Yesterday was giving Tuesday. if you did not do any giving yesterday dont worry. The giving season is just starting and you will have plenty of opportunities and charities to support this holiday season.
If you dont know where to start here are six charities to support this holiday season. These are charities that I have happily sent my hard earned coins to because I believe in their missions and have a personal connection.
American Cancer Society – The American Cancer Society works towards a world with no cancer by helping people stay well, get well and find cures. This is important to me because I have lost both of my parents to Cancer.
Free to Breathe – Free to Breath is a partnership of lung cancer survivors, advocates, researchers, healthcare professionals and industry leaders that are united in the belief that every person with lung cancer deserves a cure. Lung Cancer comes with a stigma because of people’s hatred of smoking. My mom had lung cancer and despite her having been a smoker she did not deserve to be sick and have her life shortened in a painful way. I have walked in the free to Breathe 5k and will do so in the futre. I support the cause.
Astrazeneca Hope Lodge – The hope lodge offers lodging at no cost for cancer patients who have to travel far from home to be treated in the Philadelphia area. I know from caring for my mom during her 3 years of treatment. We were blessed to live only about 5 minutes away from her cancer center. Can you imagin how hard it is for those who live in rural areas or small towns miles and miles away from their treatment center? Well the Hope Lode jumps in and fills that need. The Astrazeneca Hope Loge accepts money of course but they also accept household goods like the kind I collected for them at my last charity event.
VNA – The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia is the oldest and largest non-profit home health and hospice provider in the region, and one of the most innovative in the nation. The staff at this Hospice took care of both my dad and my mom during thier final days. Also they took care of me in a way and continue to reach out to me now 6 months after my mom passes. I will always support the VNA.
Pamoza International – Pamoza International implements Christian outreach and community development initiatives by bringing together (pamoza) privileged and underprivileged communities to transform the lives of children and families in Malawi, Africa. Pamoza is important to me because it was started by a family friends. I support and am inspired by the difference she is making in the world by giving back.
Your local church – Last but not least is your church. Most churces do a lot to serve the commuinties they reside with in. Often our churches are running at a defecite. The holidays is the perfect time to give to a place where we receive so much suppport spiritually and often physically.
Giving back is one of the pilars of joy becasue in givng to others we shift focus away from ourselves and onto the difference we can make with the world. It allows us to help others but to also feel valued ourselves. The present really is for the one doing the giving. While this post is on giving back financially there are other ways to give as well. However, as we get spend, spend, spend, over the next few weeks let’s throw some coins where they are needed. You can start with the charities listed above unless you have your own list.
Do you have a list of charities to support this holiday season?
This is a great piece. I really encourage people to give. Not only does it support those in need, but it actually feels good to give. I am big on international causes because there are so many people around the world who are living on so much less than we do. I am also big on giving back to the public schools and students.
Keep up the great work!