With Thanksgiving around the corner, a lot of things need to be done. Last minute grocery shopping, picking up families at the airport, cleaning the house, etc. But one thing a lot of us forget to do is remembering what Thanksgiving is all about. Thanksgiving is about being grateful for the many blessings we have in our lives and reciprocating by giving back to the community. It's not just about eating delicious food and having an excuse to eat as much as you can (which is one of my favorite parts of the holiday too), its about helping others. Here are a few ways on how to give back this Thanksgiving:
1. Volunteer at a homeless shelter.
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Many people are not as privileged as us and get to spend the holidays in a home with their families. Many do not even have food for the holidays. A great way to give back is to volunteer at a homeless shelter. At the shelter, you can serve warm food to people who may have starved otherwise if it was not for you taking the time to volunteer. They will greatly appreciate it. Also, if you live up north, you can give out blankets or jackets for those who may have to wait in line outside to get food. Their warm smiles and gratitude will touch your heart.
2. Donate.
Donating is another great way to give back. This is the easiest and most convenient form of being grateful for what you have. You can clean out your closet, separating all of the clothes you do not like or that does not fit you into a separate pile to donate. You can also do this with your shoes. To donate clothes, you can drop them off at a local Goodwill or Salvation Army location or at your nearby church. If you would like to donate food, you can buy a few canned goods and drop them off at food banks or shelters.
3. Fundraise.
Many organizations may not have enough funding to give food for all of those in need this Thanksgiving, making every penny count. Fundraising may take the most time, but it will be the most rewarding at the end. You don't have to do anything big like a gala or campaign, there are simple and easy ways to raise money for charities. You can do a small bake sale at a local school or event, make a lemonade stand or a hot chocolate stand depending on where you live, or even have a garage sale and donate all of the profits to a charity.
4. Volunteer at a local nonprofit organization.
If you can't do any of the above, you can volunteer at a nonprofit organization. Nonprofits are always in need of volunteers due to their limited funding and resources. A few nonprofits here in Orlando, Florida are Give Kids the World, Habitat for Humanity, Clean the World, Second Harvest Food Bank, etc.
No matter which way or form you do it, always remember to give back to your community as a way of saying thanks for all of the blessings you have received in your life and for the many more to come.
