With Christmas time comes the more visibly felt spirit of giving. More people are feeling generous and more charities come forward to ask for your assistance, making the most of this time of year. Question is, how do you know that the money that you give actually gets to the people who need them?
One of the best ways to make sure that it goes to those you truly feel are in need is to give to a local charity that you like. You really don’t have to go very far. Your church or local clubs may already have something. Choose one that sponsors a cause that you agree with and find out if can visit some of the recipients or inspect some of the sites (in cases where construction of any sort is involved). If they accept donations for distribution, they may also need volunteers to help pack these gifts up in boxes. You’ll be able to see for yourself the work that the organization actually does this way. You might even be able to go along as they deliver some of the boxes.
If your community has a Christmas gathering, get involved. There are many organizations that set up community christmas celebrations where the low income families can gather for a christmas meal and the kids can receive toys. It can be a lot of fun as well as be very fulfilling.
Categories: Activities, Charities, Children, Elderly, Families, Holidays, Ideas, Tips, Volunteering
Christmas is just around the corner and yes, there will be quite a few people without anything to celebrate this special night with. For a number of people, they just can’t afford to spend that much on their meals. They barely have enough for other necessities so Christmas may seem like just another day.
Take a page out of Anthony Robbins’ Basket Brigade. All you need to do is find out who in your own community may be in need of some help this Christmas. Put together what they would need for a good christmas meal and place them in a basket or box. If you want to add some other stuff, feel free to go ahead and be generous. You’ll be amazed at how much a difference it can make.
The next step is to deliver the baskets and boxes. It is best to keep it anonymous as some people’s pride won’t allow them to accept what they perceive as charity. You can often work through your local church. They’ll take care of making sure that your gift goes to those who need it.
Get your community involved too. In Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, the fire brigade is collecting non-perishable items from anyone in their community who is willing to contribute. They’ve stationed themselves outside supermarkets and groceries so that people can actually donate immediately after shopping. The two teams have made it a competition amongst themselves in fact to raise more than the other; but the true winners aren’t the firefighters, it is the people to whom everything will go.
What are your plans for Christmas? Can you spare a canned good or two?
Categories: Activities, Events, Families, Holidays, Ideas, Inspiration, Tips
Up next in the charities to consider for the upcoming season of giving is Thrive, a UK charity which helps the diasbled and mentally ill through gardening. Unlike other charities which supply medicine, food or fund research, Thrive helps people by providing a purposeful activity which helps them to cope with a difficult period in their life.
Thrive
Mission: Thrive is a national charity, founded in 1978, that makes use of gardening to change the lives of disabled people.
Gardening is a wonderfully flexible medium through which an individual can accomplish many things. Some may be immediately apparent, such as rebuilding strength after an accident or an illness, or providing a purposeful activity which helps people to cope with a difficult period in their life. Some may be less obvious such as helping to improve literacy through a simple task such as labelling a plant or reading a seed packet. There are some disabled people who simply want to enjoy gardening but need practical advice and skills to get started or to progress.
Focus: To research, educate and promote the use and advantages of gardening that can be accessed by anyone and everyone with a disability.
How They Help: Thrive’s activities are varied but all focus on championing the benefits of gardening to individuals and organisations, as well as teaching techniques and practical applications so that anyone with a disability can take part and enjoy this activity. Underpinning Thrive’s work is a research programme which provides evidence, improves understanding and supports the development of appropriate skills.
Online Donations? yes
Categories: Activities, Charities, Disabled, Elderly, Environmental, Holidays, Ideas, Men, Mental Illness, Volunteering, Women
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Remember the tear-jerking film of Kevin Spacey in 2000 called “Pay it Forward”? Based on the diagram you see above, it shows a simple way of giving which is starting to catch on not just on the silver screen, but in real life today. Just this week, some astonishing “waves of kindness” were reported in Seattle, Washington, where it seemed to have started in a Starbucks café (of all places) as Bob Halsam’s nonfat raspberry latte was randomly paid for by the lady ahead of him in the queue. Similarly, Mary Ann Johnson’s meal at Salmon Bay was also paid for by a stranger. Both the waitress at the restaurant and barista at Starbucks said the parties who did the random acts of kindness called it just that – and not surprisingly, it touched them as well.
In today’s world where so many dealings with others are based on a sort of trade-off, anonymous good deeds offer another kind of higher gratification – one that is based on the premise of expecting nothing of all. Wonderful and thrilling to both the giver and receiver, even third parties (like the waitress and barista) get the benefits.
After her surprise act of kindness at the restaurant, Johnson told all her friends, and “paid it forward” herself, starting off by buying breakfast for a street vendor in her neighborhood. And since then, she’s heard that its been happening all over town. In fact, there are now websites and RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) clubs in many communities all over the world. So here’s just one more way to give. As the diarist Anne Frank once said ” “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting to improve the world.”
Categories: Campaigns, Children, Ideas, Programs, Volunteering
Everybody needs to eat. It is a necessity in order for us to continue our existence on this earth. It is our body’s fuel.
In fact we don’t just eat because we need to. We love to eat! We enjoy having great food. We willingly pay large amounts in order to have the best possible food. Wouldn’t it be great if at least a portion of the money we spend actually makes a difference in the lives of those who have gone through calamities or truly have great need of help?
If you believe that this is so, then you’ll be glad to discover Chefs for Humanity (CFH). This is an organization of chefs and culinary professionals who work together to raise money and provide necessary resources for important emergencies. They strive to give humanitarian aid and educate about proper nutrition. Of course being involved with food, they have a special interest in providing this basic need to those who have gone through major upheavals such as the tsunami and hurricane Katrina.
There are many ways to take part in Chefs for Humanity’s activities. You can assist at the events, provide graphic design skills, post an entry in your blog maybe even become part of a food service crew. You can help teach good nutrition to schools and communites, maybe even help make some of the food. Why not attend one of the charity dinners that they organize? You get a great dinner guaranteed and you add to the funds the organization raises.
There is always the option for you to donate some funds to their worthy causes. Every amount helps to provide food for more people. Working with organizations like UNICEF, CFH extends their culinary gift all over the world.
There are many more ways to take part. To know more or to volunteer, please visit their website by clicking here.
Categories: Environmental, Events, Fundraising, Organizations
