Holidays

'Tis the season of giving. With all thoughts on giving to others, it’s a good time to consider ways you can give back to your local community and the world. Below you will learn about 10 ways you can give back this holiday season. Buy Groceries for a Family in Need It isn’t hard to look around and find a family who is in need of some holiday cheer. You don’t have to spend a fortune, just buy a few extras that will help a family have a delicious holiday meal. It may free up funds they would otherwise spend on food, so they can buy gifts for their children this holiday season. Sponsor a Food Drive Work with your child’s school, your church, or community leaders to organize a food drive to benefit families in need, in your community. You can have specific families in mind for the proceeds of the food drive or a community food bank (or church) that can distribute the food to those who are in need. Visit the Elderly Whether you visit with Christmas Carols, a plate of cookies, or just with a willing heart and listening ears, some people are lonely during this time of year. Just 30 minutes of your time can spread holiday joy in ways you can’t imagine. Plus, you just might discover that you receive many more blessings from your visit than you ever expected. Have a Fair Trade Christmas By shopping from Fair Trade organizations you’re giving back to communities here at home and around the world. Not only will you purchase unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family, but you will also support businesses that employ artisans from around the world, offering living wages for their time and talents. Popular Fair Trade Items include: Coffee Chocolates Scarves Bags Jewelry Art Wooden Items These are all quality, hand-crafted items that you can enjoy, while giving back at the same time. Buy From Businesses That Give Back This is perhaps the easiest way to give back this holiday season. Your purchases from certain stores, give back to charities. You can even choose products according to the causes you wish to support. For instance, here at PlushBeds, we have a passion for giving, and one of the causes we support is The Autism Society. We also give back by making mattresses that are healthy for families and our planet. Other organizations that give back when you purchase their products include: Tom’s Shoes provides shoes to children in need in disadvantaged areas Bird and Stone Jewelry supports a variety of charities with specific product purchases State Backpacks gives supply-filled knapsacks to children in at-risk neighborhoods Found My Animal products support animal adoption S’well Water Bottle purchases help to provide clean drinking water to communities around the world As you can see, there are many organizations and products to choose from. Donate Pet Food to a Local Animal Shelter Animal shelters are always running low on supplies. It’s not just pet food you can buy and give them. Consider collecting old blankets and other pet goods to donate as well. You can do this on your own, or organize a drive within your community, your organization, your church, or your children’s school to garner greater attention for pet adoptions, and to arrange for more donations to the pet shelter of your choice. Volunteer There are few gifts better than your time to give back to the community this holiday season. Whether you’re helping to clean up the greenways in your community, building homes for those in need, or helping to organize and distribute donations for the The Red Cross, Salvation Army, a local church or a local food shelter, your time gives back to the community and enriches your life as well. Bring Christmas Joy to a Domestic Violence Shelter There are many women and children in need of a little Christmas joy in your community. Visit a local domestic violence shelter with a few gifts for the little ones and all the ingredients you need for an afternoon of baking and candy making. It’s a great way to bring a few hours of joy to the lives of those who may be feeling a little lonely and forgotten this holiday season. Give Gift Cards to Service Members in Your Community Make this your fun random act of kindness for the holiday season, and stock up on $5 gift cards for favorite local coffee shops or fast food restaurants. These are the men and women who get out in the cold, wind, and rain and sacrifice time with their families during the holidays to keep your community safe. These small gifts can help you show your appreciation in a way that is meaningful to them, as it can help them warm up with a nice hot cup of coffee. Send a Care Package to Our Troops The men and women who courageously serve our country sacrifice a lot to serve on the front lines. One of the things they sacrifice is holiday time with their families. Invite them to be part of your extended family by sending them a care package during the holidays or any other time of the year. From random acts of kindness to buying products that give back, these 10 ways to give back can help your holiday spirit grow, while helping others gain a little light and cheer for the holidays, too! All of us here at PlushBeds wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas! Link to Us! If you found this article useful, please copy and paste it into the html code of your website or blog: Learn More About Going Green at the PlushBeds Green Living Blog .

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