Holiday time is generally a pleasant, happy time spent with family, sharing gifts, and feasting. But many people are lonely, broke and hungry and the holidays can be particularly difficult for them. Kids of all ages can help out and make someone's day. If you're a leader, coach, parent or kid looking for some ideas how your club can help during the holidays, take these ideas back to a meeting, but don't stop there, brainstorm some more. You'll be surprised what you can come up with. Be sure to make arrangements with the receiving organization ahead of time and check to see if they have any requirements or concerns.
Babysitting for Charity
If you have kids old enough to do babysitting duty, set up a drop in babysitting day so moms and dads can do their holiday shopping. Make sure the kids have plenty to do and quality care. The cost for mom and dad? A gift to donate to a charity such as Angel Tree or Marine Toys for Tots Foundation or another worthy group of your choice. Your community gets double benefit with this one.
Visit a Nursing Home or Assisted Living Center
Sing Christmas carols and share some smiles. Have a little more time? Arrange to spend an afternoon playing cards or board games with the residents. Maybe do some manicures. Make some cards or ornaments to bring with you. Perhaps bring some small gifts. Just check with the facility ahead of time to see what is appropriate and to schedule the visit.
Work a Soup Kitchen
Spend some time making, serving and cleaning in a facility that serves meals to homeless and needy members of your community.
Stock a Food Pantry
Food pantries that supply free or low cost foods for needy families often run low on food, particulary during the busy holiday season. Run a campaign to collect food to stock up one or more panties in your community. You can check with them ahead of time to see if they have any specific needs.
Sponsor a Family
With the help of others in your community, you can create a wonderfuly holiday for a needy family in your community. Enlist local stores to donate foodstuffs and then package them up in nice baskets. Create ornaments and decorations. Local stores may donate or you can purchase toys and other gifts.
Decorate the Town
Or a portions of it, like a school, community center, town hall or city park. With permission, of course. You will make a lot of people smile.
Pamper the Pets
Animals shelters need help, too, and at the holiday time when everyone is busy it's easy to overlook our furry friends. Take some time to volunteer at a shelter to feed and play with the animals. If you have time before the visit, collect pet supplies and food to bring with you.
Recycle Christmas Trees
When it's time to take down the decorations, they need to go somewhere. Arrange a day to bring the trees to a recycling location to be chipped up into mulch. Let the neighborhood know ahead of time with little flyers and hit the streets to collect the trees they leave out. You're helping them with a chore and helping the environment at the same time. You can probably find a place to donate the mulch to, also.