By Claire Caprioli

“Reach out and touch somebody’s hand, make this world a better place, if you can.” –-written by Ashford & Simpson, first sung by Diana Ross 1970.

Writing a check, giving clothes to Goodwill, and donating to Toys for Tots are all worthy endeavors, but they can also be just another item to cross off your to-do list, especially during the holidays. If you would like to experience that “giver’s high” I have good news for you: it doesn’t take much time to do something more personal. Better still, the following starter list includes things that can be done as a family, even with young children, has great potential for creating a fond memory (or even starting a tradition!) and provides wonderful lessons in both gratitude and humility.

Away from Home:

1. Donate 1-2 hours at the NC Food Bank: foodbankcenc.org
This local food bank serves 34 NC counties where there are more than 650,000 people living with food insecurity, half of whom are children and seniors. We
have volunteered here several times and there is always something for everyone to do while still sticking together as a family. My kids’ favorite was scooping pasta, and even a 4-year-old can carry a bag of pasta (or whatever) to a bin.

2. Donate 1-2 hours at the Diaper Bank: ncdiaperbank.org
Did you know food stamps don’t cover diapers? There are working families choosing between feeding and diapering their children. You always know what you are going to get here: repackaging diapers into groups of 25. If your child can count to 12 this is great, but even if your child can’t count, he or she can deliver the wrapped packages onto the palette. Less boring than it sounds, we always enjoy this. It is surprisingly relaxing to focus on one simple task for an hour!

3. Open to anything? Donate time to a local park, assisted living home, community center, school, or place of worship. They know what they need, just call and ask!

4. Make #3 more personal by asking if there is a particular person or family in need of help—a widow who needs her leaves raked, a single mom who would
love a basket of homemade treats, etc.

Suggestion: If you do something away from home, turn it into a family fun day by going out to lunch, ice skating, bowling, or whatever when you are done. You are donating time to others as well as creating happy family memories!

At Home:

5. Make homemade holiday cards or general well wishes to give out at an assisted living home.

6. Do you enjoy baking or are you good at a craft? If #3 is out of your comfort zone, start by considering your skills and then call to see who can use them. Do from home and then deliver.

7. Put together homeless kits. If you collect but rarely use the free toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss you get from the dentist twice year, and/or have an odd collection of unused hotel soaps and shampoos, you already have a good start. How about that box of granola bars that the kids won’t eat because they suddenly decided they don’t like raisins? Pop one of each of these items in a ziplock bag.

Uncomfortable rolling down the window to talk to a stranger on a street corner? Call your local police station or a homeless shelter first to see if they
are willing to hand them out. You can put together a handful of bags, or organize a group of family, friends, neighbors, or people at an organization you belong to and turn it into a do-good party.

Some last notes:
This is a short, incomplete list. Please don’t think that if it isn’t done during the holidays, it can’t be done at all. Any of these can be done at any time of year, but don’t put it off. The first step—the mental effort to start—is by far the most difficult, but it is worth it.

In the words of Anne Frank: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

 

[Claire Caprioli is a mom & writer—copywriter, editor, proofreader, tutor, novelist, and anything having to do with the written word! Find her on Facebook, LinkedIn, and at clairecaprioli.com]