raises the most online through the early giving period.

Of note: Operation Christmas Child, which is organized by Samaritan's Purse, provides another way to give back.

• The program collects shoe boxes filled with gifts like toys and school supplies. You have until Monday to donate.

Several drop-off sites in the metro area include Renewal Church in Denver, Brave Academy in Cherry Hills Village, and Servant's Heart Church in Commerce City.