the Informer

EXAMINER.COM

The chime of Salvation Army bells outside bustling malls and grocery stores is not unfamiliar, though this year the ringing may seem a bit louder, the “Happy Holidays!” from red-aproned volunteers a bit more fervent.

A whole new community of layoffs and grads looking for jobs have joined the still unemployed, and the exceptionally warm weather doesn’t make the absence of a roof over your head any more comfortable.

It’s no wonder that upon exiting Nordstrom after a $50 purchase last week the ringing seemed to linger in my ear, despite the depositing the spare 78 cents of my pocket into the collection bucket. Spare change seems inconsequential when there’s so many people in this state alone who can’t afford gifts for their families, however, for many well-off families, this is the extent of their holiday giving.

So while a friend was explaining to me her family’s decision to “adopt a family” for Christmas rather than buying gifts for each other, I realized how little we need, and how much others do, something many of us lose sight of in between the strenuous task of formulating Christmas lists and the thrill of getting rather than giving.

So why don’t more of us give around this time of year? Unfortunately, I feel it’s safe to say it’s a sinister blend of inconvenience and greed. If nobody is forcing us to give up Christmas Eve to work at a soup kitchen, or hard-earned cash on a family we’ve never met, it isn’t necessarily something most of us jump at the chance to do.

But let’s face it, while you’re complaining you only got the 16G iPad rather than the 32G, somebody else is attempting to make the holidays enjoyable on less money than memory on your hard drive. And there’s ways you can give back that can help people out more than satisfying your brother’s need for the new Call of Duty.

Perhaps the most direct, personal way to help this time of year is through Salvation Army’s “Adopt a Family” program. Families who are struggling to provide can apply to this program, and anybody can sign up to help a specific one. Depending on how much a person or family is willing to donate, they buy a few necessities, along with a couple specific gifts on the family’s wish list. You can even help a family out by paying for a month’s electric bill, or providing them with groceries—surely a more effective approach than dropping a can of processed green beans in the local food pantry collection box.

If you aren’t willing to make such a financial commitment, there are always ways to help without even noticing. Choose gifts that give a percentage of your purchase to a charity. Think TOM’s Shoes—buy a pair and they’ll give a pair. Www.we-care.com is a great website that donates a percentage of every purchase to a cause of your choice, so you can help out without changing your normal holiday routine.

Another easy solution? Shop locally. Buy gifts from vendors or local boutiques, because, what better gift could you give the country than to stimulate its economy?

And I can’t discredit the traditional donation-based charities. A couple great, nationwide causes to think about this year are Toys for Tots and Dress for Success. If you could provide a toy for a kid who’s only Christmas wish was for his dad to get a job, why not help both?