Nov 27 2012
Giving Back During the Holidays Made Simple
The holiday season is in full swing, and many of us are busy shopping for gifts for our family and friends. It’s a great time give thanks for our many blessings and give back to those less fortunate in our own communities. But with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, good intentions can sometimes fall off the list. That’s why we decided to put together a blog post filled with ideas and local charities in CT, MA, RI and NY to make giving back on #GivingTuesday and during the holidays as easy as pumpkin pie.
Find a Local Food or Clothing Drive
Here are some links to local food and clothing drives in our region. If you can add some others in the comments below, please do.
Connecticut
- The United Way of Connecticut put together this extensive list of local food or clothing drives. Simply click here
and you can search by city or zip code to find a clothing or food drive near you.
- Donate to the Connecticut Food Bank
- Read the President of Food Share’s blog
- Find more local Connecticut food banks
Massachusetts
- Click here to find links to the local food banks and household or clothing drives from Mass.gov.
- Donate to the Greater Boston Food Bank
- Donate to Project Bread or Food Bank of Western Mass
Rhode Island
- To find a local food bank in Rhode Island, click here
- Follow @RIFoodBank on Twitter
- Give, advocate or volunteer with the United Way of RI
Westchester, New York
- Donate to the Food Bank for Westchester
- Find more food pantries in Westchester County here
Twitter List of Non-Profits
Here is our Twitter List of Non-Profits for over 100 local organizations trying to make a difference in your community. Simply follow the entire list, or look through to find a specific cause you care about.
Organize Your Own Drive at Work or School
There are many worthy charities to donate to during the year and many schools or places of employment already have established programs. But what if yours doesn’t? Organize your own! Here are a few resources to help you get started:
- Food drive ideas for your school or work from DoSomething.org
- Organize a clothing or house wares drive with these tips from serve.gov
Give Toys
Something we can all relate to is the joy of opening presents during the holidays. Many people in our country can’t afford toys for their children, so another option is to give unwrapped gifts.
- Toys for Tots
- To help the Salvation Army’s Angle Tree & Toy Drives, click here for information.
- Want to plan a toy drive? Click here for tips.
- Check out Santa Search to find a local toy drive near you.
Give Blood
Can’t afford to give away money or food, maybe you can give blood instead! The American Red Cross supplied some tips and resources to help you find a place to donate blood, or even host your own drive here. If you live in Rhode Island, visit the Rhode Island Blood Center’s website here to get involved.
Verify your Charity
Before you give back to a particular charitable organization, make sure they are legitimate. The Better Business Bureau has a plethora of resources to help you discern fraudulent organizations. Click here for tips on how to make sure your donation gets to the right people.
The holidays are a great time to think about others and give back to your community. We at Webster wish everyone a joyous holiday season and hope you can use these resources to help simplify your holiday giving. If you have other charities that we didn’t include, please add them in the comments below. Happy Holidays!