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The Gift Of Giving
Somehow another holiday season is already upon us! And
the hustle and bustle of giving and receiving gifts is in full
swing. This time of year can create a lot of stress for everyone
involved, so try to make it your family’s personal goal to bring
joy to another child or family this year.
Some families are struggling to meet their basic needs such as
food, clothes, or even a home, but some of us may have a little
extra to give this holiday. This year, let us begin to change our
perception of giving and receiving!
Instead of thinking about what you may want for your family,
think about ways your family can give back to another family.
Giving back is rewarding for everyone. Giving back does not
need to be expensive. Here are a few ideas to get your
• Making a gift bag collection - daily essentials such as
toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, sunscreen, granola
bars, etc. Ideal for those less fortunate that you
may encounter in your daily life.
• Adopting an individual child or family -
This could be through your child’s school,
church, the Salvation Army, or other local
organizations.
• Donating food and/or your time at
your food bank or soup kitchen -
According to the USDA, these food
banks serve as many as 49 million
Americans, so they would always
appreciate a helping hand. Look to
see how you can lend a hand at
The Manatee Food Bank, Our
Daily Bread, All Faith’s Food
Bank, Feeding Empty Little
Tummies (FELT), or
the Salvation Army.
• Baking cookies
or taking lunches to
people that work during
the holidays – such as
nurses/doctors, etc.)
• Donating to any charity you may feel passionate
about - (Red Cross, St. Jude, Heifer International, etc.
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• Running, biking, and/or swimming a race for a cause -
the Run, Susan G. Komen, Light the Night, Walk for Wishes,
Heart Walk, and Walk with Me events, to name a few. Locally,
the Take Stock in Children walk/run will be coming up in
the spring.
• - If you are an artist,
yoga or dance teacher, gardener, chef, or just
passionate about your hobby, give your time to teach
and share your passion with others.
The idea of giving starts young, and is molded
and shaped by our environment and our
experiences. The practice of altruism
has been a virtue in our society for
a long while, in fact, psychologists
believe that we are “hardwired” to
feel empathy.
However, this behavior takes
practice and overall effort, and when
we give back without expectation of
energized.” So, this holiday
season let us give back to our
communities! Pick an idea that
works for you and your
family - and have fun
giving back and bringing
joy to those around you.
Let’s work on raising kind
and selfless children
by model ing these
characteristics every day,
and make this the most priceless
holiday season yet!