How to Get Help for the Holidays and Christmas for Your Family or Someone You Know

This time of year, parents start scrimping and saving, knowing that Christmas is around the corner and they are never quite sure just how Merry of a Christmas it will be some years. For some families the past few years, and this year have been especially hard, with job losses, the economy that way it is, foreclosures and bankruptcies mean no money, and in some situations it is also rendering many people credit card less because of bankruptcy and when many of us are struggling to pay the bills each money, Christmas money is just inexistent.

A frightening and frustrating possibility of no presents under the tree or the heartache that keeps you up every night with worry, it's a difficult situation for a family. Below is a list of some of the options that may be available to you this holiday season and possibly even all season if you are in need of help or assistance due to financial constraints

Even if you are one of the luckier people, who has at least one income, that doesn't mean you don't qualify or shouldn't get any help, if you don't have enough money to pay for Christmas presents, you don't have enough, no one judges you, that is not what this time of the year is about.

1. The Salvation Army- Check to see if there is a Salvation Army near you. The Salvation army is a non-profit charity that helps any denomination even though it is a Christian Organization, they are merely hear to help those in need regardless of your religion, even if you have no religion at all. This organization is a great place to start when you are in need, at Thanksgiving, Christmas and all through the year. The location nearest you may offer food boxes each week, help with utilities, Thanksgiving Dinners, Christmas Dinners, Christmas presents for the whole family, or individual Christmas presents for the children, often seen on Angel Tree's at the mall or various locations.
Check online to find the nearest location to you and see what they can do to help.
The international website is www.salvationarmy.org.
The United States website is www.salvationarmyusa.org

2. The United Way- This is similar to the Salvation Army. It is a network in 45 countries that is a community organization on local levels for the advancement of the common good of all. They help children with after school activities, youth groups, educational needs, healthy eating, and they also help in financial ways when needed.
Try your local United Way today.liveunited.org

3. Your local church. Call your local churches, ask if they can help your family or someone you know. You don't have to belong to their church to get help. They may have the ability to help you or they may be able to point you in a direction that can. This is a great resource as churches often have many contacts in the community.

4. Local Food Pantries. Look up local food pantries in your area, they offer food boxes, or weekly or monthly food offerings, and during the holidays they will often give out toys. Call early to find out how they can help you. There are directories that can help you locate one near you.
www.secondharvest.org
www.foodpantries.org
www.feedingamerica.org

5. Community, County & City Wide Programs
Call your city and your county and find out if they offer any programs in their community, often they will partner with some local charitable holiday help organizations like Spark of Love or Toys for Tots.

6. Toys for Tots/Spark of Love-Local Charitable Organizations
These organizations are local and they have toy drives and give out gifts to children and families that they have collected from the community. Spark of Love is associated with the local fireman and fire stations.
Try the one near you. There may be additional programs named otherwise in your area.
www.toysfortots.org

7. Myspace- Yes, MYSPACE. There are several Christmas Angels on this site, if you can find them. That ask for you to write in and tell them what you want, and if your lucky, somewhere out there, in this beautiful world of ours, is a person, or persons with a generous heart overflowing with joy to help you anonymously. You wouldn't believe it, but it happened to me!
www.myspace.com

Wherever you look may your family have health and happiness in abundance this year and every year.
If you recieve help this year, I pray that next holiday season you will be able to give back to someone else next year, because life may have turned around for you and yours. Just remember to give back and do unto others and you want done unto you this holiday season and year round.