Article by XIANEASE

Summer is a time for vacations, barbeques with friends, and enjoying the sunshine outdoors. Another thing that summer is known for is free time. Kids are out of school, teachers get a long break, and there are long stretches where there is little to do. And while you can fill your time with the activities above, you can also use your free time for volunteer work. While there are many ways to give back to society, one of the best ways to make an impact is volunteering with non-profit organizations that often have more to do than they can do alone. Anything can be done, from using your professional teaching or technical skills or even just lending a hand with distribution or chopping vegetables. All it really takes is a willing heart and an open mind to start making the world around you a slightly better place to live. If you are looking for a place to volunteer, below we have listed some of the charities that are operate in Xi’an.

The Yellow River Soup Kitchen
The Yellow River Soup Kitchen is a not for profit NGO. A secular organisation that is open to everybody, it is wholly run by volunteers for volunteers and as such has no overheads of any description. Our objective is to organise or source a variety of projects, with the aim of bringing together two specific groups of people; namely those with a desire to serve and those that are in need. The simplest of acts can spread far and wide touching many people in the process. A kind action carried out from the heart, whether it be simply a smile or be it helping somebody in desperate need, can be a very powerful experience for all that encounter it.
As such, the Yellow River Soup Kitchen has engaged in various projects to meet these ends, including providing warm meals three times a week to those who can come to the soup kitchen, delivering meals to those who can’t, and clothing distribution to those in need, including the distribution of winter coats, blankets, and long johns during the colder months. All donations to the Yellow River Soup Kitchen go towards continuing these and other projects.
Since 2005, the Yellow River Soup Kitchen has conducted 2,215 of these projects, served 164,000 meals, and helped untold numbers of people with their efforts and the help of over 13,000 volunteers.
To volunteer to help the Yellow River Soup Kitchen, you can contact them by email at soupkitchenchina@gmail.com; via their website yellowrivercharity.com; or via their official WeChat account (西安市托妳济困公益慈善中心)

Little Fish
Xi’an Little Fish Arts and Assistance Center (Little Fish’) was established in 2010 and is a group of volunteers who harbor dreams of public welfare and have deep love for the arts. Little Fish was started by a local Christian, Ethan Bai who discovered a heart for orphans disabled children and marginalised families whilst volunteering for a short-term project one summer at university Ethan’s passion has brought Little Fish to where it is today despite many challenges along the way.
Little Fish was officially registered as a local private nonprofit organization in the Xian Civil Affairs Bureau on 25th February 2015. Little Fish runs several different projects around Xi’an, including trips to visit Xi’an Children’s Hospital, and their Mobile Library Programme. You can contact Little Fish for volunteering opportunities through their official WeChat Account.

The Star Sunshine Home for Disabled People
The Xi’an Lianhu District Star Sunshine Home for Disabled People is a private non-profit enterprise, which was established in April 2010. It is a center where a group of ethnic minorities provide rehabilitation training and skills for people with disabilities. Star Sunshine provides many types of training, including music, dance, yoga, fine arts and other artistic training; training in producing hand-crafted goods; auxiliary employment; as well as providing round-the-clock care as the main body of a comprehensive home. The home has been in operation since 2009 and continues to strive to provide high-quality training and care to those in need.
To volunteer at the Star Sunshine Home for Disabled People, you can contact them through their official WeChat Account or by contacting 石老师 at 18049001532. Having decent Chinese will be helpful if you would like to volunteer.

Xi’an Paws
Xian Paws is an organisation run by a group of Chinese and Expatriate volunteers for the betterment of animals. Xi’an Paws has no shelter, but works hard to rescue animals, some of them in dangerous situations. Xi’an Paws try to find homes for them or temporal shelters. All donations support the medical bills, food, and rehousing (both locally and abroad) of our rescues. Since they do not have the overheads of operating a shelter, all of the money generated or received goes directly to the supporting rescues.
To volunteer with Xi’an Paws, contact them through their official Wechat account.

We hope that you have a good summer, enjoy yourself, and if you have the opportunity, please volunteer with one of these great organizations. If you have any further questions, you can contact us through our official WeChat account, or via email at editor@xianease.com.