We can all be stretched a little thin around the holidays — especially financially! However, we can still find ways to give back wherever we can. Whether you’re able to donate your time, extra supplies, or your social media platform, here are some small ways you can be more charitable this holiday season.
Volunteering in person
There’s a saying that’s been around forever — time is money! These days, your time really is worth just as much as money! If you’re able to volunteer in-person, most charities are always accepting extra hands. I know how challenging it can be to carve time out of your busy schedule, but even just reserving a few hours over the weekend could make a huge difference to your local charity.
Always check the charity’s website or give them a call to see what opportunities are available for you to lend a helping hand before showing up. And you don’t have to do it alone! Invite your friends and family and make a day out of it, if you can. More helping hands makes for a bigger impact — plus, the more the merrier!
Volunteering virtually
If you don’t have time to volunteer in person — or don’t feel comfortable doing so — never fear! There are still ways for you to volunteer from the comfort of your home — as long as you have a working computer and an internet connection.
I always recommend checking your local charities first to see if they have any virtual volunteer opportunities. However, if none are offered and you aren’t sure where else to look, there are plenty of databases that work to connect non-profit organizations and charities with folks like you who are looking to lend a hand. If you’re wondering where to start, check out this blog post!
Coordinate a fundraising event
This one may take a bit of time, but your efforts will be well worth it — not only by the funds you raise, but by bringing the community together to support a common goal! If you have social and organizational skills, this is a good one for you!
This event can be as simple as a community bake sale, a yard sale, or even a car wash. You can partner with a local community organization, or simply choose a charity you’re passionate about and rally your friends together for a good cause. If you don’t have time for a wide-scale in-person event, you can even put together a virtual fundraiser via Facebook to expand your reach and raise money quickly!
Donate homemade treats
Who doesn’t love a sweet treat around the holidays? While donating canned goods is always appreciated, nothing beats warm, delicious homemade goods that are made fresh with love. Baking is something most of us do anyway around the holidays, so why not make a little more to give to those who may not be able to bake themselves?
This year, double your batches of all those scrumptious Christmas cookies or babka and donate a portion to your local shelter. But before you do, please note that not all shelters can accept homemade food. We suggest double checking with the charity before packing up the yummy 12-dozen homemade cookies for drop-off.
Donate your skills
If you aren’t a baker, or if you are but don’t have any spare supplies to donate, you can always donate your skillset! There are so many ways to do this, such as volunteering to teach (i.e., music, math, English, or art) or becoming a tutor for students. You could also share your best financial tips and tricks, or build some furniture for those who need it — or even teach furniture building!
If you have a truck, offer to help deliver furniture or haul boxes for those in the community — like single mothers with children, or the elderly or disabled — who need assistance. Your local community center or religious organization (church or synagogue, for example) may have some contacts you can reach out to, or just keep an eye on your Facebook feed for someone who may need help!
Donate supplies
As the holidays are the time for giving, they provide a great opportunity for you to declutter your home as you help your neighbors. Give away all the things just sitting around collecting dust to someone who will actually put them to good use. This includes spare food, blankets, clothes, toys, or possibly that spare table and chairs that’s been in your garage for years. You can even donate festive decorations to spread some holiday cheer!
Most charities post wish lists of items that are needed most this time of year to help you get started. You can also find gift lists from charities that work with children in need, giving their ages and interests, which helps you a great deal when trying to make a child’s Christmas magical. Check your local charity’s website for more information.
Donate blood
The American Red Cross declared their first-ever national “blood crisis” at the beginning of 2022. While donations have increased greatly since then, we want to do everything in our power to keep something like that from happening ever again.
While donating blood may take a bit of time (from about 10 minutes for donating whole blood to 2 hours for donating platelets), it’s such an easy way to give back — its value is priceless, and the process costs nothing but time! If you are unable to donate blood yourself, you can still help! Consider volunteering at a blood drive, instead, or rallying others who are able to donate. Red Cross information here.
Share your favorite charities on social media
Bringing awareness to important issues is key these days. So, I know it may not seem like it, but something as small as reposting or sharing posts from charities you’re passionate about is a huge way to show your support. Even just engaging with their profiles and liking their posts will help them get more views on social media!
If you’re able, make posts of your own to spread awareness of the message your charity is trying to send. Tag them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or write a blog post to help increase engagement and beat the algorithm!
Stay informed — join the charity’s newsletter
One of the easiest ways to stay up to date on all your favorite charities is by signing up for their weekly newsletter. Most modern charities have an easy-access virtual newsletter you can quickly sign up for on their website, but some still use the old-fashioned mailing system to spread the word around. Whichever makes more sense for you to stay updated!
With these newsletters, you’ll be the first to hear about all upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, and you can encourage your loved ones to do the same! Or be the group leader and gather everyone for a day of charity work.
Write to elected officials
Another way to spread awareness is to write to elected officials on your charity’s behalf. Remember that these are people who have family and friends who are also affected by the issues in the community. Write a short, friendly, and professional letter or email about the charity you love and what they do for people. Ask for their help and support. Maybe they have contacts in agencies that could arrange donations, or maybe they know people for whom the cause is personal and would be interested in helping, too. You can submit your letter to their public-office email address, or you can do it old-school by sending in a hand-written letter. They also have Facebook and Twitter accounts that you can reach out to — and posting a short, well-written appeal for your charity will reach more than just the official’s eyes. Encourage your friends and family to do so as well!
Charities rely on donations, both from the general public and from private benefactors. Do your research to vet the organization (to start, we recommend Charity Navigator), then tell everyone about it! Why do they deserve the funding? Do they really make a difference?
Offer auction items
It’s very common for charities to host auctions in an effort to raise money — especially around the holidays. Take stock of what you have in your basement or attic. Is there an antique clock just sitting around collecting dust? Or maybe a painting that you’ve been planning to hang up for years but know deep down you never will? You’ll be decluttering your home and helping raise charity funds all in one fell swoop. It’s a win-win!
If you don’t have auction items to donate, you could offer your services for auction, instead! Guitar lessons, social media training, or offering to teach a small graphic design class would go far to help your community. We all have a talent worth sharing!
Shop with companies that donate for you
Whether it’s rounding up to the nearest dollar and donating the extra few cents, or donating clothes or supplies with every piece you purchase, try to shop with companies that will donate for you this holiday season.
You have to be careful with this one, though. Be sure to always do your research into these companies, as sometimes their donations will do more harm than good in the communities they’re trying to help. For example, some retailers donate an excessive amount of clothes to third world countries which ends up destroying their local textile markets. The “free” clothes are sold for pennies on the dollar (every cent a profit), and the handmade or locally manufactured clothes are priced out of the market. You want to make sure the companies you’re supporting are working with the communities they’re giving to. Try to stick with companies that give back locally or partner with local charity organizations — just to be safe! Besides, as exotic as faraway places can be, charity is meant to start in our own communities.
Don’t have much time to research charities or want to donate while shopping? In our store, under our Gifts & More section, you can find an Animal Sponsorship and a Charity of the Season donation option. We do not keep any of this money — it goes directly to the charity — and we thoroughly vet all the charities we work with so you can be sure you’re donating to a good cause! Plus, if you choose the animal sponsorship option, we send you pictures (and sometimes videos) of the animal you’ve helped — along with tidbits of information about them!
Don’t forget the animals!
We can’t forget about our furry friends this holiday season! Allocate some time to volunteer or donate supplies to your local shelters. If you’re able to do more, offer to foster a furry friend during the season — but only If your home or apartment lease allows it! If you think you can resist falling in love, local animal shelters and non-profits are always looking for people to volunteer. From helping to socialize & exercise the doggies, grooming & feeding the kitties, to snapping beauty shots for the animal’s adoption page, there’s something for everyone to get involved.
After all, everyone deserves to feel loved around the holidays. Who knows? Maybe one of your family or friends will fall in love and take them home!
Random acts of kindness
Small acts of kindness can go a long way, especially during the holidays when so many people are feeling stressed. Even if you already go out of your way to be friendly to those around you, try to be especially mindful and intentional this season. Take the extra few seconds to hold the door open for the folks behind you. Pay for the coffee order for the car behind you at Dutch Bros on your morning commute. Offer to let someone who’s super-stressed cut in front of you in line. Even just a kind smile can change the trajectory of someone’s day!
The holidays can be the most joyful time of year, but also the most challenging for some folks, and you never know what someone is going through. It costs nothing to be kind — and it may mean the world to someone who needs a little love.
Spread positivity — especially on social media!
Let’s be honest, there’s a lot of negativity being circulated on social media platforms right now. It seems to come in waves, no matter what we do. Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok can be really toxic places if we let ourselves get caught up in doom scrolling.
Be a light in the darkness. Share encouraging posts, stories, and heartwarming videos in order to break up the slew of bad news. Refuse to partake in the negative — be the joy. Let your profile be a safe haven amid all the crazy, and help your friends and followers feel good about themselves.
