How to Help Others During the Holidays

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By Julie McElroy
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Help this Holiday

With the economy in a slump this holiday season, more and more families are needing help. There are many opportunities to help others over the holidays. Donating to charities and volunteering can help remind us the holidays are the time to give.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Time

Step 1

Toys for Tots

* Volunteer! * There are plenty of charities and non profit organizations that offer holiday volunteer opportunities. Volunteer to help sort all the toys and books that Toys for Tots receive. I did this and with all of the donations, there is no way everything can get sorted and set out for the children without the help of the volunteers! Servenet.org is a great place to look for volunteer opportunities.
Step 2

Do Good and Donate

* Donate * If you have clothes, toys, or food, there are places that will take those items and give them to families less fortunate. The Salvation Army is a great charity or donate to your local food bank.
Step 3

* Give money * There are many charities or organizations that would take a monetary donation. If you do not have the time to volunteer, cash is always a welcome gift during the holidays. Be sure to research the charity!
Step 4

Work in Soup Kitchen

* Work in a soup kitchen * You can help prepare meals for the homeless people in your city. This is a helpful volunteer opportunity since the kitchens are probably very busy during the holidays and in many places, the weather is cold!
Step 5

Volunteer to Bake

* Cook or bake * Bake some cookies or make a meal for a single person or a family and volunteer to bring it to their house. Many times, families get busy during the holidays or single people have no family to help them out. You can also bring treats to non profit agencies.
Step 6

Visit those Less Fortunate

* Visit those less fortunate * Take some time and visit a nursing home, an orphanage, or a hospital. Some of the individuals in these places do not have any family. Being able to volunteer your time to visit can help make their holiday season a little bit nicer. A good Web site to find out about opportunities is www.holiday-project.org which the link is in Resources.