
Yesterday was #GivingTuesday but I really do not think we should limit giving back to just one day! Giving back is always something I have done with my family around the Holidays. My mom has always encouraged charitable giving no matter what time of year. When we were younger, my siblings and I would each recommend a charity and why we should support their cause. We always ended up making donations to multiple causes. Beyond donation to my favorite charitable cause, I also like to volunteer, whether that is handing out Turkey’s for Thanksgiving or helping at a Soup Kitchen. At work, I typically arranged and put together service days for my agency. I also worked with larger partners like Google and Facebook to team up with them for a service day. I would also give donations to charities on behalf of my clients for holiday gifts.
Being informed is half the battle when donating. You want to feel that your money is really going to those in need. Krystal had a great round-up of charities graded A by Charity Watch. And everyone’s ability to give back is different. Grace had great suggestions about volunteering your time if your budget doesn’t allow for charitable donations at the moment.
Here are 3 ways to give back this Holiday Season:
Donate Your Time – Volunteering is a great way to give back and get involved in your community. There are tons of different organizations that always need helping hands like your local Soup Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and other organizations. I recommend bringing friends with you to help provide more local support!
Donate Your Stuff – I am a big believer in donating items. As a blogger, I have a rule that once a new piece enters my closet – 2 old pieces have to go. I currently have 4 massive bags, with clothes that are brand new, ready to go to Goodwill. Donating items that others need and help declutter your life in the process. It’s a double win! Goodwill and Salvation Army are great organizations that are always accepting donations.
Make a Charitable Contribution – Here are just a few different charitable organizations to consider donating to this year. I recommend using the Charity Navigator to research any charity you are thinking of donating too. They rank I support both Planned Parenthood and ACLU monthly, but I will be donating to 2 other organizations this year.
Ps. Head to my Instagram and help me choose which ones to donate to this year on Insta-Stories!
- St Judes
- World Wildlife Fund
- Cancer Research Institute
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- American Humane
- Epilepsy Foundation
- Doctors without Borders
- American Red Cross
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- American Civil Liberties Union
- NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
Donation Tip: Donation Matching – You can also inquire at your work and see if they would be willing to match donations raised by the employees to your favorite organization. Never hurts to ask!
What are other ways you give back during the Holiday Season?
Comment below and let me know!