sewgull

Giving is our joy. If you need an idea for giving check with your local schools. There is always a need for coats, hoodies, sweaters, underwear, socks the list go on and on.
Many of these children fall between the cracks and get no help like Angel Trees gift. Teachers know the true needs.

This is where my heart is. These are a future leaders, they can't learn if they are cold.

Merry Christmas

carolaug

For those who don't have alot of money...I use to work in a nursing home and many of the folks do not get company. Family members do not live in the area...so the gift of time...is so special...they love to talk to people or listen to a person read a book!!! There are many things people can do besides buying toys. I use to donate to one of the nursing homes and they did stocking to their spouses who visited...Stockings filled with socks, toothbrushes, shampoo, t-shirts....they all loved them.

kbs

I knit hats and mittens while I watch tv in the evening, give those to the church down the road for kids that need them.

dewie45

We give through our local church and one local well-run foundation that runs a kitchen. I'm not as able to do physical volunteering any more. I also like to keep some dollar bills in my coat pocket for the red buckets.

damaquilts

I give little bits all year long. Firefighters collecting money. Always the Shriners. The red buckets this time of year. I give what I can each year. But a lot of my time and energy goes for dogs. I just donated money and scarves and beds to be sold and the money used for a dog that needs special medical care. Lily was adopted, neglected brought back to be euthanized for a severe skin problem which she didn't have when she was adopted. I know because she was my foster pup. I had to go in the hospital so didnt' adopt her out. Sweetest girl ever. Her name was changed and the humane society took her over.

OmaForFour

I donate to the Maine Seacoast Mission at this time of the year. They do medical missionary work to the outer islands here in Maine as well as Christmas gifts and other items. A couple of years ago we gave them an oil burner which we no longer needed when we switched to hot water instead of air. There was a family who needed it immediately.
I also always give money to their emergency fuel fund to help poor people out.
There is so much they do. I could go on and on. The mission is right here on MDI about 1 mile from my house and I love to visit the mansion that is there home which was donated to them many decades ago.

jolo

I just wish I could do more/

Flying_V_Goddess

I think we all wish we could do a lot more. Once in a while I'll be watching Oprah and she'll give someone who's been down on their luck a new fully furnished house or something and think "I wish I could do that!"

But if you can do whatever you can then that's more than enough. I've seen a lot of people pass by the bell ringers around Christmas and they don't put anything in---or worse, they lie to the bell ringer and say "I'll get you on the way out". I kind of feel guilty when I pass them by, even when I know I don't have an extra cent on me to put in or I just put in five dollars last time I was in. You know, put five bucks in the bucket. Donate a toy so a child can have a Christmas present. Buy food and give it to whatever Christmas food drive you have in your town. If you have a quilt that you made that wasn't really for anyone donate that so someone can stay warm during the winter. If you see someone stranded on the side of the road go and buy them a couple things off the dollar menu at a fast food joint and some coffee so they'll have something to eat (we did that for a guy a couple weeks ago...my brother said it felt really good to do that...sometimes people get stranded here in town). And why stop at Christmas and think you're done for the year? Try to give whenever you can.

catrancher

Always. We've been fortunate in life, and I always remember it especially at Christmas.

ladyshuffler

Great job :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: