3 Ways to Give Back This Season (Inspired By Our Communities)

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Although the holidays aren’t quite here yet, it’s not too early to participate in charity work.

Although the holidays aren’t quite here yet, it’s not too early to participate in charity work. Today, reflect on the good in your life and consider how you can share it with others. Here are some creative ways our communities are making a positive impact. Use them to inspire good in your community as well. 

 

Give in groups

People build relationships for a variety reasons, but shared interests is one of the main ways people initially connect with one another.

 

Story at Embrace Living Communities: A resident at our GreenCastle of Bienterra (Rockford, Illinois) community developed a prayer circle that meets biweekly to honor any prayer requests placed on the community’s ‘Caring Tree.’

 

Take Action: Look within your social groups to find creative ways you can give onto others. If you’re not already a part of a social group, you can find one by identifying which causes compel you to get involved and seek out local organizations that are dedicated to those issues.

 

Gather useful item  

Donating your gently used items is a great way to give back and declutter your home. With the colder months of the year upon us, donated items like coats, hats, scarves and gloves can be incredibly helpful to those in need.

 

Story at Embrace Living Communities: Our Apostles Village (Tampa Bay, Florida) community’s held a “Give and Take Day” where residents’ household and clothing items were assembled for each other to browse through, and remaining items were donated to charity.

 

Take Action: Go through your home and gather up items that are unused, gently used or in good condition. Getting your clothes to those in need is more convenient than ever. There are many community drop off locations or you can even schedule a donation pick up from your residence. Use this database to see which drop off or pick up locations are available in your area: 

 

Share Your Gifts

Turn your hobbies into an opportunity for charity. Lending your talents to others is a creative way to do what you love, for a good cause. The rewarding feeling of doing meaningful work in fellowship with people who share the same passion for it is one of the many reasons why it’s so fulfilling to give back.

 

Story at Embrace Living Communities: Our GreenCastle of Mulford (Rockford, Illinois) community’s knitting and crocheting group worked to create scarves for The Jubilee Center, a day program for adults who suffer from chronic mental illness and who are homeless, or at risk for homelessness.  

 

Take Action: Making scarves is just one way to use your skills, but anything involving your dedication and/or time to a specific need can be a form of charity. Making yourself available to these causes lets those in need know that they are considered and cared for.