Whats your favorite Holiday time Charity?

[LMS]

I thought this might be fun to hear about some other Charities

My favorite Charity for the holidays is Toys For Tots. But Heroes for Children runs a close second year round.

[Brookepanda]

Yeah we always buy gifts for the toys for tots program. It's a tradition in my little family to go shopping for a few baby items, then some toddler items, and then one or two general child toys and then drop it all off at the fire station.

[Lynette]

We didn't do it last year, but I try to do the Giving Tree towards the end of the season when all the left over hearts are on the tree that people don't take like teens or old people and take at least 2.

[Lorah]

WE do Toys for Tots and The Giving Tree.

[LMS]

lynette: I used to do the "giving tree" type of charities EVERY year when i was a kid. I was really turned off by it in SR 2 years ago though. We were new to the area and only really knew where the mall was, and all the hearts on the tree had requests for what the kids wanted... things like Bike/Helmet, Color TV, XBox, etc..... and it frustrated me.I wanted to do something nice, but i didn't have an Xbox in my budget for MY family, let alone to give a stranger. I like when you go, pick a tag with a name, gender and age, and you pick what you think they might like. (or if it has suggestions like "Johnny loves trucks" that's fine too)

[khanson]

I love the Giving Tree. I usually choose one from each age group - baby, toddler, teen and older person. I love shopping for all of them. We don't really do gifts with our family much anymore because it's so expensive, but I love helping someone in need. I also throw in a card to go with it.

[khanson]

lynette: I used to do the "giving tree" type of charities EVERY year when i was a kid. I was really turned off by it in SR 2 years ago though. We were new to the area and only really knew where the mall was, and all the hearts on the tree had requests for what the kids wanted... things like Bike/Helmet, Color TV, XBox, etc..... and it frustrated me.I wanted to do something nice, but i didn't have an Xbox in my budget for MY family, let alone to give a stranger. I like when you go, pick a tag with a name, gender and age, and you pick what you think they might like. (or if it has suggestions like "Johnny loves trucks" that's fine too)

Yeah, if they're requesting high dollar things I pass them up. A couple years ago I found one for a 90ish lady. All she wanted was a blanket or a tape player so she could listen to her music. I had a hard time finding a tape player so I got a CD player and a couple CD's of music I thought she would like.

[LMS]

yeah, ones like that i TOTALLY would have picked. The tree in the food court at the mall was ALL super high ticket items, and frankly, I can't afford to spend $200 on someone for christmas. And it really kills the "feel good" attitude of doing the GC when I know i'd have to skip a credit card payment to get this kid what they want.

[Lorah]

ohh Jackie, that is a bummer....I always find them saying things like, "a doll" or "new jeans size XXX", ya know....I would be discouraged wtih the item being an Xbox too.....I mean if that is what is on there then heck, *We* need to get on there too, cause we can't afford one either....


You know, there is another charity that I LOVE, but I don't remember the name of it. It's where you donate XXX dollars, as little or as much as you'd like, litereally you can even donate $2 if thats all you can do. You can donate it in the name of anyone you want (so like for chrsitmas one year my mom donated $20 in each of our names as our gifts), and on your receipt it shows what food and or clothing was purchaced with that money.
It's really cool. My mom did it that year because she wanted to make the point that we had more than we could ever need or want, and that we should feel good about giving to others rather than expecing to get for ourselves.....I was in my late teens and LOVED it! My younger more *me me me* focused siblings didn't really like it as much, but they got the point, and were thankful.

Does anyone know the name of the group or groups that do that?

[Luckylove]

We usually donate to the american cancer society but I hate it. Every time we do we get about a billion requests from other charities via phone calls or junk mail b/c they give our your info. We do Toys for Tots at work.

Lynette: thats a good idea! Maybe we will do the giving tree this year. Does Target do it?

[Lynette]

lynette: I used to do the "giving tree" type of charities EVERY year when i was a kid. I was really turned off by it in SR 2 years ago though. We were new to the area and only really knew where the mall was, and all the hearts on the tree had requests for what the kids wanted... things like Bike/Helmet, Color TV, XBox, etc..... and it frustrated me.I wanted to do something nice, but i didn't have an Xbox in my budget for MY family, let alone to give a stranger. I like when you go, pick a tag with a name, gender and age, and you pick what you think they might like. (or if it has suggestions like "Johnny loves trucks" that's fine too)

:yeah But I think with a busy place like the mall people pull the hearts all the time and feel the same way and those are the leftovers, not only do they not have $200 to buy a bike or an Xbox but who knows if it won't just get sold on CL or something? I like to give till it hurts but I don't want to be stupid or bilked when I could take that same $200 and do like 6 people, ya know?

