Make someone else’s holidays a littler brighter this season by donating or volunteering to a worthy cause. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are a few simple ideas to get you started.
Donate to a food drive. During the holidays, many grocery stores like Publix offer the option to purchase a bag of food that you may add to your order when you check out. The bag is filled with holiday essentials such as canned vegetables and stuffing mix. After your purchase, the bag will be donated to a food bank that will provide these essentials to a family in need.
Add Tom’s Shoes to your wish list. Tom’s not only offers stylish shoes, but with your purchase a child in need will be given a pair of shoes too. Toms.com explains how many children in developing countries go without a pair of shoes, which could expose them to diseases and may prevent them from attending school. Visit www.toms.com.
Donate your favorite books or stuffed animals. Project Night Night is an organization that strives to provide every homeless child the comforts they need to get a good night’s rest. These comforts include an exciting book, a cozy blanket, and a stuffed animal. When you go home this holiday season look through some of your old childhood things that you’re not using and donate them to a child who can use them. Visit www.projectnightnight.org.
Volunteer. Dosomething.org allows you to pick a cause, pick who to help that cause with, where and how long to volunteer. The causes range from animal welfare to war, peace and politics. The website also gives you ideas on ways to start your own club to make a difference in your community. Visit www.dosomething.org.
Send out cards for a cause. According to cardsthatgive.org, Americans will spend more than $2 billion on greeting cards this holiday season. Imagine if that money was put into a cause everyone was passionate about and the change that could bring. The website offers you to choose between 150 organizations to donate to the cause of your choice with the purchase of holiday cards.
