As we enter the Christmas season, finding ways to give back takes forefront in our minds. Along with Toys for Tots, which our Post already participates in, there are several other charities that help children at Christmas Time. Start a holiday-giving tradition in your family that teaches your children the value of giving to others. Learn more about the top seven charities that help children during the holidays below.
Toys for Tots
Take your family to shop for a less fortunate child and teach your children invaluable lessons on thankfulness, empathy, and charitable giving. Purchase a new toy and take it (unwrapped) to a U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots drop-off location between October and December. One or more members of the U.S. Marine Corps will distribute the toys to children in your community.
Operation Christmas Child
Great things come in small packages and make their way into the hands of children all over the world. In this case, the package is a shoebox.
Operation Christmas Child is a Christian charity that takes a collection of shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, apparel, candy, and a personal note. Select a child’s age group and fill the box with items consistent for that age group.
A small donation is required to cover shipping costs. If you donate online, you will receive a special label for your shoebox so you can track your box’s journey to its final destination.
Make-A-Wish Foundation
There are many ways to help make the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation partners with many companies that offer special promotions during the holidays.
For example, if you drop off a letter to Santa at any Macy’s location, the store will donate $1 per letter to Make-A-Wish. If you shop at the Disney Store, rent a car, buy a car, or book your air travel, check to see if that company will make a donation to Make-A-Wish as part of your purchase–many do.
Another way to help the foundation raise funds is by buying gifts through the Make-a-Wish store. Your loved one receives a beautiful gift, and a portion of the proceeds go directly back to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help other children’s dreams come true.
My Two Front Teeth and the Family Giving Tree
My Two Front Teeth and the Family Giving Tree are two charities that joined forces to help more children. To help a child, visit either website to see the children’s names, ages, their gift wishes, and how much it will cost to give the child a particular present.
The Family Giving Tree also offers a Back-to-School Drive to deliver backpacks filled with school supplies to more than 32,000 K-12 students before school starts. Visit the website to learn how you can donate school supplies or hold your drive locally.
Angel Tree
The Christian charity Angel Tree helps children who have at least one parent in prison. According to statistics, one in three prisoners is a parent, and 75% of female prisoners are mothers. Angel Tree’s goal is to bring Christmas and the gospel to their children. Many cities have Angel Tree locations where you can pick a child to sponsor, or you can visit the Angel Tree website to make your monetary donation online.
Salvation Army’s Fill the Truck
The Salvation Army and Walmart team up to hold a toy drive at participating Walmart stores. The event offers customers a chance to help local families in need. Shoppers receive a list of suggested gifts they can purchase in the store and donate on the spot to “Fill the Truck.” The Salvation Army will then distribute the gifts to families in your community.
Christmas Spirit Foundation
Show your support for your country’s servicemen and women and their families by giving them a Christmas tree for the holidays. The Christmas Spirit Foundation provides hundreds of Christmas trees each year to troops stationed overseas who will not be home for Christmas. The organization also delivers trees to military bases stateside so troops and their families on base can get free Christmas trees. Monetary donations help purchase the Christmas trees.