Ways to give back during the holidays

Giving back to your community during the holidays brings people together in the spirit of giving and helping others.

Here are some suggestions for ways to spread joy to those in need.

Support our frontline heroes

Frontline workers such as nurses, doctors, fire fighters, and police are at the core of keeping our communities safe and healthy. The holiday season can be an especially stressful time for them. Expressing your gratitude for their service, even in smaller ways, can make a big difference.

Some ideas for ways to show your support include:

  • bake cookies or a meal and bring it to your local frontline workers
  • make care packages for medical professionals who live in your neighborhood
  • design homemade thank-you cards and mail or deliver them to fire stations, police stations, and/or hospitals

Include charitable acts in your family traditions

Including charitable acts into your family’s holiday traditions keeps the spirit of giving going through generations. Here are a couple of examples:

  • Host a game night and let the winner decide where to donate the pot.
  • Host a bake sale. Donate the proceeds to the charity of your choice.
  • Voluteer your time as a family to those in need. Start a toy or food drive or serve meals at a homeless shelter together.

Brighten a person’s Christmas morning

Donate toys or gifts to a church, group, or school drive to make someone’s holidays a little cheerier. You can do this while you’re doing your holiday shopping! Take a little extra time to purchase items you can donate.

Donate within your community

Look into organizations in your local community that could use extra support over the holiday season, such as the Plymouth Area Coalition for the Homeless and/or Father Bill’s & Mainspring.

Local food banks can run low over on items like canned goods, toiletries, and other essentials that help families get through the winter.

You could organize a charitable drive with your family or on your block. When groups of people get together to do something good, word tends to spread from house to house, family to family, neighborhood to neighborhood, inspiring more giving.

Increase your charitable donations this year

We understand that working through the tax ramifications of a large donation can make that donation feel a little less genuine. Bear in mind the government includes charity in its tax calculations for a reason: our leaders want to incentivize giving from those who have the means.

Plus, with some forethought and analysis, we might be able to incorporate long-term giving goals into your financial planning so that your family can make a sustained positive impact for years to come.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if we can help make the holidays a little more rewarding this year for your family and your community.