Give the Gift of Charity

As we enter the holiday season, what better way to show your appreciation than to give the gift of giving.  We all are busy decorating our houses and shopping for those perfect gifts for loved ones as it’s an exciting time of year. 

What if we all donated a little time and or money for those who may not be as fortunate as us?  Here are some suggestions we came up with to share the love with some strangers this holiday season. 

Small Monetary Donations

Get the kids involved. Let your kids know that you will be spending some of their gifts on charities and make it a positive and learning experience for the children.  Let them choose the charity to which they will donate that extra $10, $20, or any monetary donation.  Imagine if 100 kids donated $10, that’s $1000 for people who are in need!  Here are some organizations they can look into: GoFundMe – Together as a family you can look in your community for people who are in need of medical equipment, help with medical assistance, etc.  Imagine following that person on their journey and know you helped them. Non-Profit Organizations for people with disabilities – Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Rett Syndrome, etc. all have local chapters and are in need of donations. 

Volunteerism 

Not all of us can afford to give to an organization financially but what about our time?  Giving 5 hours, 10 hours can go a long way not only for the non-profit organization but what we all get out of helping those less fortunate.  Some great organizations are: 

• Best Buddies – Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). 

• MDA Summer Camp Volunteer – Spend a week at MDA Summer Camp! Volunteers provide campers with around-the-clock care and become a youngster’s friend for a week. 

Get and Give

Many nonprofit organizations have Christmas Cards available for purchase and those monies help fund the charity.  This is another fun way to get involved in a charity at a small level and feel good knowing you did something good.  We buy Christmas Cards anyway…why not get and give? 

Remember that every little bit helps…especially if more of us give those small amounts of time and money go a long way.  Happy Holidays from Ability Center. 

Other Gift ideas from our friends at BraunAbility 

• Gift Ideas for a Child with Cerebral Palsy

• Christmas Gifts for People in Wheelchairs 

• Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids in a Wheelchair