Kylie Whitcomb As the holiday season comes into full swing, it’s important to remember the less fortunate. This is a great time to refocus on helping others or giving back to your community. Sure, there is no to the list of charities that would love a donation before the end of the year, but there are other ways you can give back as well.
Here are a couple of the top ways you can give back to charities and your community this season:
Spend Time With Others
The holiday season can be tough for lots of people. This time of year is often associated with family gatherings, dinners, and celebrations. For those who may not have a strong social network, this can be a lonely time.
Many nursing homes have visitation hours where you can go visit a resident. If you know someone in the facility, make a point to stop by and spend time with them. Even if you don’t already have a friend or family member in the home, your visit could be a blessing to someone who doesn’t get to spend the holidays with others.
There are plenty of other opportunities to spend time with others during the holiday. Giving your time can often make a greater difference than handing over your money.
Donate Your Old Car
If you have an old clunker or unused vehicle taking up space in your driveway, this is a great time to consider donating it. Many charities, local organizations, and schools accept car donations to help their programs.
Some organizations can use reliable transportation to work on their missions, while others can sell your car donation to help raise funds for their programs. There are even schools that teach students to become auto mechanics. These programs rely on car donations to give students hands-on experience that can turn into gainful employment.
If you get your car donation in before the end of the year, you can even earn a sizable tax deduction come tax time.
Volunteer
When most people think of holiday volunteering, they imagine helping out a soup kitchen. This kind of volunteer work is definitely important, but there are plenty of other opportunities out there. For example, you might volunteer at a local animal shelter helping walk dogs, clean pens, or organize supplies.
Large organizations like Habitat for Humanity are always looking for volunteers to help with projects. You might also find that local organizations need help this time of year with their toy/book drives, fundraisers, and more.
Find Something Fun
No matter what your interests and hobbies are, you can almost always find a fun way to give back to the community. Perhaps you could volunteer to read to groups of kids at a local library, teach work skills at the community center, or organize a neighborhood cleanup day.
This time of year is also a great time to find local events and fundraising drives. Even something like running a local 5k can help raise funds or awareness for a great cause while also giving you a fun way to stay fit.
If you’re artistic, you might find joy in hand-making cards or gifts for local children’s hospitals, nursing homes, veterans groups, or even soldiers overseas. If you use your imagination, there’s no limit to how you can give back to the community this holidays season.
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