There are so many giving campaigns this time of year, and I think it's great that the focus is on helping other during the holiday season. I think it's important to join a community of like-minded givers, however, and that's why I was so excited to support the message of #GivingTuesday!
What is #GivingTuesday? On Tuesday, December 3rd (that's coming up soon!) communities, charities, families, businesses, and students will come together and do something to celebrate the spirit of generosity.
What will I do? For one, this is the time of year that the children and I decide (along with my husband) what charity we will support with the contents of our Blessing Bank. The kids have been putting 10% of their allowance into the box all year long. I will give them a choice of 3 charities to give to. Last year, we supported our regional food bank. The year before, we gave to St. Jude's Research Hospital.
What will this blog do? In year's past, we have had our "Holiday Harvest" Program, where we invite companies who send product review samples to include a 2nd product for giving to charity. This year, however, we have access to giving directly to Toys for Tots via the "Fill the Truck" drives happening across my area. We will take a certain amount of money donated by our blog partners and clients to purchase toys for kids and need and allow the Toys for Tots program to do what they do best --- help others!
How can you help? Maybe you don't have extra money to give to a charity. That's OK!! Times are hard for so many, and a feeling of uncertainty has caused many families to secure their extras in case things get worse. There are ways you can help that won't require writing a check. They include:
Micah, the first year we did the Blessing Bank! |
- Volunteering your time. We have helped at our regional food bank, helped a neighbor move, brought a meal to a newly expecting mom, babysat for a friend so that they could go on a job interview. Need ideas for helping out, or just don't know where to start? Check your Facebook feed! Many of your favorite charities (if you've "Liked" them) will be expressing their volunteer needs. Also, giving begins with those you know and love; check your feed and groups to see what others are struggling through... see how you can help in simple ways!
- Give of your talents. Do you blog? Would you consider donating a blog post to a charity to help get their message out? Do you have a small business that offers services or products that you can donate as a prize for a charity raffle or auction? There are so many non-profits shuffling their resources to make ends meet -- I'm sure you can give even a simple service or product to help them meet their goals.
How will you celebrate #GivingTuesday this year? I want to hear about it! It doesn't have to be a big, expensive thing... just a simple token of generosity that you do for someone else...
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