Fellowship Friday, the popular post-Thanksgiving day of service organized by the Palm Beach Fellowship of Christians and Jews, is returning with new organizations and volunteer opportunities.
The day’s events begin with breakfast at 9 a.m. Nov. 28 at the Royal Poinciana Chapel, 60 Cocoanut Row. Volunteers will then undertake any of a number of service projects, including two available on-site at the chapel, said Sherri Gilbert, executive director of the Palm Beach Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
“We are very excited for Fellowship Friday this year,” she said, noting that several people came up to her at the fellowship’s recent welcome back reception to ask if the day of service would be held. “They really missed it last year,” she said.
For about 15 years, the Palm Beach Fellowship has brought people together for breakfast and a morning message before undertaking service projects throughout the community.
Last year’s Fellowship Friday looked a little different: Fewer organizations are open the day after Thanksgiving, so participants were encouraged to pursue their own projects to give back to the community.
This year, organized service projects return with opportunities to volunteer with Friends of Palm Beach for a beach clean-up, Barky Pines Animal Rescue & Sanctuary, Adopt-A-Family’s Program Reach, Arts for Smiles and CROS Ministries.
Two of those projects will take place at the chapel, Gilbert said. Volunteers will work with Arts for Smiles founder Carolina King and local artist Sandra Thompson to create greeting cards for holiday baskets that will be given to children. People also can remain at the chapel to work with CROS Ministries to make holiday candy “poppers” to be placed into holiday baskets for people in need, Gilbert said.
For Gilbert, providing volunteer opportunities that take place indoors was important.
“This gives us another thing that even kids or whole families can do,” she said.
Directions and addresses for all locations other than the two on-site projects will be given at the breakfast.
OneBlood’s blood-donation bus will be at the chapel from 8 a.m. to noon, and donors will receive a $25 e-gift card and sweatshirt.
The Palm Beach Fellowship also collects donations of new and unwrapped toys, food and toiletries, which can be brought to the chapel on Fellowship Friday. Those who can’t donate on that day may call 561-833-6150 to arrange to drop off items at the Palm Beach Fellowship’s office on Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach, across from Publix and west of Dixie Highway.
“We really would like to see a big turnout,” Gilbert said. People are invited to bring family and friends visiting from outside of the area to take part in the projects, she said.
“It’s just a couple hours of your time,” Gilbert said. “And it’s the kind of thing that when you thank people for participating, they say, ‘No, thank you for doing this.'”
With so many people purchasing items online and fewer waiting in long lines on Black Friday, Gilbert hopes people may choose to participate in Fellowship Friday this year. “They can do something very meaningful like this,” she said.
Fellowship Friday participants will receive a T-shirt, water bottle and sunglasses. Community service hours will be available for students. People are encouraged to register in advance by Nov. 21.
To register for Fellowship Friday, go to palmbeachfellowship.net and click on the 2025 information and registration form. For more information, call 561-833-6150 or email info@palmbeachfellowship.net.
Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@pbdailynews.com. Subscribe today to support our journalism.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Fellowship Friday returns with new volunteer opportunities for day after Thanksgiving
Reporting by Kristina Webb, Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
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