Beneath all the twinkling lights and letters to Santa, the true spirit of the holiday season is giving. That can mean giving to your friends, family, and neighbors, but it can also mean expanding your list to include those in need or those who could use a little extra love this season.
We’re compiling several different ways you can give back, from sending a care package to soldiers to organizations that distribute holiday cards to children who are hospitalized.
Giving Tuesday falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, but it’s more than just a day it’s “a movement that unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world.” It started in 2012 as a day to encourage people to do good and since then, it’s grown into a global movement with hubs around the world. To celebrate Giving Tuesday, you can participate by just spreading a little kindness, volunteering at a local organization or non-profit, or sharing online about a cause you’re passionate about. Get creative, there’s no wrong way to give!
Toy drives are most of the most common ways to give back during the holidays. You can find a local toy drive near you, you’ll often see donation boxes in local businesses this time of the year, or you can find one online!
Here are a few resources:
If you’re interested in giving back this holiday season within your local community, you can give some of your time to a local charity or organization.
Here are some platforms you can use to find a charity near you or one that aligns with your values:
There are a number of ways you can give back to children, families, and individuals who will be spending their holidays in the hospital this year.
There are several different organizations that distribute cards to hospital patients of all ages. Here are a few:
Some hospitals also create online wish lists and guides on how to give back to patients; they include:
With more than 450 children’s hospitals in the United States, those are just a few options for locations where you can give a gift this year. If you’re interested in giving back to a hospital in your area, reach out to the donation or volunteer department to find out their preferred method for receiving gifts
In lieu of cards and physical gifts, hospitals are always accepting donations and non-cash gifts. At St. Jude, you can even search to see if your employer will double your donation.
It’s also important to remember that these hospitals and patients are in need of items year-round, not just during the holidays.
You could also send a card, gift, or monetary donation to a local nursing home this year. Caring by Card tells you everything you need to know to make a card, features nursing homes of the month where you can send it and how you can find a nursing home local to you.
The Angel Card Project is another online resource that you can use to send a card this season. In 2021, the charity sent out more than 200,000 cards for Christmas!
If you want to send or drop off a physical gift to a nursing home local to you, give them a call first and see what they need and their preferred method for receiving gifts.
While you can send a military care package year-round, efforts increase over the holidays. There are a number of organizations that you can donate to, volunteer with, or send care packages to that will distribute them to troops.
Here are a few:
USPS offers free Military Care Kits that include two APO/FPO flat-rate boxes, four medium flat-rate boxes, address labels, customs envelopes, and priority mail tape.
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