How to Help a Needy Child This Holiday Season

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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You can help a child in need by donating your time and attention to help make this holiday season extra special.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • Book Bags
  • Coats
  • Children's Books
  • Christmas Stockings
  • Movie Tickets
  • Toys

Step1
Find a youngster who needs your help through your church, synagogue, local civic organizations or clubs.
Step2
Find out what the child needs most and try to provide it.
Step3
Donate toys, books and games to a shelter or youth-oriented group for a child who might not otherwise have any gifts this Christmas.
Step4
Contact organizations like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and offer to serve as a mentor.
Step5
Buy a book of tickets to the movies as a special treat that will last beyond the holidays.
Step6
Plan an outing for a child who rarely goes out. Take him or her to somewhere fun, like "The Nutcracker," the zoo, the circus or a play.
Step7
Read to a child. Sharing a book can be deeply meaningful to you both.
Step8
Buy warm clothing, boots or a coat for the child.
Step9
Provide new school supplies, such as a book bag, sneakers or a lunch box.
Step10
Provide Christmas decorations for a child's home, such as stockings, a wreath or a small tree.
Step11
Bake holiday cookies with a child and let him or her take them home to share with the family.
Step12
Think of things you can do that will improve the quality of life for the child's family, such as buying food for the holidays, or giving train tickets so they can visit relatives.

Tips & Warnings

  • Remember to give only new items for a child to open as Christmas gifts, but donate used toys to a shelter for kids to play with.
  • If you spend time with a child and enjoy it, consider doing this more often.
  • Remember that foster children and children of single parents may especially need help this holiday season.

Comments

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on 12/14/2007 i need some help i hate to ask for it.. but my 3 children and i are going through some tremendous hurtfull times here. I am a mom of 3 wonderful kids.. I have servere lupas and fibromialgia.. recently abandoned from abusive spouse.. left to live on 540.00 a monthfrom disabilitie.. is there anyone that can help me give my children a small christmas even just a christmas dinner we can cherish together is there an angel out there to help .. please contact me at dilligafhun43@yahoo.com if you know of any help please and happy holidays :)

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on 12/14/2007 My name is Karen I am a disabled mom of 3 I have severe lupas and fibromialia doing treatments.. been abandoned by abusive ex. left pennyless and need to see if there is any help in getting my kids a small christmas they been through enough they need a little joy. and a christmas meal together.. please contact me at dilligafhun43@yahoo.com if yo know of any help thank you and happy holidays :)

babybrat said

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on 11/5/2007 my name is carmen rodriguez i disabled and cant work i need thing for christmas i dont have no money i lived with my sister but it hard for us anything help carmenrodriguez6@msn.com

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on 6/30/2007 have lost a lot of money in these so called work from home scams. I now know if you have to pay for work dont bother
why should i have to pay some one to work for them
well guys and gals i found a true way to make some cash real fast
you will not get rich but you can make some hundred of dollars
I signed up with many stupid survey sites that just fill your email with spam and never really give you any money. well in the past few days i have found a few that actually work, so far in one week i made over 400 and the good part THEY ARE FREE and will send it to your checking account or by pay pal
I am glad that I took the chance and tried them out since people were saying that they actually do work. I joined them and right away started making money,
I am trying to save for a nice car and if my money keep growing like this I will have a nice size down payment before the month is out
so

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on 11/23/2006 Hello,

I moderate a group on yahoo groups. It is called “ChristmasHelpNeeded”. I am “NOT” listed on the group as needing help. You can check it out here if you like, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristmasHelpNeeded/


It is a group that I established to specifically help “Grandparents that are raising Grandchildren” to buy Santa Clause for their grandchildren.


Most of these people have been trying their best to raise children that they didn’t ask for, but loved enough, to try to keep them together and out of foster care, when their parents “went bad”. There are also a few select people that need help that I allowed to join too. Usually disabled parents or single Mothers.


Many of them get no extra help from outside sources, they usually just survive on a small retirement check every month or maybe a small SSI or SSDI check. Many are “just over the limit” with income to even receive food stamps!


So there isn’t anything left over (if there is even “enough” to pay the bills anyway!), to pay for Santa Clause this year. I could tell you stories that would make you cry. I know all of this because I run an extensive verification process, where they have to furnish me with legal documents proving their situation, before I even allow them to join the group. I don’t want any potential “donors” to get scammed by some con artist.


So, I am trying to provide a link between those that “have” with those that “have not”. In hopes that the “haves” will help the “have nots” with some Christmas cheer this year.


These people are not asking for anything for themselves, they just want help so that their grandchildren can have Christmas. Some are so needy that if they don’t find a “Christmas Angel”, their kids will not even have a tree, more or less, any presents under it!


Most all of them need clothes for the kids. Some of them need food for the kids too. I just connect all of these people together. I don’t receive anything from it or for it.

People who donate will be dealing with the “recieving people” themselves.


Anything they want to do is sent directly to the needy family. No administrative fees, no taxes, no other costs. Just one kind heart helping out another fellow man or woman in need. Isn’t that what the Christmas Spirit is all about?


Thank you,

ImJustANanna@yahoo.com

or join the group here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristmasHelpNeeded/

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eHow Article:  How to Help a Needy Child This Holiday Season

eHow Culture & Society Editor

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