Do you help any charities at Christmas

[christmasnut]

Every year we donate the kids old toys to Argos Barnados...They do hand over vouchers for your toys but we just tell Argos to hand it to Barnados for the kids that don't get at Christmas...Do you help any charities at Christmas?

[ornamentmaven]

I always give to food pantries and the Toys for Tots program

[wstaple]

We started working with an organization called Graceworks and their Manger campaign a few years ago. Local businesses and individuals donate new products, anything from household goods to toys and bikes, and for one week underprivileged families can come and "shop" at a local church for gifts for their family. We've done setup, takedown and restocking, but the most rewarding is definitely helping the families shop. When a family qualifies for the program, they come to the church one evening during the event. Each family can buy one gift for adults and three gifts for each child. They pay $1 per person for the gifts so that they fee like they're contributing. I've seen emotions ranging from tears to laughter when they walk out of there with a bike for their kids or a coat for an adult.

[snowbell1]

I help with our Santa fund which people can give money,toys also i help with our local food pantry and i help with collecting food and things for our local animal shelter and or church womens group knit and crochet hats,mittens and scarves for children and they are delivered to our Humantity office which also collects coats and people who are in need go there to get them.We have many groups that i help out as well as my womens church group.

[JollyElfDC]

I always give to various toy drives, and the Salvation Army.

[chocolatechip1979]

Always at the local shelters for hot meals. We collect clothing/shoes all year and donate to ShadeTree.

[Bishop1954]

Several including the local Mission, Toys for Tots, the Salvation Army and many more. I try (with the Lord helping to remind me) to put aside funds for that most needed time of year. I enjoy helping out at various times, but there is something so heartfelt between the time when Thanksgiving approaches and Christmas arrives. The needs seem so much greater then. I also will collect gift cards from where I work and toss them into a special "Jesus" stocking. Then when November arrives, I give them to the pastor at my church to distribute as he sees each need more clearly. Also this way, they never know who donated the cards and I never know who it was that received them.
One of the "few" positives about getting older is that we discover that we want and need less... lol :gelf: