jesusluvu Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 What, if anything, do you or your family do to give back during the year or holidays. The last few years on Thanksgiving morning I take my family to a women's shelter and we volunteer to serve food and one weekend before Christmas we go to a family shelter and serve food, games, etc we throw a party for everyone. It usually is a big group event and about 8-10 families get together and do this with us every year. Just looking for other ideas to keep my kids grounded on what's really important in life. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wittenlover Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Last year, a group of our choir folks from my church (I would have been in the group but I was out of town) went to a local "senior assisted living" facility and sang Christmas carols. As most know, few of these residents get many visitors, so they thoroughly enjoyed it. Fun was had by all - I was sorry I'd been unable to go. If you have a place like that near you, that might be a good opportunity. If not singing, just coming in and playing board/card games with them can be a good way to bring joy to others in giving of yourselves. :-) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berry1014 Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 (edited) Our township does a food drive for the holidays so the kids help me fill a couple bags of food to donate plus we donate township food bank throughout the year as well. My oldest volunteers to deliver free turkeys to seniors during the holidays and we buy and donate toys to toys for tots or to another local charity. My office also chips in and we adopt a family or 2 for Christmas. Edited October 26, 2017 by berry1014 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanShotFirst Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 My employeer holds a food drive every year during the annual benefits fair (always in early November) for local shelters and food pantries to help them restock for the holidays and the remainder of the year. I always contribute 2-3 bags of needed items during this time. I also buy gifts for the Senior Tree sponsored by a local homecare agency and my employer. If possible I get a male and female to shop for. During the summer months my employer participates in a summer cereal drive so that kids who only get a decent breakfast at school can have one during the summer months. We also hold a school supplies drive for the schools to help those kids who won't be able to start school with all their needed supplies. Senior tree gift shopping is one of the main reasons I love Kohl's shopping during the Black Friday weekend. I always buy at least two of the "Big One" fuzzy blankets since they have so many prints and colors to choose from. I always include them in my gifts as an extra "surprise" for the recipients. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanyon71 Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 My wife is a teacher in a lower income school. So each year they have a tree with Kids on it (I believe it's called an Angel Tree) and the presents they want/need for Christmas. We usually take a bunch of the names and buy gifts for them. As the days get closer if there are kids left we will get those off the tree and go shopping again. We have been blessed with good careers and I never want to see a child go without. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speeddiva Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 I pick up clearance toys all year and then donate them to our local Christmas For Kids program. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmck Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 We also shop toys all year for Toys for Tots. DD14 and I like to do angel trees too. We also do gifts one of the senior homes near us. Our school does food baskets also. One of my favorites is the salvation army buckets in front of so many stores. My granddaddy could never pass one without putting change in it. DD and I try to make sure we can do the same. He has been gone over 30 years but the giving continues. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 Last year, a group of our choir folks from my church (I would have been in the group but I was out of town) went to a local "senior assisted living" facility and sang Christmas carols. As most know, few of these residents get many visitors, so they thoroughly enjoyed it. Fun was had by all - I was sorry I'd been unable to go. If you have a place like that near you, that might be a good opportunity. If not singing, just coming in and playing board/card games with them can be a good way to bring joy to others in giving of yourselves. :-) Wonderful!!! Thank you My wife is a teacher in a lower income school. So each year they have a tree with Kids on it (I believe it's called an Angel Tree) and the presents they want/need for Christmas. We usually take a bunch of the names and buy gifts for them. As the days get closer if there are kids left we will get those off the tree and go shopping again. We have been blessed with good careers and I never want to see a child go without. I love this. My wife teaches in a title one school as well. Angle tree is on my list. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy0504 Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 For the past 3 Christmases I've invited a family from my church over for Christmas morning breakfast and i give out a small gift...i also make sure my daughter's God son has a decent Christmas as his mother has limited income and usually is not able to purchase him anything anytime of the year so I make sure he has new clothes, a coat and toys plus a stocking full of goodies... Sent from my SM-G930V using GottaDEAL mobile app 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kash Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 We also shop toys all year for Toys for Tots. DD14 and I like to do angel trees too. We also do gifts one of the senior homes near us. Our school does food baskets also. One of my favorites is the salvation army buckets in front of so many stores. My granddaddy could never pass one without putting change in it. DD and I try to make sure we can do the same. He has been gone over 30 years but the giving continues.We never walk by a red bucket! We had a house fire once and the salvation army was there before the firetrucks left! They help people all year long. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 We never walk by a red bucket! We had a house fire once and the salvation army was there before the firetrucks left! They help people all year long. Wow!!! I am big on that as well. I always try to give it to the kids to put in the bucket to Foster there spirit of giving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kash Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Wow!!! I am big on that as well. I always try to give it to the kids to put in the bucket to Foster there spirit of giving Wow!!! I am big on that as well. I always try to give it to the kids to put in the bucket to Foster there spirit of givingMe too! Now the older two are married and still don't walk past one without giving something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted November 1, 2017 Author Share Posted November 1, 2017 Got an idea for baking gifts for neighbors, knocking on the door and running leaving the container at the door with a little note. