With the Thanksgiving and winter holidays coming in just a few weeks, non-profit organizations are opening their doors to volunteers and donors across the country.

With so many organizations advertising to convince people to spend your time with them and not the others, however, it can be difficult to decide which organization needs the assistance the most.

While this is not a ranked list of non-profits in any sort of order, this is a brief list of some organizations in the Elizabethton area, so volunteers can more accurately decide where to spend their time.

The Carter County Humane Society first opened in 1982, working to provide quality care to abandoned or abused cats, dogs and other pets. Located at the loop on East Elk Ave., they provide spay and neuter assistance as well as providing fostering and adoption services.

The Humane Society is a “100% volunteer” staff. Those willing to donate can do so via a “membership” program for $12 a year. More information is located at http://www.cartercountyhumanesociety.org/.

The American Red Cross has locations across the country, including Elizabethton. At 116 Holston Ave., Red Cross provides blood and plasma donations to critical patients.

With the recent hurricanes hitting the East Coast, organizations like Red Cross are always in need of donations or volunteers to assist those in need.

Red Cross itself first formed under Clarissa Barton in 1881, 20 years after bringing supplies and support to troops during the American Civil War. To this day, Red Cross continues to serve alongside the U.S. military and at the scenes of natural disasters.

Second Harvest Food Bank, stationed in Kingsport, serves an eight-county area including Carter County. There, they donated roughly 9.2 million meals in the last year alone. First forming in 1986, Second Harvest has grown to support a variety of other non-profit organizations, including Assistance and Resources Ministries (ARM).

Second Harvest hosts Food Drives on a regular basis, and Project Thanksgiving, found at https://netfoodbank.org/, lets volunteers sponsor a needy family for $25. Check their website for more information.

Many local churches organize their own charity programs as part of their operations. Information can be found by contacting those churches directly.