Spread The Love This Giving Season!
It’s giving season! It’s the time of year when people’s good nature shines through the most.
For many nonprofits, year-end giving constitutes a large part of their annual operating needs, and with temperatures dropping in much of the United States, vulnerable individuals and communities need more support. But each year nonprofit supporters and volunteers step up and donate their time and money to meet the need.
With all the good that is in the air, you may be thinking, how can I get involved? There are many ways in which you can help those around you this season with your time, your donations, and your heart. We’ve compiled some of them here to help you spread the love! ❤️
Give Time
“The greatest gift you could ever give someone is your time, because when you give your time you are giving them a portion of yourself that you can never get back!”
-Rick Warren
Giving time is something everyone can afford this year. It doesn’t take money to support your community and spread love to those in need!
- This Thanksgiving, search for nonprofits in your area that may be seeking volunteer help. Homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and food delivery services, such as Meals on Wheels have a high need for volunteers. Your Thanksgiving meal will taste just a little bit better mixed with the satisfaction you will get from supporting others in need.
- Help your neighbors by offering to rake or shovel for those that may not be able to do it on their own. If you own a plow, leaf-blower, or snow-blower, you can make an impact in your local community and even make a few friends along the way!
- Read to, perform for, or make cards for hospitalized children through organizations like Cards for Hospitalized Kids.
- Search for other volunteer opportunities in your area on GiveGab.com!
Give Donations
However low a nonprofit organization’s overhead may be, they still need to pay full-time staff and rent for their office or meeting space. As well as many other costs that are often not considered if you are not examining the big picture. Monetary donations are a necessity for any nonprofit to survive and pursue its mission. There are also other ways you can relieve financial pressure for nonprofits and support their success.
- Donate money to any organization you support. If you can afford to make a large donation that is amazing! But smaller donations can add up too! There are 327.5 Million people in the United States. If each person gave $5, it would add up to $1.6 Billion dollars!
- If you own property that may be helpful for a local nonprofit to utilized consider offering it up for their use.
- Donate clothing, food or canned goods. Search for current canned goods and clothing drive campaigns near you here.
Give Love!
Love is a big one! Think about the best holiday you ever had. I think of Thanksgiving with my family, the love and warmth I feel from the moment I step through the door; it is better than the food or the music, it warms me in the coldest of seasons, and brightens up the worst of days.
There are many ways that you can share the love this season. Here are just a few!
- Have a little more patience. The holidays often bring long lines and tensions can be high towards the end of the year. When faced with a trying situation, take a few breaths, and carefully consider what those around you may be experiencing.
- Smile! Happiness is contagious!
- Practicing simple acts of kindness can have a pay-it-forward effect and those you help may, in turn, help others. Offer to help someone carry their groceries. Pick up someone’s tab at a coffee shop. Walk the shopping cart back to the grocery store instead of leaving it in the parking lot.
- Ask someone how they are and carefully listen to their response.
Giving comes in many forms. At GiveGab, we are passionate about participating in the work that nonprofits do. We walk the walk, through donating to others and volunteering our time, to helping those in need.
I hope you take a few moments to give this season and through the new year! Don’t forget, #GivingTuesday is November 27!
Find nonprofits seeking donations and volunteers near you by using the nonprofit search tool at GiveGab.com!
