Today is Giving Tuesday, a day for giving back and acts of charity—worldwide. If you’re looking for ways to get into the spirit of giving, here’s the top 10 ways to give back to your community.
- Donate to a local charity or non-profit: the holiday season is a busy time of need for most non-profits. If you don’t have a favourite non-profit or charity in mind, ask for a recommendation from friends or family.
- Volunteer your time: whether it be serving up turkey dinners at a homeless shelter or visiting a hospital, Thanksgiving long weekend is a time of extra need for volunteers. If you don’t have a favourite non-profit or charity, check out Volunteering Calgary for a list of opportunities.
- Notes of appreciation: leave notes of appreciation for coworkers, neighbours or friends. Get creative with how to pass on kindness (maybe even a note for a stranger?).
- Donate to a local food drive: both Airdrie and Calgary have Food Bank chapters, and this is the time of year they are especially in need of food. You can donate at any time to these organizations, or you can organize your own food drive as well.
- Host a community cleanup: show your neighbourhood some love by getting some neighbours together and taking care of some landscaping, or garbage cleanup. A little cleanup will show your community some much-needed appreciation and will keep things looking good in your area.
- Be a ‘Snow Angel’: while this doesn’t pertain to us yet (fingers crossed), the City of Calgary’s Snow Angels program encourages Calgarians to be good neighbours by clearing snowy driveways and sidewalks for those who need assistance. Clearing some snow is a simple gesture that will be very appreciated by those you help.
- Hang someone’s holiday lights: help out a neighbour or friend by offering to hang their holiday lights for them, or just offer a helping hand.
- Donate clothing, household items, etc.: in addition to monetary donations, many local organizations are always in need of clothing, blankets, household items, books, school supplies and everything between. If you are de-cluttering or just want to do some good, organize a drive to collect some items.
- Take part in a holiday charity initiative: several local organizations put on holiday-focused initiatives like new toy collections, shoebox collections or adopt-a-family programs. Search your local non-profits for ideas or ask friends or family for referrals.
- Host a friend or family in need: some people close to you may be going through a hard time for the holidays, so consider offering dinner or a night in to a friend or family in need.
To share your giving story for Giving Tuesday, take part in the conversation on social media with #GivingTuesdayCA.
