The holiday season is upon us! While this means shopping, holiday parties, decorating (and some stress), it is also a time of giving and reflection. There are so many ways to give back this year, from something as simple as inviting a lonely friend or family member to join you for a holiday meal to participating in a Turkey Trot or blood drive.
Why Do We Give Back During the Holiday Season?
The end of the year originally became a time of reflection during the first Thanksgiving in 1621, when the pilgrims and the Wampanoag indigenous tribe celebrated a successful fall harvest. Since then, the end of the year has become a time of reflection and helping those in need, just as the Wampanoag did for the pilgrims.
Over the centuries, the post-World War II era saw the holiday season increasingly commercialized with Christmas displays, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday shopping. Amid this commercialization—and especially the explosion of Cyber Monday—a new tradition arose: Giving Tuesday. The idea originated at the 92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact in New York City as a day that encourages people to donate and support charities worldwide.
Of course, generosity and support are not only limited to Giving Tuesday. Volunteer opportunities can be a great bonding event for companies, clubs, families, and friends. If you are volunteering on your own, most charitable organizations will welcome you to chip in and will of course accept monetary gifts. The only thing left is to decide where to help out. Here are some ideas:
1. The Traditional Turkey Trot
Check online for nearby turkey trots and charitable marathons or walkathons in your area. Pick your preferred day and charity you’d like to support and lace up your running shoes! This is an especially great group activity for families.
2. Invite Someone to Your Holiday Meal
You may recall the story of an Arizona grandmother who thought she was texting her grandson about Thanksgiving dinner. She sent the text to the wrong person, invited him anyway, and a new tradition was born. As you begin making holiday plans this year, take some time to reflect on those who might feel a bit lonely this season—especially extended family members you have lost touch with, long-lost friends, or someone in your neighborhood who could use some company over the holidays.
3. Support Local Service Clubs
Once a staple of local communities, service clubs such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions Club, and Jaycees have faced a tremendous challenge in recent decades as membership numbers drop. This decrease in membership has also led to fewer charitable deeds, donations, and services to the communities these organizations serve. Any of these local service clubs would welcome support during the holiday season this year.
4. Salvation Army Bell Ringers
What would the holiday season be without the sounds of bells ringing outside local grocery stores? The Salvation Army supports numerous efforts, including holiday giving, services for the elderly, domestic abuse support, and after-school programs. You can register to be a bell ringer on your own, or you can coordinate it as a group activity among friends, family, or coworkers.
5. Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation aims to “grant the wish of any child who is diagnosed with a critical illness.” In addition to donating, you can get involved by fundraising, volunteering, or having your company become a national corporate partner.
6. Red Cross Blood Drives
Amid a severe shortage in blood supply, the Red Cross declared its first-ever “blood crisis” this year. Red Cross is also facing a staffing shortage, just like many organizations right now. If you’re interested in getting involved, you can find a local blood drive, make a monetary contribution, or volunteer.
7. Toys for Tots
For 75 years, the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program has gathered new toys to distribute to children in need, helping families share the joy of Christmas during the holiday season. Toys for Tots now provides additional support to children in need in the form of a literacy program that helps strengthen reading and communication skills.
8. Operation Homefront
Operation Home Front is dedicated to providing holiday meals, financial assistance, and additional support to military families in need, especially wounded veterans and those with family members who are deployed. Their Holiday Meals for Military program has helped serve over 606,000 family members since the program began in 2010.
9. Feeding America
Feeding America provides food to those in need by setting up food banks. If you are interested in getting involved with Feeding America, there are opportunities to volunteer at a food bank, host a food drive or fundraiser, or make a donation.
10. Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) provides meal packs around the globe to feed malnourished children. Volunteers visit an FMSC center where they are broken up into teams to assemble the food packets to be disbursed. This makes for a fantastic group event, and the organization puts on an excellent presentation of who they are helping and how they get it done.
11. Soles4Soles
Soles4Soles provides shoes and clothing for those in need. Opportunities to help include organizing a shoe drive, donating shoes, volunteering, and giving monetary gifts.
12. American Humane
Last—but certainly not least—let’s not forget about our furry friends this season. The first national humane organization in operation since 1877, American Humane is committed to helping ensure the safety and well-being of animals.
Our Commitment
During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it is all too easy to feel overwhelmed by the stress of travel and shopping for Christmas presents. Charitable work and caring for those around us can help us refocus and remember what is most important. Draper and Kramer is committed to supporting the communities we serve. Read more about our history of community involvement and giving, as well as our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Happy Holidays!
