Get some exercise by participating in the annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk — while you burn calories, you’ll also be raising money for people who suffer from arthritis.

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The holidays are in full force, and nothing puts you in the spirit like lending a helping hand in your community. Take a break from the shopping mania and party preparation with a few hours of giving back. Check out these great ways to get involved this holiday season:

GO ELF YOURSELF

Take the route of helping out Santa by dressing up as an elf and visiting New York’s elderly with Visiting Neighbors. Volunteers, called “elves,” are paired with a senior citizen who may not have many living relatives or friends (costumes are encouraged, though not provided). Each elf stops by for a two-hour chat with one of the 1,000 seniors the organization serves each holiday season. Dr. Cynthia Maurer suggests generating conversation by asking about pictures in the senior’s apartment. “We don’t suggest major political or religious discussions,” says Maurer. “But if you’re really argumentative, we can match you with a senior who loves the banter.” 212-260-6200, visitingneighbors.org.

YOU WISH!

Help make a child’s wish come true this year with Winter Wishes, run by New York Cares. This holiday season the organization has received 32,000 letters handwritten by children, teens and families requesting gifts. You can sign up online to receive one letter, or go in with a group, organization or company to get any number of letters you’d like. “Some folks make a night of it and go out shopping, then wrapping together, and make that their holiday party,” says executive director Gary Bagley. Generally, it takes $25 to $30 to fulfill a wish. 212-228-5000, newyorkcares.org.

JINGLE ALL THE WAY

Kill two birds with one stone by getting in shape and raising money for the Arthritis Foundation at the Jingle Bell Run/Walk. This annual 5K takes place in Battery Park, and supports the 18,400 kids and 3,651,000 adults in New York state affected by arthritis. In keeping with race tradition, all runners and walkers are given complimentary jingle bells to clip onto their shoes. Many of the runners will even dress up in full gear. “There’s a guy who runs every year with a Christmas tree on his back,” says Sara Orrell, national director of the Jingle Bell Run/Walk. “We even had a group of people connected with felt who made up a menorah.” Dec. 4, 10 a.m.,
800-283-7800, arthritis.org.

BANK ON IT

In New York City, there are 1.4 million people who rely on soup kitchens and food pantries for nourishment. For the Food Bank for New York City, that means 400,000 meals a day. With numbers like that, they need all the help they can get. Volunteers can come to Hunts Point in The Bronx to help sort food, serve and stock food at soup kitchens and pantries, and much more. Traditional food donations are always welcome, but you can get far more bang for your buck by shopping at the Food Bank’s virtual grocery store. Your donation goes toward wholesale prices that can get, say, a 50-pound bag of potatoes for $4. “It has a much larger impact,” says Lisa Jakobsberg, vice president of marketing and business. “And it’s a lot easier for New Yorkers than carrying food on the subway to the office.” 212-566-7855, foodbanknyc.org.

PACK IT UP

Put a smile on the face of children all over the world with Operation Christmas Child run by Samaritan’s Purse. The program sends shoe boxes filled with gifts donated by volunteers to 8.5 million children in more than 100 Third World countries. Typically, they are received by pastors native to the countries who distribute them to children in need. “It’s a program to share the true meaning of Christmas, hope and a moment of joy with children who need to know someone loves them,” says Randy Riddle, the US director. OCC suggests including small gifts, hygiene items, school supplies and a personal note to the child. The deadline has passed for dropping off boxes, but the organization always needs volunteers to make it all happen. You can also go online and fill a virtual shoe box for OCC. 828-262-1980, samaritanspurse.org/occ.

MY SISTERS AND ME

The Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service is a mouthful of a name, but it’s appropriate given the slew of programs

the nonprofit hosts. Founded in 1958, the organization helps families in need in the East Harlem area. “We work with families in all kinds of ways to meet their immediate needs, but also to give them the skills so that they can get on the path out of poverty,” says Gary Carter, executive director. Volunteers are welcome for everything from tutoring to mentoring young girls. 646-672-5200, littlesistersfamily.org.

RING MY BELL

“The best and quickest way for New Yorkers to get involved this year is to drop some pennies into that iconic red kettle,” says Major Evan Hickman, general secretary for the Salvation Army’s Greater New York Division. A holiday staple, Salvation Army volunteers have been ringing bells nationwide for 115 years, raising funds for more than 100 programs and services. New Yorkers can sign to ring bells at roughly 500 kettles in the division. 212-337-7324, use. salvationarmy.org/gnyd.

PRISON PRIDE

Children of incarcerated parents are some of the most at-risk children in the country. Angel Tree gives imprisoned parents the opportunity to reform and reconnect with their offspring by signing up to have gifts given to their children on the prisoner’s behalf. “The children aren’t the ones who have broken the law,” says Prison Fellowship CEO Jim Liske. “We want them to know there are people who care about them.” Liske says that another important part of Angel Tree is that it offers help to the prisoners themselves. “If you mess up once, it doesn’t mean your whole life is over,” he says. “There’s grace for you.” Volunteers are asked to buy a gift for their assigned child and deliver it, which is a situation guaranteed to make even the Scroogiest heart flutter. 800-55-ANGEL, angeltree.org.

AND NOW, A GIFT IDEA!

You’ve heard of the gifts that keep on giving. But Kiva is the gift that keeps giving and giving and giving. Kiva offers micro-loans that you can give as presents for as little as $25. Recipients can then visit Kiva’s Web site to choose a borrower based on what it needs the money for. Each borrower is carefully selected through field-worker screenings. Many borrowers are from Third World countries, but some are right here at home. “All of our borrowers have their own dreams,” says Beth Kuenstler, vice president of marketing and communications at Kiva. Indeed, you could choose to loan right here in New York to Richard, a laundromat owner who wants to add machines so he can grow his business. Once a loan is paid back, the loaner can loan the money to another borrower. kiva.org.

DROP IT OFF!

If you only have a second, drop off items to help others at these drives:

*COATS: New York Cares Coat Drive, newyorkcares.org

*TOYS: Toys for Tots, toysfortots.org

*FOOD: Food Bank for New York City, foodbanknyc.org