Ways to Give Back Locally During the Holidays

Holidays are a time for celebrating and sharing with family and fun. Our hearts are full and yet sometimes heavy during this festive time of year. The innocence of every child is priceless yet the struggles can be life-long. Our hope is to bring the magic of Christmas to children here, in our backyard, which often face challenges beyond their years. A small gift goes a long ways in the hearts of a child!

Our family is partnering with a two local ministries to help give back.  It’s a great way to tech children to give back & pay it forward at the same time.  The two ways my family is helping this year:

1. Toy Drive. Mission Moms, is a local group of moms who’s mission is to teach. serve. act. And to ultimately to help the families here, in our backyard!  November is a canned food drive and donating hundred of meals to family in need for a Thanksgiving meal.  December is a community wide toy drive where all schools, businesses and neighborhoods are invited to participate and help share the joy of Christmas with a Toy Drive.
2. Turkey Trot.  Turkey Trot is a fun way to get active with your family and give back at the same time.  The community event is hosted by a missions group that will use the proceed to help a family in need at Christmas.  Before the fest, why not support family fitness in a run/ walk Turkey Trot.  That way there will not be any guilt after eating that delicious pie!  Plus any chance I can get my kiddos active and create a love for fitness is a bonus!

Looking for ways to get involved in your community?  Here are ways to give back locally:

• Contact your local elementary school and ask the counselor what the immediate need is?  Sometimes children need coats, school supplies or winter clothes.  Other times, like during the holiday season, they need assistance with food and gifts.
• Get involved with a church and partner with some of their ministries to help give back either locally or nationally through missions they support.
• Become an angel!  Either pick up a tag from an angel tree usually located in high traffic stores, schools or churches during the holidays.  Or my absolute favorite way to be an angel is to set a budget with your family to give cash to an unexpected family.  We set our budget, then took each kiddo into Walmart.  We said to look around and pray about it before hand and that the Holy Spirt would lead us to the right family that is in need.  Then BAM, we would simply say “hello, we would like to bless you and your family with this money.  Jesus loves you.”  Then poof, we were off!
• Get creative.  Not every act of giving needs to be with money.  One year we didn’t have the funds to give back, so I made a few meals and delivered them to families that needed a warm meal and kind gesture during a tough season.  It’s always DOUBLE amazing when kids can get involved to see, feel and experience serving.

If you are local and want to join us in the Lantana Turkey Trot, please register here: