5 Types Of Charities You Can Support During The Holidays

Welcome to the fourth day of Blogmas on my blog! Thank you so much for joining me today. I hope you’re cozy and comfy and with a hot beverage of your choice. There’s nothing like browsing blogs with a hot beverage as fuel. Today I thought it would be nice to list some great charities that someone can donate to at this time of year. It’s also wise to donate before year’s end, because you’ll get a tax credit that can offset your taxes come February next year. If you’re broke and still want to help, you could always consider a small monthly donation, even $5/month can go a long way.

Tax credits or not, it’s a wonderful feeling to help the less fortunate. Here’s some ideas on where you can help this holiday season:

Local homeless shelters: Donations are always accepted at homeless shelters. There are also options to donate new or clean lightly used clothing, gloves, coats, scarves, blankets, etc. Some shelters host a Christmas dinner for people and you can help by volunteering your time serving dinner to people who need it. I personally love supporting a local youth shelter called Covenant House – they even have a page where you can buy items on Amazon and have it sent directly to the shelter.

Foodbanks: You can donate non-perishable food items to your local food drive. Many bigger grocery stores also have pre-packaged care bags you can buy and they will give it to the foodbanks themselves. I’ve purchased one of those once for about $20. If you have a little extra money to spare, or extra cans of food you probably won’t eat, it’s a great way to help others who can’t afford groceries at this time.

Animal Shelters: Donating to your local animal shelter can help quite a lot in addition to donating pet food or pet items. Considering an adoption from a local shelter is also a very kind gesture as there’s always an animal in need of a good home. Keep in mind that sadly, a lot of pets find themselves in a cage after being given as a gift to someone who isn’t ready to be a pet owner. Another option is to be a foster pet parent for animals in between places.

Humanitarian Charities: Think Plan International, Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders. The great thing about giving at this time of year is that many charities will match your donation by double or triple, so holiday giving can really make a big impact for those who need it. Charities such as these generally put funds where they’re needed most, but you can often ask to donate to a particular disaster or cause, too.

Toy Drives: This is a wonderful way to ensure a kid gets to have a present on Christmas morning. A lot of local charities will host a toy drive so be sure to Google search for children’s Christmas charities in your area.