Giving back during this season is a way to bring kindness and happiness to those in need and struggling this time of year. It creates a community of belonging and a place you can feel safe in.
An article from Hills Bank states, “Whether through volunteering, donating, or actively participating in local initiatives, doing this has numerous benefits that go beyond helping others. It creates a place where everyone can feel a sense of belonging, including yourself and your family.” As the quote above exemplifies, giving back isn’t just to make ourselves feel good or look good; it impacts people in need in our community. Giving back builds empathy for yourself, creating a ripple effect to give back more often.
You can give back this season by volunteering, donating, fundraising, and participating in events sponsored by your church, school, or community. Volunteering can look like helping out at a local soup kitchen or community pantry and giving your time and work to make a difference in communities. Volunteering is a free and easy activity that leaves a significant impact. Some simple things you can do for volunteering could be fundraising through an organization such as the Salvation Army and organizing events with other people and organizations such as churches or clubs like Key Club. Joining a charity shows that you support and care about the cause the charity is helping. Some examples of charities are homeless shelters, food banks, and women’s shelters.
Donating could also leave a significant impact, especially during this season. You could donate various things, like clothes, toys, money, food, and even blood. Donating helps people who need basic critical things. An easy way to donate is to take things you don’t use often and give them to Goodwill or contact a shelter and check to see if you can donate with them. You can also donate old toys, shoes, and other things you no longer need or want. Donating blood is also very impactful as it gives someone help in a critical moment in their life.
Giving back is an essential part of the holiday season to make sure that those less fortunate than you can also have a joyous end to their year and a good start to 2025.
