Season of Giving
I am going to go off on a small tangent this week. If you read my previous post on Thanksgiving, you know how much I love it. If you have not, let me quickly summarize my thoughts on it; amazing. Now that we are all caught up, let me explain another reason on why I love Thanksgiving.
Aside from the food, Thanksgiving is a reminder of all the blessings we have in life. I am beyond fortunate and thankful for everything in my life. This is a time for me to reflect and think about all the good that is in my life, and thank all the people who constantly support my dreams and love me. Smaller tangent, I had the opportunity to give back to the community during this season of giving with a group of people and together we packaged over 2,500 bags of toiletries for homeless people in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas. The act of doing good for someone who is less fortunate is a humbling experience.
There are plenty of ways to give back during the Thanksgiving season, here are some ways to make the most out of being thankful:
- Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen: This is a classic Thanksgiving act. So many people are without families, and food during this season, and giving up your time to make someone’s day goes a long way. There are so many places you can volunteer and make someone’s year. A few places that you can volunteer at in the Philadelphia Area are :
Advocate Cafe @ Church of the Advocate
2121 N. Gratz Street. Philadelphia, PA 19121.
St. Timothy Lutheran Church
7965 Filmore Street, Philadelphia PA 19111.
Our Brother’s Place
907 Hamilton Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19123.
Sisters of St. Joseph
927 Bethlehem Pike. Glenside, Pa 19038.
2. Give Clothing: Clothing drives are very popular during this time of the year. As the weather gets colder, more and more people are not prepared for the change in temperature. While it is another season of giving classic, it is a great thing to do. So often we have old coats, boots, hats and gloves that we do not fit in anymore, do not use, and it is great to give them to someone who will use them and be thankful for them. Green Drop is an organization that collects old clothes and distributes them to people who really need them. The best part, they will come to you! They have drop box locations, but if you schedule a pickup, they will come to our house and pick it up for you. Their drop box locations in the area include:
SOUTH STREET
2300 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
WEST CHESTER
810 W. Chester Pike
West Goshen, PA 19382
CONSHOHOCKEN
Whitemarsh Shopping Center
48 East Ridge Pike
Conshohocken, PA 19428
WILLOW GROVE
318 York Rd
Willow Grove, PA 19090
3. Write down what you are thankful for: While this does not include giving to someone, writing down what you are thankful for is a great thing to do to put things in perspective. At my dinner table, we always go around before we eat and say what we are thankful for. While we joke and think its silly, it really is a great thing to do and reflect on. Too often do we take our lives for granted and the people and materials we have. Saying or writing them down is the best way to reflect and really think about how great our lives are and how thankful we are.
4. Give a Toy: While this is popular at Christmastime, it is still a great thing to start doing. It ties into being thankful because there are so many children out there who will not receive a gift this year, and so many families who cannot afford to give their kids gifts. Many people are familiar with Toys for Tots, and this is a great way to be in the spirit of giving; knowing that this will probably change a child’s and a families life and Christmas.
Thanksgiving is a great time to surround yourself with people who you love, watch some football, eat more than you have all year, and laugh and be merry. It is also a time to love one another, give back, and be thankful for all your blessings. This Thanksgiving, and this holiday giving season, try to give back in any way you can, big or small, and make someone's year. Happy Thanksgiving!
