Ongoing Charity

With the holidays winding to a close many people will pack away their goodwill efforts with their Christmas decorations, not to be seen again until next winter. This is very unfortunate because charities need support year round – needs do not magically disappear with the end of the year.

One of the best ways to continue contributing throughout the year is to actually become involved with an organization. It is easy to write a check around the holidays and forget about it all again until next year, but if you are on the ground helping an organization it is much harder to simply break away from that.

One of the biggest complaints when it comes to volunteering is “I don’t have the time.” Much like the case with exercising, this is almost never true. It may take some organizing of your schedule and a sacrifice of some free time, but almost everyone can make time to do something.

I say sacrifice, but that is not necessarily true. I have a lot of fun with the groups I volunteer with and that keeps me coming back. No one wants to do something they do not enjoy, so be sure to look into groups and organizations that interest you. Aside from the fun, it also feels incredibly rewarding to make a difference in someone’s life. If you have never experienced the satisfaction that comes with volunteering, I strongly encourage you to try it.

Volunteering can also offer avenues for career building or advancement (though I discourage this as a primary motivator). I am a web developer and I have been able to put those skills to use in a volunteer capacity. It is very likely that you can find an organization that is in need of someone with your skill set.

So as this year comes to a close I ask you to keep your charity out of the closet and to continue sharing it with the world. Many people need it!

Not So Happy Holidays?

The holidays are a season of togetherness and festivity, but with unemployment rapidly on the rise, for many these holidays will not be filled with joy. I was browsing the St. Louis Craigslist and found the following post:

“Thank you for taking the time to view this. I am a married father of three wonderful children, ages 2(g), 4(b), and 8(g). I was recently laid off and trying to get unemployment has been impossible. As the sole provider, you can imagine how rough things are getting. I’ve already had my vehicle repossessed and so yeah, just not sure what to do now…..Please don’t take this as begging for your stuff. I’ve never been in a situation like this; holidays are coming and we’ve already cut back so much; no idea how or where to cut more corners to have a nice holiday season so any help, ideas or suggestions are ABSOLUTELY appreciated. Once again, thank you so much for your time.

sincerely,

humbled hero of 3….

Go Cards!! It’s cold here in st. louis right now. Rams are playing the Bears. (so you know this is real…..supposedly lots of scams?) thanks again”

I’m sure some of you are thinking “that’s a scam,” and it may well be. Obviously some care must be taken when engaging with people over the internet. I am fortunate enough to be in a very secure position financially, and pending a conversation with my wife I may contact this individual to see what I might be able to do to help. If you are interested, the link is http://stlouis.craigslist.org/vol/930885113.html.

Regardless of the medium, this is just a sample of the countless hard luck stories that are doubtless out there this holiday season. Do you know someone who is in dire straights? Can you do something to help them? Will you? Are you yourself having a harder time making the holidays special? Please share your stories. Who knows, someone might be able to help!