Is it worse this year? I doubt it. Every year I see stories about how the food banks are hurting, the homeless shelters are in trouble, donations are needed everywhere. This year I seem to be seeking out more opportunities to give. It makes me feel good, it sets a good example for my kids, and it helps someone. So far:
- The sealed anonymous grocery bag filled with canned and packaged food that will go to some family in time for Christmas.
- The needy family adopted by Robespierre's sixth grade class. He chose the fifteen-year-old boy who wanted a new pair of sneakers; we found Avia running shoes for half price at Sports Authority, and threw in three pairs of socks.
- The stuffed animal donations at Anthropologie for kids with cancer -- a furry brown horse with a fringy mane and tail.
- Ten dollars to the guys who stand out in freezing weather the Thursday morning before each Thanksgiving selling newspapers to raise money for children's charities. Next year I swear I'll remember to take the paper so I can wave it out the window at all the other newspaper vendors on all the other street corners who appear concerned that I might not yet have participated.
- The Salvation Army bucket outside every grocery store. Click the red button to make a donation to my bucket. I get nothing out of it; I'm just making it convenient for you to give.
- The scholarship fund at Robespierre's summer camp in memory of the longtime camp director who passed away last month.
- The Macedonia Church of God In Christ, whose not even completed church building burned on election day.
- School supplies being collected and shipped to a town in Israel by Cleo's girls club.
- The book exchange Cleo and I are holding at our house this weekend. Each guest will bring 10 books and select up to eight books brought by another guest; anything left over will go to charity.
- The extra dollar coupons at checkout at Petsmart, the grocery store, even Domino's Pizza online.
- The Heroes At Home Wish Registry sponsored by Sears. Thanks to Karen at The Pond for pointing this out. More than 31,000 military families are registered, most with at least one family member deployed this holiday season. The touching part is that, as so often happens, family members requesting gift cards never seem to ask for anything for themselves, but always for someone else.
- Cleo's school book fair, where we'll donate books to every teacher she and Robey have ever had.
- A pound of coffee at Starbucks to be sent to soldiers in Iraq.
More on charitable giving: Giving
