Many charities find it very hard to meet the needs of struggling people across the globe. Government funding can be scarce and many charities rely on the goodwill on companies and the everyday person like you and I. Please take the time to read this post and help where you feel you can.
It's about seven weeks to Christmas YAY !!! I love Christmas because it's the time of the year we celebrate the birth of Jesus - the greatest gift ever given. I also love to give to others especially those in need.
As you start to think about Christmas presents and food for your own celebrations, please take the time to plan how you'll help others. Here are some ideas that won't blow out your family budget -
* Clean out your pantry and donate excess tinned and dried foods to charities, churches and schools that are collecting.
* Each time you do your grocery shop add a couple of tins of spaghetti, baked beans, tinned fruit and vegetables. You could do this every time you are tempted buy a bottle of soft drink or a packet of chips as a part of your usual shop.
* Next time you feel like takeaway, put the money towards buying food for charity.
* Start lookng for specials on boxed cereal, porriage, tinned hams and toiletries to donate.
* Get together with a few friends, pick a charity and plan to bless those in need.
* Feel like a cuppa at the shops ? Instead, use your coffee money to buy a jar of pasta sauce and a couple of packets of pasta.
* Buy a couple of toys for charity when you are Christmas shopping for your own family. Charities are in real need of presents for children over the age of 10. A tote bag, skate board, basket ball or Nerf gun make fabulous presents that won't break the family budget.
* Ask your children to buy a present from their pocket money. This is a great opportunity to teach them about budgeting and giving to others.
With a little bit of planning ahead of time you'll be able to bless many in need.
Who's up for the challenge to start now ?
Have you already put items aside for charity ?
Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those hypocrites who always intends to donate toys and food at Christmas time, and never gets around to it.
Time for change.
I think if everyone prepared for Christmas with your suggestions, we would all feel merrier! Andrea
ReplyDeleteI am a member of the American Association of University Women. For the first time in anyone's memory, our branch adopted a Christmas project of donating new or gently used children's books. Everyone is to bring one or more books to the annual Christmas party on Dec. 3.
ReplyDeleteYou know me...I went for "gently used," LOL. Last night I went online and ordered 12 books (some have more than one book in them) for about $50, including postage. (I wasn't going to spend this much, but this is something I can get carried away with, and I'm thrilled to be able to do so much). All were listed in "very good" to "like new" condition--any that don't seem nice enough for a gift will be donated to our AAUW's Little Free Library.
If anyone here is buying books for Christmas, for heaven's sake buy used. The best site I have found is bookfinder dot com. The books start at USD $3.48 including shipping, and all of the books I have bought from them have been in at least as good of condition as advertised.
Dear Wendy, this is a subject close to my heart. We have always given generously to charities at Christmas, even when we didn't have much ourselves. However little we had, we knew that we were still far better off than many. I remember being told that donations of common pantry items are usually plentiful at this time of year, but it's things like a little tinned Ham, or those jars of cocktail frankfurts and other preserved style meats, canned or otherwise that really help with the 'meat' component of a festive meal. A tin of Stagg brand chilli meat, a packet of Corn Chips and some long life cheese and sour cream are another good addition to charity collection bins, and create a fun meal for kids. I hope things are looking up for you, and that you are blessed abundantly for the coming festive season. Love, Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteI like this post:) I buy hand bags and back packs at yard sales.
ReplyDeleteThen I put things inside that help homeless people. A small blanket,
some bottled water, some granola bars,chap stick, lotion etc.
We hand these out the car window instead of money.
thank you,
Patti
This year I am doing something very similar. I am donating 5 filled handbags to 'Share the Dignity''s #itsinthebag. A great womens based charity collecting personal items for women in need.
DeleteLinda
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteWe always donate toys and food to our church prior to Christmas so it's written into the Christmas budget each year.
It's such a good feeling to help others at this time
Maureen
Great ideas for the older children. I like to donate as well especially to the children. My children go to a beautiful Catholic school and every year they collect for the needy. This year I will give something for the older children and Kmart has great toys at affordable prices.
ReplyDeleteWendy, Our church supports charities at home and abroad, so we give above and beyond our regular tithes and offerings to support those efforts at Christmastime. This year that will include extra donations to our church food pantry and the annual Christmas baskets as well as helping build and furnish a home for a needy family. Your idea to check one's pantry for tinned (canned) foods to donate is a good one. I second Mimi's suggestion about donating meat products because those items are often hardest for the pantries to come by.
ReplyDeleteMay I please add to Precious People Preschool's excellent suggestion about making care packages to hand out of the car instead of money? We purchase fast food restaurant gift cards to hand out. One must only open the car window a little bit (which is safer) to hand out a gift card and the card can only be used to purchase food.
Blessings, Leigh
What good ideas from everyone! At our place, we help our boy to create little care packages for those who are homeless. Sometimes we do this for Xmas and sometimes we prepare them for the onset of winter when it's cold. We pack essential items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, lip balm, new socks, bandaids etc. into cliplock bags. (I stockpile some of these items during the year.)Our boy then writes a little message on a card and tucks it into the bag. He makes me smile with what he writes and I like to imagine that the recipients smile too when they see his little drawings and what he has written. Meg:)
ReplyDeleteIn some places in the USA food banks encourage people who garden to "plant a row for the hungry" and then donate the produce. Sewers and knitters have a charity that makes quilts and knit hats for the children's hospital here. I have made slow cookers of elk chili for the local homeless lunch. What I mean is that if you don't have money but you have other resources perhaps you could make,cook, or grow something.
ReplyDeleteThis year we did two boxes for the Samaritan's Purse and as these had to be posted off before the end of October we have found that it doesn't cut into our budget much. But we will also donate to the Food Bank at the Salvo's.
ReplyDeleteThis year I was fortunate enough to find a very high quality boy's winter coat on clearance for $5.00. I purchased it to donate to clothing drives for children. I will probably knit a scarf or hat to go with it. It is a small thing I know but it still made me feel good to be able to do that much. I also picked up the cutest little doll again on clearance for $2.00 and I gave that to my friend so she can gift it to her granddaughter for Christmas. I just do what I can as God provides.
ReplyDelete