Before my twins were born, I always knew I wanted to raise my future kids to be kind, empathetic, and compassionate human beings, something that I felt was so hard to come by in today’s day and age. Last year, I asked my Instagram community for various things that we can do with our families to express our care for others. Below were all the responses I received, organized into specific categories:

NEIGHBORS

• “Adopt an elderly neighbor.” Check in on them, bake them something, write a card, etc.
• Draw pictures or write uplifting happy notes to stick on doors in the neighborhood
• Help a neighbor with raking leaves, spreading mulch, or anything needed
• Gift plants to neighborhood centers or neighbors
• Decorate a neighbor’s yard or front door as a pick-me-up

VETERANS/NURSING HOMES/TROOPS

• Paint rocks for a rock garden at an assisted living home
• Send mail/postcards/drawings to a seniors condo or nursing home
• Write letters or cards to a Veteran’s home
• Make crafts to put on windows on nursing homes
• Write thank you notes to send to deployed troops

HOMELESSNESS/SHELTERS/FOSTER

• Make care packages “blessing bags”, sanitation bags for people experiencing homelessness
• Drop off food/meal packs from car to people on side of road
• Donate to a homeless shelter
• Make sandwiches for a shelter
• Call local women’s shelters who don’t get as many donations – they might take toys for kids
• Send toys, socks, underwear for kids in shelters
• Contact local office for child welfare and donate to children in foster care

HOSPITALS

• Send cards to a children’s hospital (www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com)
• Send books/toys to a children’s hospital
• Create gift bags for hospital units (pre-wrapped snacks, drinks, and non-scented lotions)
• Have a bake sale and donate profits to a hospital

ANIMALS

• Send blanket/pillow/linen donations to animal shelter
• Volunteer at the humane society
• Make/sell dog treats; match proceeds and donate to charity of choice

FOOD BANK/PANTRY

• Collect food around the neighborhood and donate to food banks
• Donate to a food pantry (holidays, bring meals to police/fire station)
• Donate food to community food centers that offer groceries to families in need

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

• Check local FB groups for things needed
• Check local daycares and churches for accepting donations
• Ask local church or school for needs in the community
• Do fun craft and choose a special friend or family to give to
• Pick up litter; plant a tree
• Donate meals to teachers at a local school
• Donate teacher supplies or books

CHARITIES

• Donate to charities that provide the story of who/how your money made an impact
• WelcomeBabyUSA – they give low income moms one box containing all critical newborn items
• Operation Backpack – helps kids in need fill new backpacks with food, supplies, shoes
• Sponsor programs – learn about someone across the world who doesn’t have the things we do
• Let kids pick a toy and adult “donates” it but in reality send cash instead and return toy
• Choose toy but save until places take physical donations
• Donate to organization that has an Amazon wish list
• Donate to Charity Water
• Donate to an organization that helps:
  • teen moms
  • adolescents with disabilities
  • feed children who rely on school meals
  • refugees

Thanks to my Instagram community, we have all of these amazing ideas for giving back, but let’s not forget that going through the motions of giving is not the same as pausing and reflecting on what we are doing and why we are doing it. It’s so easy to get caught up in getting the task(s) done, but it’s just as important to stop and explain to our children why what we are doing is so important. With that said, I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful season of giving!

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“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
MOTHER THERESA

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