The holiday season is all about togetherness, making memories, getting cozy with our loved ones, and spreading warmth and cheer while celebrating community. What better way to show you care than by sharing that love and happiness with our community! According to the official definition by the GivingTuesday organization, today is a global movement through the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world through generosity and community!
We’re sharing different ways our readers can help give back to our community this holiday season. This Giving Tuesday, we urge you to donate not just funds and supplies, but also your time and friendship, because that is what being part of a community is all about. Let’s give what we can through acts of kindness, service, and appreciation for one another. Let’s empower one another to find the path forward through teamwork and family. When you support your community through volunteering, donations, and active care, you’re helping to create sustainable futures for those around you!
Great ways to give back this holiday season:
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Donate your time and physical presence to helping stock food pantries or serve meals
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Give blood at local blood banks or blood drives
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Offer ride share service to your neighbors, local seniors, and disabled individuals. Oftentimes these folks may need rides to important appointments, picking up their meds, and gathering groceries! Providing transportation as needed can be a great help!
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Start a community garden and urban agriculture project and encourage your friends and neighbors to join in planting, cultivating, and harvesting fruits and veggies and other edible plants.
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Ask if your employer will contribute a “gift match” to your personal donation, and make a few contributions to local organizations like COOL ministries and others.
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When shopping on Amazon, set http://Smile.Amazon.com as your homepage and contribute a percentage of your purchases to the charity of your choice.
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Create care packages for the local unhoused population and distribute, or bring to warming stations around the city. Remember to include some additional bags for pets; many unhoused individuals do care for family pets, have service animals, and general animal companions. Providing food and water and treats for peoples’ pets can help as well!
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Collect gently used toys, books, and clothing in good condition which has been laundered and folded neatly, and bring them to a local family shelter or to warming stations around town. Remember to include extended sizing from infant to toddler to juniors as well as adult XS to XXXXL when purchasing or collecting clothing! All bodies deserve comfortable clothing and warmth.
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Volunteer at a local animal shelter to do dog walking and animal playtime sessions, drop off canned and bagged animal food and kitty litter, donate gently used blankets and sheets and towels, bleach, pet safe salt/gravel, and other daily use pet items.
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Contribute specialty food goods, seasonings, and allergen friendly items to local food banks, pantries, and community fridges. Just because someone is unhoused does not mean they no longer have dietary restrictions or don’t deserve a healthy, delicious meal!
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Remember to contribute personal hygiene items such as diapers, diaper rash cream, sunscreen, deodorant, soap and shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, over the counter medications such as fever reducers and children’s meds, and toilet paper to local food drives, shelters and collection banks in addition to food.
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Spend some time at local senior centers, nursing homes, and care facilities, especially around the holidays! Due to the Covid19 pandemic, many elderly and disabled people have had a difficult few years in isolation, and spending time with fellow community members can lift their spirits! Remember to protect our vulnerable populations, though, and adhere to social distancing and vaccination/mask requirements.
What are some kind ways you are spreading holiday cheer this year to those in need?