I started doing the leftover hearts because the first year I knew about it they had a tree at my work and all my female co-workers were buzzing aroudn the tree just squealing about how cute this one was or that one was and after the herd dissapated I noticed the left overs were an old lady, a developmentally disabled 20-something guy, and a 14yo girl who just asked for warm clothes so it just became a kind of thing to do the not "oh so adorable" rejected hearts.

[meeg124]

We usually do the giving tree or toys for tots. This year, I think we are going to try and sponsor a family that needs help over the holidays.

[LMS]

lorah: OMG, FIND ME THE NAME OF THAT CHARITY.
I want to do that for our family this year. We were just saying how this Christmas we are dreading b/c NOONE *needs* anything and WHY should we spend $1k on christmas just to give people crap that they're never gunna use. THAT is what I want to do! :love

[jellybeanmichelle]

We did letters from Santa one year.
I contacted the local post office and they forwarded all the letters to me.
It was fun!

[jellybeanmichelle]

Oh and also one year, Mrs. Grossman donated all of the messed up stickers to us Rainbow Girls. We made decorated paper placemats for convalesent homes and the like.

[Lorah]

lorah: OMG, FIND ME THE NAME OF THAT CHARITY.
I want to do that for our family this year. We were just saying how this Christmas we are dreading b/c NOONE *needs* anything and WHY should we spend $1k on christmas just to give people crap that they're never gunna use. THAT is what I want to do! :love

I'll call my mom right now and ask her how and where she did that. I'll post what I find out in this thread.

[Lorah]

Okay, my mom is going to look through her files and see if she can find the name of the organization...she says sorry, she can't remember it off the top of her head though... She is going to email me when she finds it.

[LMS]

that sounds *so cool* I can't wait to hear where it was through

[Lorah]

She can't find the exact place she went though. :(

She said that it was something similar to Feed The Children.

[lizirroja]

This charity is awesome! Heifer International (http://www.heifer.org/)

[Maritza]

I volunteer as an Interpreter and Translator for the Adopt a Family-Program in Healdsburg every Christmas.

[LMS]

lorah: Ugh, no biggy. Jr vetoed my "donations in everyones names" idea. What a scrooge.

[Tracee]

This charity is awesome! Heifer International (http://www.heifer.org/)

My mom does that every year....last year it was chickens...

[Tracee]

I usually do baked goods and drop them off at convalescent/assisted living homes. It's kind of nice because you can go visit the people and they are so stoked about having a nice treat (and someone to talk to) because a lot of them don't have family that visits at all, let alone during the holidays. Usually makes me want to do it year round but then life takes over and unfortunately I forget and it never happens :( What is it about the holidays that makes you want to go out of your way to help others and then the rest of the year it's an after/side thought?

[Shari]

I try to do the Giving Tree. My favorite was a 15 year old boy that just asked for a wallet. I thought is was wonderful that he was asking for such a utilitarian item, I put a 20 inside. I figured it would brighten his day.

[colleen&Kail]

i usually do the giving tree, last year we had a toy for tots bin at my work so it made it extra easy!

[Lorah]

lorah: Ugh, no biggy. Jr vetoed my "donations in everyones names" idea. What a scrooge.

Bummer...all around! Well...I hope that you figure out something cool to do, and that you get Jr on board with it. :)



What is it about the holidays that makes you want to go out of your way to help others and then the rest of the year it's an after/side thought?

I hate that about a lot of people! Like...ohhh its christmas....so I better not be too selfish and give to someone in need so that I feel better kind of attitude. Not for all people, but many.

I really think there should be more effort in reaching out ALL year long too!

We use to sponsor a child all year long, but she is 25 now and doing really well! WE haven't gotten back into it again and should. I normally make a few donations to different charities throughout the year. March of Dimes, Breast Cancer Awareness and Research groups (Susan G Koman foundation mostly), I also donate clothes to goodwil and or salvation army many times a year (but then I'm not a fan of that cause then needed people still have to pay to get it...).

*sigh* I wish I had more time to do more....and more money to do more too....for others I mean....

[LMS]

I agree. It's very important to be charitable year-round. People aren't in need just at christmastime.