9 Ways to Help Give Back This Holiday
This Year, Give a Gift That Money Can’t Buy
With additions by Ashley Keegan
Well, this has certainly been a year for the history books, hasn’t it?
At best, 2020 was just a weird year with upended routines, WFH stress, homeschooling struggles and a whole lot of boredom. But at worst, it’s been an undeniably awful time for those who have been out of work due to COVID-19 shutdowns and even more devastating for those who have battled the virus or lost a loved one to it. Add in the interpersonal struggles that have compounded an intense election and the ongoing battle for social justice and you've got a perfect storm of anxious folks who could really use a friendly smile these days (even if it is behind a mask).
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The great thing about this year, though, is that there are so many opportunities to give back to our communities. And not that you really need an excuse to do it, but the holiday season is an excellent opportunity to donate our time, resources or money to help those who are less fortunate or who could just really benefit from some friendly outreach these days. This is especially true as many people will find themselves celebrating the holidays apart from friends and family as the coronavirus continues to rear its ugly head.
So whether you have extra cash, time or goods to donate this year, we’ve rounded up some of the easiest and most rewarding ways you can be of service, even if you have to stay physically distanced.
Volunteer
So you’ve found yourself with more time to volunteer nowadays, but you’re not sure where to start? Check out sites such as VolunteerMatch or JustServe. Both have large searchable databases of nearby volunteer opportunities if you’re able to get out and help in person. There are also hundreds of thousands of virtual opportunities to provide assistance even while you’re stuck at home.
You can also Google "volunteer opportunities" in your area, or contact a nearby church or community center to ask where they might need help urgently. Many are still hosting clothing drives, food banks and soup kitchens this year.
Host a Goods Drive
If there isn’t a local coat or clothing drive where you can help out, considering organizing one of your own. Try hitting up social media and asking friends and family to gather goods to donate. Then, you can set up a contactless drop-off box outside your home. Think of it like a yard sale, except people bring the goods to you and you’re all just paid in the sweet knowledge that you did something good for others. This is an especially great time to collect goods for donation as most people find themselves spending more time at home. It could also be a great opportunity to donate an old laptop or tablet that children may need to safely and successfully complete their schooling at home.
Once everything is collected, you can donate them to local standbys like the United Way or your nearest Salvation Army drop-off location. One Warm Coat also lists coat drives near you and can help you set up one of your own.
If you’d prefer to donate financially, Operation Warm is a great nonprofit that makes and delivers new coats to children in need, and every $20 donation pays for one new coat.
Help the Hungry and the Homeless
As the documentary A Place at the Table points out, even full-time workers had been increasingly experiencing "food insecurity," or the inability to afford nutritious food before the pandemic. Unfortunately, the growing hunger problem has only gotten worse and the need for safely accessible food is so much greater this year.
You can donate to a charity that helps fight hunger, such as Feeding America, No Kid Hungry, and Action Against Hunger. Or, you can even set up a virtual food drive so your friends and family can contribute safely from anywhere.
Furthermore, Coalition for the Homeless reports that, in recent years, homelessness in some cities has reached its highest levels since the Great Depression, and the pandemic is certain to threaten those numbers to climb even higher.
Aside from standbys such as the United Way, Salvation Army and local religious organizations, other groups are working to confront this multifaceted problem from specific angles. Donations to National Health Care for the Homeless Council help physicians provide medical services to people without homes, while Covenant House focuses on outreach to homeless youth and aims to prevent trafficking. To help out in even more ways, Family Promise lets you sign up to assist homeless families by hosting, preparing food, and providing mentoring and skills training.
Support Mental Health
This year has been a challenge for all aspects of health: physical, emotional and especially mental. The National Alliance for Mental Health offers phone and text hotlines to help people with mental health issues find care near them or virtually. The group also lobbies Congress and hosts awareness events about increasing resources for mental health nationwide. Making a donation online is incredibly easy and will go a long way in this particularly unique time of increasing need.
Helplines such as Crisis Text Line are also looking for volunteers to answer text messages from those in crisis as they see a surge of folks struggling with stress and anxiety as the pandemic stretches on. Connecting with and helping others might even alleviate your own anxieties, too.
