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For those of us who can, it's the ideal time to make someone else's Christmas with a random act of kindness. Why not celebrate the real meaning of the season and make it your own festive tradition? After all, it doesn't even take money sometimes to transform someone's day - your time, your thought and your gestures can make all the difference.
Why it matters more than ever
Charities are reporting that their service demand is rocketing, but funding and donations are falling as budgets contract and households have less money to donate. Just Giving reported that there have been nearly 25,000 fundraisers to cover cost-of-living crowd funders this year, while the Trussell Trust says that food banks are overwhelmed, with 1 in 5 working people needing help with food. Charities have also warned that the latest government budget will squeeze their incomes in real terms by 23/24 and leave them unable to meet demand.
What you can do
So, what can you do to help? Plenty! Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Donate unused items to charity
Before your home is overrun with decorations and gifts, why not declutter and donate any unused clothes, toys and household items to charities and causes that need them? To help with your reorganisation efforts, why not invest in storage boxes that will last the test of time? As a side note, these boxes are great for attic and container/unit storage too!
2. Support your food bank - and ask your workplace too
Often, companies will either donate to local food banks or promote a donation drive among employees. Why not see whether you can support a local food bank with seasonal treats?
3. Homeless shelters
Most towns and cities have a homeless shelter, and they very often have Christmas meals and celebrations for their service users - all of which rely on donations of food, baking and meal preparation. Why not make contact, find out what they can use and provide some donations? Nothing beats the care and thought that goes into a homemade dish or baked item. You can also find suitable food storage boxes here to make it easy to transport your creations.
4. Consider how to help local animal charities/shelters
Similarly, local animal charities and shelters need support year-round, whether that's to help feed, clean and socialise unwanted animals, walk dogs or support with fundraising and awareness. Unfortunately, the cost-of-living crisis means that many people are being forced to give up their pets because they can't afford to feed them - you may find that there is a pet food bank in your area to help. You might even feel inspired to set up your own!
5. Volunteer to help organise charities with frontline services
Often, charities that deliver frontline services put all their volunteer efforts into service delivery - and rightly so. If you are good at organisation and enjoy making processes, storage and back-end logistics more efficient, then why not offer your time to tidy up cupboards, storage areas, warehouse shelves and so forth?
At Solent Plastics, we are proud to offer a wide range of storage solutions that we know are already used by non-profits and small charities to keep on top of donations and supplies.
Whatever you choose to do this year, just know that your time, effort and kindness will make a real difference to someone that really needs it. Surely, that's what Christmas is all about?