The Season to Give Back

We are one week away from Thanksgiving and right behind Thanksgiving is Christmas.  I think we can all admit that this time of year is a time of excess.  We eat too much, we may drink too much and we definitely spend too much.

So with all of that, I think it is great to balance everything out with giving back.  And I don't mean just by giving money.

For me, these are some of my favorite ways to give back during the holidays:

• Coat Drives- I don't know about you but I have way more coats than I can ever wear.  Plus my son grows out of his weekly (I kid you not).  I like to find local coat drives and donate our old coats.  I can't think of anything worse than having your child be without a warm coat in the winter.
• Food Drives- Hunger is something I have never experienced because I am lucky enough to be able to be food whenever I want it.  But for a lot of Americans, that is not the reality.  Take come time and clean out your pantry.  Donate that extra food.  Next time you go to the grocery store, buy some extra pasta, canned foods or crackers.  Donate that food.  No one should go hungry.
• Toy Drives- The Toys for Tots drive is the most popular but there are hundreds of these drives across the country.  I really like this one because I take my son to the store and I let him pick out the toy.  I want him to understand how important it is to give back and this is a great way to do it.
• Money- If you have extra and you can spare it, the monetary donations are always appreciated. For most shelters and charitable organizations, this monetary gift allows them to stay up and running.

These are just a couple of examples.  Remember that giving back is always a good idea and instilling that belief in our children is really important, especially at this time of year.

How do you give back?

The Powerful Kettle

We have all seen them; the courageous volunteers facing the cold weather, ringing a Christmas bell for your dollar donation. With every dollar they receive, they get one step closer to being able to feed those less fortunate on Christmas Day. It has been that way since 1891 when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee placed an iron kettle next to the Oakland Ferry Landing in California. Captain McFee wanted to feed 100 people on Christmas, but didn't know how to fun his goal. He then thought of when he was a sailor in Liverpool, England. At Liverpool’s Stage Landing, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” where incoming sailors would throw change to feed the poor. Thanks to the “Simpson’s Pot”, Captain McFee was able to fulfill his goal of feeding 1,000 people that year.

Now, let’s be honest. More often than not, we pass by the volunteers, give them a shy smile and move on with our day. But should we not pay more attention to the brave people trying to give back, or better yet, be one of the brave? The Salvation Army has made it very easy to become part of their team, including the Online Red Kettle. It is super easy to set up and can be a great way to give back! Check it out and start your own kettle!

Thank you so much for tuning into our blog! Remember to comment, subscribe, and in the words of Captain McFee, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” 

Time to Give Back

It is the season of giving! We thought it would be nice if we gave all of our amazing readers a few ideas of how to give back.  After all Christmas is not all about the gifts, at least that is what the Grinch tells us!

The first thing way to give back is to volunteer.  Giving back doesn’t have to mean money. Volunteering at a soup kitchen or shelter can be just as rewarding as donating gifts or clothes, possibly even more.  This is a great website that lists 25 ways you can donate your time.  

Probably the most popular holiday donation is toys!  Nothing makes you feel better than knowing you are helping a child.  There are a couple of ways to do this.  

• You can go to a local school and donate toys
• Visit Toys ‘R’ Us website here and chose from a huge donation list
• Drop off toys at any Toys for Tots location.  The huge list of locations is here.

Another great donation is clothing, especially coats, gloves, scarves, and hats.  Many communities and stores offer coat drives at this time of the year.  Burlington Coat Factory has a huge coat drive right now and you can find a local donation spot here. 

Hopefully this blog was helpful in providing you all with basic information about giving back during the Christmas season. Feel free to let us know how your donating activity went.