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaInNC Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 when my kids were in elementary school we adopted a foster child for Christmas. Took the wrapped gifts to the foster family. they do not get hardly any money to buy gifts for their foster kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 when my kids were in elementary school we adopted a foster child for Christmas. Took the wrapped gifts to the foster family. they do not get hardly any money to buy gifts for their foster kids. What a wonderful idea. I never would have thought of this\./ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorebore Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 My wife is a teacher in a lower income school. So each year they have a tree with Kids on it (I believe it's called an Angel Tree) and the presents they want/need for Christmas. We usually take a bunch of the names and buy gifts for them. As the days get closer if there are kids left we will get those off the tree and go shopping again. We have been blessed with good careers and I never want to see a child go without.We do the same. It is an entirely different perspective when you know the kiddos and their families. So many of my middle schoolers are left due to the fact that everyone chooses the younger children. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 We do the same. It is an entirely different perspective when you know the kiddos and their families. So many of my middle schoolers are left due to the fact that everyone chooses the younger children.I try to get the middle school but there list is extraordinary. Special shoes and game systems, ipods etc. All in all it is over $400. I am the type that try to get you what is on your list and it is hard to spend that kind of money with my first responsibilities. I would love to if I could but...Maybe I am looking at it differently or should get what I am lead to get and what would be most beneficial versus what they ask for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Mommy Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Our son passed away in March. He was an active duty Marine. We just did a memorial poker run last weekend and raised over $1,800.00 and a TON of toys for Toys for Tots. We plan to do it every year. We are having our 16 yr old son go and help toys for tots after Thanksgiving. We think it will be good for him to see not everyone is as lucky as him especially during the holidays. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 Our son passed away in March. He was an active duty Marine. We just did a memorial poker run last weekend and raised over $1,800.00 and a TON of toys for Toys for Tots. We plan to do it every year. We are having our 16 yr old son go and help toys for tots after Thanksgiving. We think it will be good for him to see not everyone is as lucky as him especially during the holidays. so sorry to hear that and I am truly thankful for his service. I love toys for tots and we always support them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanyon71 Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 We are also doing gift shoeboxes to be sent to others with our church. Need to finish them up and get them there this Sunday.Our son passed away in March. He was an active duty Marine. We just did a memorial poker run last weekend and raised over $1,800.00 and a TON of toys for Toys for Tots. We plan to do it every year. We are having our 16 yr old son go and help toys for tots after Thanksgiving. We think it will be good for him to see not everyone is as lucky as him especially during the holidays.Very sorry to hear about your loss and am very thankful for his service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Mommy Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 so sorry to hear that and I am truly thankful for his service. I love toys for tots and we always support them.Thank you. He was an amazing man that was taken from us way before his time.We are also doing gift shoeboxes to be sent to others with our church. Need to finish them up and get them there this Sunday.Very sorry to hear about your loss and am very thankful for his service.Thank you so very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorebore Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 I try to get the middle school but there list is extraordinary. Special shoes and game systems, ipods etc. All in all it is over $400. I am the type that try to get you what is on your list and it is hard to spend that kind of money with my first responsibilities. I would love to if I could but...Maybe I am looking at it differently or should get what I am lead to get and what would be most beneficial versus what they ask for.The person in charge makes sure our lists have a variety of items. Believe it or not, our kids don’t have extravagant things on their lists. Make up, remote cars, gift cards, etc......... Sent from my iPhone using GottaDEAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msyves Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I sponsor 3-4 kids each Christmas. I choose kids around the same ages as mine so that they can shop for a peer. I always try to emphasize to my kids that they should pass a blessing onto others. I also started taking my oldest out to hand out items to the homeless. We partner with other friends and create care packages (food, toiletries, blanket, etc.). We then go into the downtown area and hand them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LainieB Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I donate items to the local humane society off of their Amazon wish list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 I sponsor 3-4 kids each Christmas. I choose kids around the same ages as mine so that they can shop for a peer. I always try to emphasize to my kids that they should pass a blessing onto others. I also started taking my oldest out to hand out items to the homeless. We partner with other friends and create care packages (food, toiletries, blanket, etc.). We then go into the downtown area and hand them out.That is wonderful. What a tradition for them to start and carry on through out life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesusluvu Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 We are also doing gift shoeboxes to be sent to others with our church. Need to finish them up and get them there this Sunday. Very sorry to hear about your loss and am very thankful for his service.We did that as well this year. The kids really was into it. We told our kids that they were to use there own money to fill the box and they did such a wonderful job. They wrote letters to the receiver and I cried. This is something our youth and children Church will be doing going forward. It is amazing how much they really participated and took charge. The youth is trying to fool us they are truly on fire but scared to show it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanyon71 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 We did that as well this year. The kids really was into it. We told our kids that they were to use there own money to fill the box and they did such a wonderful job. They wrote letters to the receiver and I cried. This is something our youth and children Church will be doing going forward. It is amazing how much they really participated and took charge. The youth is trying to fool us they are truly on fire but scared to show it.That's awesome. Our little one helped us pick out the things to fill the boxes then helped us pack them. She walked them into church on Sunday and gave them over to the person collecting. She always amazes us with how generous and thoughtful she is at her young age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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