‘Tis the season to spend money, fa la la la la…
Okay, okay. That isn’t how the song goes. But sometimes during this time of year, thoughts like this just can’t be avoided. Keeping an eye on the bank account while making your way through your gift list can make it tough to be charitable.
So with this being the season for giving, what can you do to contribute to the community without causing you and/or your business financial stress? Fear not! You really can be charitable without it costing you a dime. Here are just a few ideas you can undertake as an individual or a business owner this holiday season:
- Spend some time at the local food pantry. Most people who work at food pantries are volunteers. Especially around the holidays, they’re always seeking capable hands to help put together bags of food for those in need.
- Donate blood. Go as an individual or arrange for the local blood bank mobile unit to visit your organization so that your employees can contribute if they want. You can find out more about organizing a blood drive by visiting http://www.redcross.org/.
- Offer to serve as a drop-off location for local toy drives. Toys for Tots is the largest organizer of toy drives around the nation, but there may be local organizations, such as Central Florida’s Baby DJ hosted by XL106.7, that need places for people to drop off their donations.
- Organize carolers and visit a nursing home. Sometimes the biggest gift you can give someone around the holidays is cheer. Many nursing homes house patients without family, so some cheerful singing and just spending time with them can make their entire holiday.
These types of charitable acts will only cost you time. Remember, giving to charity is also a tax write-off, so if there’s a cause that has meaning to you, this is a great time to contribute. There are many ways to show your holiday spirit without stepping foot inside of a mall or browsing retail sites online. Hopefully you’ll find one that works for you!
Do you have other ideas to share with us? We’d love to hear them!