The Top 6 List
By Jennifer Reeves
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, that time of year when cheer and goodwill begin stirring in your soul. You’re filled with an insatiable need to spread joy and kindness to others. Although sprinkling passersby with glitter and snowflakes might do the trick, this month’s Top 6 List will provide you with some other equally cheerful opportunities to donate your time or money to charitable causes this holiday season. The list includes organizations that support the DFW community where M/C/C is based as well as highly recognized national and global programs.
6. Texas CARES
Texas CARES, an all-volunteer organization dedicated to cat adoption and rescue in the DFW area, is looking for volunteers to help pets have their picture taken with Santa Claus. Animal lovers who can commit either a half or full day during the first three weekends in December are needed to do everything from positioning the pets to crafting the ornaments to actually representing Santa Claus (costume provided). For every $9.95 package purchased, $5 goes directly toward Texas CARES initiatives. Even if you don’t have a full day to spare, stop by either the McKinney or West Plano PetSmart and support the cause by purchasing a holiday package for your favorite furry friend. For more information or to sign up, visit http://www.texascares.org.
5. Kidd’s Kids
Since 1991, Kidd’s Kids has been making dreams come true for chronically and terminally ill children between the ages of 5 and 12. Throughout the year, the nationally syndicated Kidd Kraddick in the Morning Show and its listeners raise funds to enable these children and their families to leave behind hospitals and medical debts for one week of healthy laughter. Donations make it possible for these families to receive a five-day stay at Walt Disney World, airfare on a chartered jet to Orlando, Fla., transportation while in Florida, meals, park passes and even souvenirs. Since the annual trip occurs each November, this holiday season is the perfect time to begin donating money in hopes that even more children and their families will be able to experience the magic next year. For more information or to donate, visit http://www.kiddskids.com.
4. Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child is a seasonal campaign conducted by Samaritan’s Purse that provides children in desperate situations around the globe with an individual box of Christmas gifts. All you need to do to participate is fill a shoe box with toys, trinkets and toiletries appropriate for either a girl or a boy, wrap it in Christmas paper and send it to Samaritan’s Purse. Allowing your children to each fill a shoe box for another child is a meaningful, personalized way to teach them about helping others. Samaritan’s Purse accepts shoe boxes year-round and asks that you include $7 for international shipping and handling. To find out where to send your shoe boxes, visit http://www.samaritanspurse.org.
3. iGive
For those of you who didn’t fulfill all of your holiday shopping needs in one fell swoop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, iGive.com offers a unique opportunity to purchase last-minute gifts for your family and friends while supporting the charitable organization of your choice. Simply select your favorite cause, or add a new one, register and then shop online at more than 700 brand-name stores. The participating stores then donate a portion of your purchase to the cause of your choice. As an added bonus, iGive.com will donate an additional $5 to your favorite charity when you shop within 45 days of registration. To choose your charity and start shopping, go to http://www.igive.com.
2. Visiting Nurse Association of Texas
Through its Meals on Wheels program, the Visiting Nurse Association of Texas delivers more than 3,200 hot meals to homebound ill, disabled and elderly persons in Dallas County every day. Come Christmas morning, they will have just as many Christmas dinners and holiday gift bags to deliver. The VNA is currently looking for delivery drivers who have a reliable vehicle and can donate four hours on Christmas morning to brighten the smiles and warm the bellies of eight to 10 clients. If you’re looking for a way that your whole family can share in the joy of holiday giving, have them all don matching holiday sweaters and join you for some caroling along the way. To find out how to become a delivery driver or learn about the VNA’s other holiday initiatives, visit http://www.vnatexas.org.
1. The Salvation Army
It’s almost impossible to think about holiday shopping without thinking about Salvation Army volunteers, standing in the cold, wearing Santa hats, ringing bells and collecting donations in the little red buckets that match their smiling rosy cheeks. Angel Trees now appear in almost every mall. Over the past few years, the Salvation Army has endeavored successfully to combine holiday shopping for those you know with holiday giving to those you don’t. And for those with more time than money to give, they make it easy to share in the wealth of the holiday spirit by providing ample opportunities to serve holiday meals, conduct toy or food drives, sort and distribute gifts or become one of those familiar faces at the mall. To learn more about holiday volunteering opportunities through the Salvation Army, visit http://www.salvationarmydfw.org.
E-mail the author: Jennifer Reeves
