The holiday season offers additional opportunities to give back. Of course, children everywhere are excited about gifts and holiday festivities, but it is also essential to provide them the opportunity to learn about the importance of giving back.
There are ample opportunities throughout the Greater Gainesville area for families to serve together. Service is an invaluable lesson and a gift to both the giver and the receiver.
Here are some great ways to lend a helping hand with kids this holiday season and get everyone into the spirit of giving.
Clothing Donations
Take the opportunity to go through gently used clothing and have family members participate in sorting the clothes. Write some encouraging letters, or have children draw pictures, and then drop the clothing off in a nice bag or box to an organization or place in need.
Food Donations
Donating or gifting food is a popular service during the holidays, and it is always needed and appreciated. There are a few ways to do this.
- Go through items at home with the family and donate them to a nearby food pantry or shelter.
- Take the children to the grocery store, set a budget and select items for an organization such as Grace Marketplace, Bread of the Mighty, or directly to a family in need.
- Older children can help their parents serve food at a local organization, giving them an extra opportunity to participate in an act of service.
Environmental Service
Everyone wants to keep Greater Gainesville a beautiful place to live. Sign the family and some friends up for a service project with Keep Alachua County Beautiful and enjoy time together while cleaning up a local park.
Acts of Kindness
There are endless acts of kindness that can be done every day. Giving back as a family to the community in which they live is a wonderful way to teach lessons in humility and instill a spirit of giving.
- Consider teaming up with the children and becoming a ‘Secret Santa” for a family in need. Kids will enjoy dropping off goodies and surprises at their doorstep. Keeping it a secret is extra exciting and really gets children involved in the spirit of giving.
- Visit Eldercare of Alachua County and carol to the elderly, or bring them pictures to decorate their rooms.
- Adopt a teacher at a high-need school and gift them school supplies and a favorite treat.
- The PACE Center for Girls or Junior Achievement are also great organizations that always need school supplies, or volunteers.
- Words matter. Try writing kind, encouraging notes and leave them around the neighborhood or town to brighten the day of community members.
Brainstorm and Bless
Gather the family together and create a list of ideas and see what everyone comes up with. Kids are creative and will appreciate being a part of the planning process. Create a list or calendar of one thing they can do each day to give back during the holiday season. The list can last for a week or a month, it doesn’t matter the length of the list, it is the act of giving that matters. The important thing is that everyone is working together to give back and help build a greater community during a time of year that is both exciting and often very difficult for many.
By Meredith Biesinger.