How To Give Back This Christmas
A VictoryLab™ Guide to Make This Holiday Season Memorable
The holiday season can be pretty overwhelming. In the midst of all the shopping, decorating, and planning, it can be easy to lose track of what makes this season so important - time with loved ones and giving back to those in need.
Did you know that there are 2,911 Calgarians without homes this holiday season? Or that 10% of Calgary’s children live in poverty? This Christmas, lend a helping hand to those who are struggling through the season. Take a look at our “guide” to make this holiday season that much more memorable.
Donate to a charity
Donating is always a great way to give back during the holiday season, and a great way to support your favourite charity. There’s a lot of need this holiday season. Here are some options that you can consider when making your list (and remember to check it twice!):
1. Brown Bagging For Calgary Kids, a charity that delivers lunches to kids in low-income families during the school day. They get very busy over the holiday season so every helping hand is needed. They currently deliver around 3,200 lunches per day. To donate to this charity, please click here.
2. The Ronald McDonald House is a charity that provides a home away from home for families with children receiving vital medical treatment. These houses help ease the financial and emotional burdens placed on families in these situations, and give them somewhere to stay that is close to their child receiving treatment. To donate to this charity, please click here.
3. The Mustard Seed is an organization that provides emergency shelter, food, clothing, hot showers, and hygiene supplies to those who are experiencing homelessness and poverty. You can also donate a backpack full of necessities, like warm clothes and transit tickets, to the Mustard Seed this holiday season to help out another in need. To donate, please click here.
[There are MANY other charities that you can give back to this festive season. Looking for other ways to lend a helping hand? Check out this list!]
Spare some time - Volunteer
Instead of donating, you can also choose a more hands-on approach to helping another out this holiday season. There are tons of charities in Calgary that are looking for volunteers to do a variety of activities. From serving food and running special events to delivering presents.
If you have some time to spare this season, check out this list of volunteer opportunities across Calgary that could really use a hand:
[Wrangle up friends and family and help spread holiday cheer! Check out this extensive list of where you can volunteer this holiday season.]
Kindness goes a long way
Finally, a great way that you can give back this holiday season is to focus on doing one small, random act of kindness for another person each day. It doesn’t have to be huge; you could smile at someone on the way to work, compliment a friend or family member, shovel a neighbour’s sidewalk or pay for a stranger’s coffee in the morning. What makes this option so important is the intention behind it. Spending a minute each day doing something kind for somebody else not only brightens another person’s day, but will brighten yours as well.
We at VictoryLab™ know that the holidays can be a difficult time for everyone, and that many individuals struggle with their mental health during this season. Research has actually shown that helping others helps yourself, as it helps reduce stress and improves your emotional wellbeing. This holiday season, we encourage you to take some time and give back to your community, and help shift your focus on what the true significance behind this holiday is. You might even find yourself starting a new holiday tradition of donating or volunteering each holiday season!
We at VictoryLab™ wish everyone a happy holiday.
To find out more about how VictoryLab™ can help you or your organization, click here.
(c) VictoryLab Inc. 2018
