The Importance of Being Charitable During the Year

The stock market as of date has slipped by over 1100 points, and the economy is looking grim. However, this does not change the fact that people are going without this year in more ways than one. People are losing their jobs, their homes and everything that they have worked for during better times. It also means that people are giving less. For those people who count on the generosity of food banks, and clothing and coat donations they are in despair. It's understandable why people are cutting back and giving less but it is hurting people in the process. While there are many ways we can cut back, there are even more ways that we can become involved in giving back to the community and people who need help.

Most of us are spending less and staying home more. This does not mean that we have to stop giving. Families are in more dire need of food and other essential items more than ever. This also goes for providing a Thanksgiving meal, and a Christmas meal and gifts for their children. There are many things that we take for granted, such as having canned food, or a loaf of bread, of even toothpaste and toilet paper in the bathroom. It doesn't take much to donate some of these items to the local food banks, and charitable organizations. In our community the local fire station runs a canned food drive several times a year.

Earlier this year, I cleaned out my basement and found a large amount of toys and educational toys that I no longer needed. I placed them into the free section of Craigslist and received a response from a lady who worked in a Special Education classroom at a local elementary school. She asked me if I would be willing to donate the items to her for the classroom. I had never thought about doing that, but I thought it was a great idea. When I donated the items to the school, I saw that there was a definite need for the items. The items I had laying around my house were flashcards, manipulative items, like stacking blocks, sorting toys, and books. I felt really good about helping out a local school to fulfill the need of items for their special needs children. My point is that it doesn't take large amounts of money to make a difference in someone's life. I am constantly compiling items to donate to local charitable organizations to help the needy. This is fairly simple when you have children who outgrow their toys and clothing on a regular basis. I also go through mine and my husband's clothing a few times a year to keep the clutter at a minimum.

There are so many ways you can help that there is really no reason why you cannot help someone in need. For those of us who are cash poor, we can always donate time instead of material or financial support. One of the easiest ways to help is to volunteer your time, become a mentor or become involved in church oriented activities. If you are not interested in this type of activity and can afford to give financial support, you should. There are many worthy organizations like the Salvation Army, the homeless rescue missions and groups that help battered women and children.

There is something that troubles me through all of this, that people who make more money usually donate less. While most of us who make less contribute more. This is not to say that the wealthy do not donate anything, but most of the donations come from the common lower to middle class working people. Why can we reach into our pockets and give more while so many give less. I suggest that we all examine ourselves to make sure we are doing enough to help others.