Holiday Charity

[corazon]

Do you plan to donate for charity this holiday? And if you are, what are you planning to do? I never have before but I'd really like to, especially now that we have kids.

We have a hard time paying the bills every month, but I still would like to try to help others out. I was thinking of toys for tots but they only accept new toys. Aidan has so many toys he doesn't use any more and are practically new. I'd like to see them go to a good place but I don't know where I could donate them. I think places like salvation army and goodwill have customers to buy the toys for cheap but I'm not sure if they give them away, which is what I'd like. Do you have any ideas?

 

[texasgirl]

See if any of your local churches have an angel tree. That's what people down here do. Some of the mom and pop stores do it too. The angels have the kids names on them and you pick however many you want to get and buy them something. Ours will have like a list of 5 things on the back so you know what they want. Call around and see who is doing what.
you can also check the schools too. If you lived closer to Spokane, I could put you in touch with my aunt. She works in an elementary school there.

 

[crewsk]

Around here there is Country Santa. They take new & gently used toys. You could check with your local churches, schools, or city hall to see if they have anything. We have done shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child & we have a tree at church through the SC Baptist Convention where we buy gifts for 2 or 3 families. We just pick a tag with a specific gift from the tree. My family has chosen a gift & my Sunday School class, which is the 4 & 5 yr. olds, has also chosen a gift. As a family, we also donate to the United Way each Christmas. It's usually not a lot, but every little bit helps!

 

[pdswife]

Paul and I give through out the year as ideas come to us but we don't really do any thing special at Christmas as far as donating goes. I will however be putting can goods in the foodbank tubs at Safeway.. I just buy a few extra things.

Last year we were really having trouble finding gifts for my parents and my grandfather so we donated to the Red Cross in their names.

 

[amber]

I donate to coats for kids, and toys for tots. I like the above ideas about checking with your local church so you can "give" your toys away.

 

[licia]

Our SS class has always adopted a family at Christmas time, but this year we have a real need in our own class, so are giving whatever we can to that. One of our own has had so many medical problems for several years and now has cancer with only a short while left. We are giving a large donation to make her last weeks and days and troublesome and happy as we can.

 

[ps8]

This is just a guess, but I would think places like women's shelters and children's homes would like them. Maybe foster homes, too, but I don't know how you would find foster homes. What about Children's hospitals or mental institutions specifically for children? Maybe day cares that have a high percentage of poor folks as customers. Or schools that are for special needs kids.

 

[licia]

Schools may have a list of families that need help also.

 

[mudbug]

We are regular AmVets customers throughout the year. We fill up boxes three or four times a year with clothes, toys, etc. and they come pick them up. There is also a local battered women shelter just down the road and we have given them old cell phones, hygiene products for women and kids, and the like.