Amplify the Black Community
Racial injustice is certainly (and devastatingly) nothing new, but the systematic mistreatment of black communities was brought to a groundbreaking new light this year through ongoing nationwide protests. As you shop for holiday gifts for loved ones, consider seeking out black-owned retailers, some of which are small businesses that have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
You might also choose to support the black community by donating to organizations fighting for racial justice, such as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Campaign Zero. Or, you can discover ways to amplify the black community and dismantle racism through your own actions. It'll take time and effort, but it’s a priceless action to give back to humanity.
Care for Seniors
Meals on Wheels has been going strong for half a century, delivering meals to senior citizens who can't afford or aren’t able to prepare their own food. Pre-pandemic, nearly nine million seniors were at risk of going hungry and, unfortunately, the need has only grown larger this year. The organization supports more than 5,000 community programs nationwide, so you can donate online or even sign up to safely deliver meals in certain areas where the need is greatest. As the group points out, it's not just about food; volunteers also function as wellness checks for older people who might be isolated, even more so at this time.
Or, reach out to local nursing homes and senior centers to see if they need help with deliveries, or if they have any social initiatives to help ease their residents' feelings of isolation while following CDC guidelines.
You can also donate to the National Council on Aging as they advocate for older folks, especially when it comes to connecting them with resources, and dealing with service providers and policymakers.
Help LGBTQ+ Youth
LGBTQ+ visibility has exploded in the last few years, but many at-risk youth still face crises at home or school because of their identity. A recent Human Rights Campaign LGBTQ Youth Report revealed that only 26 percent of LGBTQ+ youth said they always feel safe in their school classrooms. Even more startling is that only five percent said that all of their teachers and school staff are supportive of LGBTQ+ people.
The Trevor Project aims to prevent young LGBTQ+ suicides by providing 24/7 phone, text and chat lines for support. Donations help the organization stay staffed, running and visible. You can also volunteer as a counselor.
Aid Refugees
Donating to the International Rescue Committee helps refugee families in war-torn regions resettle in the United States, and it also supports immigrant families that have been separated at the United States-Mexico border. This holiday season, you can give gifts in the name of friends and family members — including much-needed coronavirus essentials — and the organization will send your recipient a holiday card of thanks. Among the many options are Safe Passage ($36) to protect families in transit, COVID-19 Emergency Hygiene Kits ($45) and A Year of School ($58) to fund fees, books and supplies for a child’s education.
Join the Fight Against COVID-19
If you've recently recovered from COVID-19, one of the best ways you can give back is by donating plasma to help patients who are currently fighting the virus. The antibodies that your immune system built up could very well make the difference in saving someone else's life, and it's as easy and painless as donating blood. Find a donation center near you at The Fight Is In Us.
You can also donate funds to help source personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers as the strain of soaring COVID cases on hospitals becomes greater across the country. If you're not able to donate monetarily, however, you can share a note of encouragement for the selfless heroes on the frontlines of the pandemic. Head over to Health Hero Hotline to record your own message of gratitude and support to help keep their resilience high.
The fight against COVID-19 doesn't stop with the virus, however. It has caused shutdowns that are far-reaching and detrimental to small businesses as well. If you have a special skill, consider offering up your services to a local establishment that might need help with web design for their new e-commerce initiative, for example, or financial planning services to help with their recovery.
Give and Keep Giving
Looking for even more ways to give? Charity Navigator is a one-stop shop for charitable giving. The database boasts more than 9,200 organizations that do good, and you can search by topic, vet a charity to make sure it's legit, donate to several charities at once and even set up recurring contributions.
This holiday season is bound to be quite different from any other we’ve experienced in our lives. But, whether it’s the opportunity to make money, stay connected with loved ones from afar, or simply maintain our health, so many of us still have a lot for which we can be thankful. Why not take the time to pay that forward this holiday? Any small amount of time or resource you can give is sure to be appreciated tenfold, and hopefully by this time next year, that many more people will be feeling just as fortunate.
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