By: Jordan Hasty, Staff Writer

For many people, the holiday season is widely known as a time of giving and joyful togetherness. While the traditional form of celebrating is through wrapped presents, lightening the load of those who are struggling and bringing in much needed reprieve is the best gift you can give. Luckily, there are various ways to go about supporting your community during this time. Volunteering at local/national nonprofit organizations for human services has been one of the most popular ways to help those in need in previous years, with most instances taking place in the form of serving/donating food, clothes, and more common necessities. The opportunities don’t stop there—donating to charities such as Toys for Tots, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Wish Project, and Heart to Heart International will instill strength, hope, and transformation within the lives of many. Similar charities are offered locally, one in particular being The Family Giving Tree, which is dedicated to serving children in need with a backpack of school supplies and gifts wished for every holiday season. The 2020 holiday season will greatly differ from others, but while we maintain public health guidelines to plan safe ways to stay in touch with loved ones, it is crucial to think about ways to give back, ensuring everyone feels some holiday spirit this time around. As we near the close of an unexpectedly chaotic year, everyone could use a little joy, and a little generosity can go a long way.

A great place to begin with volunteering efforts is locally. With the steady rise of the Coronavirus pandemic taking place this year, many organizations have shut down. Those who have reopened have found themselves with a scarce amount of volunteers, especially this holiday season. This sparse support has made it difficult to provide to the less fortunate efficiently, minimizing the potential of the non-profit organizations. The Family Giving Tree is a local donation program that is best known for “Granting Children’s Wishes for Joy and Learning,” committed to being of service to those most in need for the past 30 years. Essentially, underprivileged children are given a chance to make a holiday gift wish, which will then be provided to them through the program. Being the largest holiday gift and backpack donation organization in California, TGT believes that everyone should experience the joy of the holidays through the receipt of a gift with no one forgotten. Although The Giving Tree has already accomplished assisting various underserved people, there are still thousands more local families and children who still need your support. By participating in their annual Holiday Wish Drive, an opportunity to personally, positively influence the lives of people who need the extra lift in your area will be presented. If you, or someone you know is interested in supporting their Holiday Wish Drive, you can volunteer here online, and help sort, wrap, and prepare wishes for distribution to their partner nonprofits and schools. To fulfill the desired holiday gift wish of a child, adult, or senior in need on the surface may not seem like much, but for someone who may not otherwise receive a gift — it’s everything. That single, specially chosen gift lets them know that someone in the community is thinking of them, and spreads a little holiday cheer. 

Not only can you make a change locally, but you can expand your impact nationwide. Toys for Tots, for one, has donated more than 556 million gifts since 1947, making it an extraordinary charity for children. Fortunately, they have many methods of supporting the charity: you can donate funds online which includes a personal thoughtful message to a child in need, drop off a new toy or game at the nearest drop-off location to you, or host a campaign in order to collect donations from family, friends, and coworkers this season. Make A Wish is another incredible organization, targeted towards creating unforgettable experiences for children with critical illnesses, depending on their own individual dreams. The outcome of contributing to programs such as these can help improve the child’s quality of life, as well as providing them a perspective of hope. With your support, a child’s holiday dream can come true. In addition, this organization has sponsors such as TopGolf, Best Western, and Discover Card and receives a percentage of each purchase made at those businesses. Check here for a list of ways to alter your spending habits in order to benefit a Make A Wish child. As families have become the quickest-growing portion of the homeless population as a whole, The Wish Project’s main goal is to stop that vastly increasing number. Ultimately, the charity aims to help families in establishing long-term residency, doing so through providing furniture, household goods, shoes, and clothing. It helps families who are struggling to get back on their feet and a brighter outlook for the success of their future. Help the cause and donate clean clothing, extra mattresses, tables, air conditioners and more to support the cause. You can also volunteer here off-site, or hold a fundraiser of your own. With this organization, there is no shortage of ways to assist in giving back to the homeless. Heart to Heart International strives to help improve healthcare access for those in need all across the world. The agency accomplishes this goal by recruiting volunteers, distributing resources, conducting training, and responding to disasters. Each year, thousands of volunteers use their skills in order to change the lives of those in dire need. To volunteer, go to this page for volunteer opportunities and more resources to help you get started with your volunteer journey! 

Volunteering and supporting nonprofit organizations is an amazing method in doing your part to help the community surrounding you, but sometimes volunteering is not just about signing up with an organization or officially doing work for a group. It is also about giving your time for those around you. Hold the door open for the next person to enter a door after you. Knock on your elderly neighbors door and offer assistance with their groceries after the next store outing. Clean up around you and dump your trash when in a public place so the janitor has a little less work to do. Donate blood at your local blood bank and save a life. Offer your commemoration and create a “Thank You” card for emergency and essential workers. Let someone go in front of you in line if you are not in a hurry. Small, random acts of kindness are the unspoken, often forgotten volunteer acts that every individual can incorporate into their lives to make all the difference in a person’s life. 

This holiday season is about more than simply presents under the tree and filling stockings up with treats. It’s about giving time too. Volunteering this holiday season is a memorable way to give back to your community and share the love with others in need. If you are interested in the holiday volunteer opportunities and ways to help others, it is strongly encouraged to take action, especially during this time. The holiday season can be a difficult time for various persons, and you have the power to change that, beginning with the area around you. If volunteering is not an option for you, social media is another great way to get those around you to help out and become more aware by advertising local food/blood drives, and more volunteer opportunities taking place this year. Making a difference could take as little as minutes, but every effort matters. As the popular saying goes, “it’s better to give than receive.”