Thanksgiving is my favourite season. Season? Yes! October 13 to November 28 is North America's Thanksgiving season! It's a great time to think about what you're grateful for and share your appreciation with loved ones.

You can share turkey (or tofurkey) with friends and family, and get into those cozy autumn vibes.

Cozy. Autumn. Vibes.

And isn't it so special when someone reaches out at this time of year and simply says, "I'm grateful for you." I'm not crying, you're crying.

So why not use the gratitude season to appreciate your volunteers! Many organizations are gearing up for big galas or other major annual events - fall is the busiest time of the year for these events. And that also means it's time to think about how you're going to thank all the amazing volunteers who made it possible.

Here's a quick list of 10 easy and inexpensive ways you can appreciate your volunteers in a meaningful way without breaking the bank.

  1. A good old-fashioned hand-written holiday or appreciation card

Whoa, I'm not even kidding how often this one is overlooked. We all love getting cards, and postage + supplies + time spent putting them together makes this one cheap, easy, and fun.

Make sure to personalize the card with their name and a note about what they did. If your volunteer management system tracks hours and skills, pull that data and throw it in for extra effect!

A little hand-written "thanks" goes a long way.

2. A Potluck

Sharing food is one of the most important bonding activities that people can do. It's community-building 101.

But paying for a big night-out can mean an expensive reservation, expensive restaurant food, and an even more expensive drink bill. The solution? A Potluck! This brilliant event is affordable for you and rewarding for everyone. Check out this post for more potluck ideas and planning tips.

Nothing builds community like sharing home-made food and drink

3. Bowling

Everybody loves bowling. Okay, not everybody. But nobody dislikes bowling! Your local bowling alley will also offer great group- or even nonprofit- discounts.

All skill levels can have fun, it only takes a few hours, it works for small groups and large groups. You can buy some appies and drinks and voilà!

Knocking things down with big heavy balls? Who could complain??

4. A Hike

Nature is a wonderful thing. There's something magical about being outside, away from the noises and bustle of regular life.

All you need to do is coordinate rides, offer to cover the price of gas, and everyone will be happy.

Keep it short, bring extra water and snacks, and bathe in the forest vibes.

Forest, friends, good times.

5. SWAG

Lots of nonprofits turn up their noses at SWAG. You don't want to buy junk and support the whole junk-producing industry. I get it. So don't make your SWAG junk!

You might be surprised at how special it feels as a volunteer to get something from the organization you volunteer for.

Whether it's a water bottle, coffee cup, t-shirt, plant pot, bookend, tote bag, or any other small-but-useful thing, we love having something that reminds us of the good stuff we do, and shows the world where our values are at.

A little SWAG can go a long way to instilling a sense of pride and connection to your organization.

6. Volunteer Spotlights

Highlighting the work and dedication of your volunteers is a great way to make them feel special.

Publicly telling the world how great they are and offering a memorable anecdote lets them know they're appreciated.

This works great on social media, but it's also a wonderful thing to do at a gala or big event.

7. Plant a tree in their honour

Before you go, "Well we'd need to plant a forest and we don't have the space," hear me out! There are a few ways to make this practical and super meaningful:

  1. Plant 1 tree, and put all the volunteers' names for that year on a plaque in front of it.
  2. Use a service like this one that plants trees in areas in need of reforestation.
  3. Start the tree from seed and then give the little seedlings to your volunteers with planting and care instructions, so they can plant it wherever they want.

See?! It's a great idea and it'll make your volunteers feel apre-tree-ated!

Having a tree that's yours ties in to what volunteering is all about: something bigger than yourself

8. A Gift card

A little goes a long way.

There's something for everyone in a coffee shop gift card. I almost never splurge on those expensive-but-delicious lattes, but when I get a gift card?? Heck yeah I earned this.

You can also get one of those handy VISA or MasterCard gift cards that people can use on anything.

Yum

9. Warm-and-Fuzzies

Have everyone in your office, and other volunteers, contribute to writing a quick little anonymous compliment on a note. Then, compile all the notes and distribute them to the volunteers.

It feels great to hear what people like, appreciate, value, and enjoy about you.

awwe

10. Movie Night

Buy some pizza and gluten-free snacks and throw on a comedy. People who laugh together, stay together.

You can often rent out your local theatre at reasonable rates, but a cozy living room, boardroom, or otherwise-re-purposed space can work great.

Gluten-free snacks!

Appreciating your volunteers is so important! You really need to take the time to give back and show your dedicated people that you're grateful for their gift of time. But it doesn't need to be a big chunk of your budget or conquer its own line item.

And as always, don't miss an opportunity to organize! When you get all your volunteers in one place, ask them how their last activity went. Remind them to fill out your debrief surveys, and sign them up for their next volunteer activity.

Alex McGowan is Purposely's Director of Community and Partnerships and an experienced volunteer coordinator.