How to give back during the winter holidays
By Jamie Sharabani
The winter holidays are a time for giving. We tend to reflect on what we should be grateful for and how we can help those who are less fortunate. Many organizations–especially religious ones–open their doors, create fundraisers, and give back to those in need. If there is a time when faith and giving back intersect, it is definitely this time of year.
The tradition to give back has become so significant during the winter holidays that December has been designated “National Giving Month.” One statistic shows that one-third of the nation’s annual giving happens in December.
If you’re wondering how you can get involved with faith-based organizations that are giving back to their communities this winter, check out some of the organizations below:
Samaritan’s Purse: International Relief
“Operation Christmas Child” is run by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization that provides Christmas gifts to children in some of the hardest-to-reach places in the world. Participants sign up to pack a shoebox full of gifts and then take it to a local drop-off spot for global distribution.
The Salvation Army
When you hear the bells ringing, you know it’s time to grab some coins for the red kettle. Each year the donations go to provide Christmas dinners, clothing, and toys for families in need. If possible, you may want to take a shift and have your child or children help you collect donations.
Islamic Relief USA
Islamic Relief USA works all year round to make sure that during the holiday season, the cold winter months, families have a place to stay, food on their plates, and clothing to keep themselves warm. Their aid reaches 14 different countries through 16 different projects. You can help by making a contribution to their fund for these families in need.
Meals of Hope – Holidays Without Hunger
Holidays Without Hunger are annual food-packing events hosted by Meals of Hope that aim to package 1,000,000 Christmas meals in just a few hours. The events mobilize friends, families, churches, and more to come together to give back during the holiday season.
Presently, over 360 million Christians worldwide experience extreme persecution and discrimination simply because of their faith. OpenDoors works directly with pastors and Christian leaders around the world to bring support to those who have to hide their faith. During Christmas time especially, OpenDoors works to bring the holiday spirit to people who cannot publicly do so themselves.
Jewish Children’s Regional Service
Every year, JCRS sends out Hanukkah boxes to children throughout the region who are in a less fortunate situation and cannot celebrate Hanukkah in a proper way. Many of these families are immigrants, have special needs, are recovering from natural disasters, or financially struggling. The gifts are accompanied by hand-made cards and traditional Hanukkah items such as dreidels and gelt.
World Vision
Through World Vision, you can choose a family or child, and the specific gift you would like to give. Gifts range from food, medicine, and clothes, to aiding in the help to save young girls from the global sex trade.
For a full database of nonprofit organizations and charities that are faith-based and/or religious organizations, Guidestar is the place to check it out with over 50,000 various organizations ranging from Buddhism to Hinduism to Judaism to Islam to Christianity.
Angel Tree is a Prison Fellowship program that gives parents behind bars a way to restore and strengthen relationships with their children through a tangible experience of God’s love. With the help of your donations, a child of a prisoner is given the opportunity to go to summer camp and find support through faith.
Each year, The Voice of the Martyrs works through its global network to reach the children of persecuted Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas with a special Christmas Care Pack. The packs are filled with items tailored to meet the needs of each of the children including clothing, toys, school supplies, and many other things. The pack also includes an illustrated children’s Bible and, for many, it is their first Bible!
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Jamie Sharabani is a student at American University in Washington, D.C. working towards a bachelor’s degree in Public Health. Before attending American, she spent two years in a combat infantry unit in the Israeli military. Outside of school, Jamie is a DC-based freelance writer and has a passion for volunteering in her surrounding community.
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Many faiths have different concepts of the importance of giving back. In Islam, it is called “Zakat,” meaning to grow in purity, and Muslims are encouraged to give 2.5% of their annual assets (income). In both Judaism and Christianity, there is a concept of giving 10% of one’s annual income to charity. While Christianity looks to the New Testament for this concept of a “tithe,” Judaism looks to the Torah for concepts of “tzedakah,” meaning justice, and “ma’aser” meaning tithing (World Economic Forum).
There are many other religions and faiths that believe in this concept and this does not only mean giving back with money. Sometimes, people are not in a place to give back to others with money, but faiths go far beyond simply giving money. When someone is not able to give money, many faiths proclaim that someone’s time is just as valuable whether it is volunteering ina shelter or helping an individual in need.
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