Ways to Give Back During the Holidays
December 18, 2016
As the holiday season progresses, we start to realize that it’s time to give back and make a difference in the world. Maybe because the year is ending and you need to prove that you’re a good person or because there are many people out there who don’t have much to be celebrating for this season. No matter what the case, there are so many easy ways for you to help out the people around you!
- You may be waking up on Christmas day to a lovely present, but there are many families near you that can’t experience the same magical feeling. By simply donating a toy to a specific place near you. (there are so many to choose from!) http://www.operationsantasearch.org/oss.asp?PID=2
- Were you a big reader growing up? Help a little passionate reader be able to get a hold of a brand new book by donating some of your oldest books to a location near you. Your books will help change the world through building new schools and filling the shelves of libraries. http://www.betterworldbooks.com/go/donate
- Do you have a subscription to Spotify or Netflix? By paying almost the same amount every month, you (with the help of your family) can sponsor a family in poverty be able to afford food by the last week of the month, when food stamps usually run out. http://www.family-to-family.org/sponsor-a-family/
- American Red Cross Donation drop-off boxes are everywhere! Clean out your closet before the new year and donate those you barely wore and still in good condition in order to help the millions of people who had faced emergencies rebuild their lives.
- Visit your local hospital or nursing home and spread some love. Many elderly patients and residents do not get many visitors, so spreading some holiday cheer could turn their whole day around. Bring some baked goods and stories to tell or listen to theirs!
- Join an after-school club! Freehold Township High School is full of so many clubs that are constantly participating in fundraisers that are making differences in so many different areas such as GirlUp, Habitat for Humanity, SADD, Red Cross Club, Students Helping Honduras, and so many more. Find a few friends and get involved while you can!
There are opportunities to make a difference at every corner. In fact, just getting off your phone and helping your mom cook dinner or taking a break in order to play with your little sibling or help with homework could change everyone’s mood.
Never forget that the smallest deeds can make the biggest differences. As David Gikandi said, “Give cheerfully and freely. It is the energy behind the giving that matters so do not give grudgingly. The law of cause and effect guarantees that you shall receive plenty for what you give.” Happy holidays! Do your part and give more than you take.
