There are so many needs all around us, but many times we are unaware, or simply don’t know how to help. Here is an excellent idea on how to help donate to the Salvation Army.
This year I’ve been seeing the Salvation Army Bell Ringers, but I’m usually holding on to a child’s hand, or don’t have any money handy and am in a hurry getting in or out of the store and don’t want to dig out my wallet. Well, tonight at Walmart, I had cash to pay for my purchase and instead of keeping my wallet out to put the money back in, I thought, why not keep the change out and put it in the bell ringer’s bucket on my way out. So I did. So my challenge would be, that for each purchase a person pays for in cash, from now until Christmas, to keep out all or some of the change and put it in the Bell Ringer’s bucket outside of the store. Just one small way to be intentional about giving back to the community. (You can also get out of the store faster, because you can put your wallet away while the cashier is getting your change.)
Please share your ideas for creative ways to give this holiday season.
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Most churches have a benevolence fund that is fully drained by the second week of December. The needs this time of year are great. Ours is called the “helping hand fund” and giving cash is not the only way to give. We love being able to give out gift cards to gas stations and grocery stores. My favorite creative Christmas gift is to pay a single moms (or single dads) December daycare bill. Or, even just a week is a huge blessing. (I’m guessing but I think we charge around $150 for a week of daycare here at Go Kids! Daycare) I ask our daycare director to hand pick two or three moms who really need help financially and we just erase what they owe that month. They are always really blown away and blessed by this and tell us they had no idea how they were going to get by. People come to churches this time of year for help.
This year I’ve used mini M&M tubes to store quarters in. This comes in handy for various reasons, but it’s an easy thing to pull out of my purse as we’re leaving a store. I give a coin to each child and tell them to hold it until we get to the red bucket (Salvation Army bucket). Then they get to put it in the bucket as we leave the store. This keeps their hands busy on the way out and is a great way to include our children in the blessing of giving. They see it as a treat to put money in the little slot and it provides an opportunity to talk about sharing with those in need.
Another “game” the boys enjoy is the Make a Wish funnel. Every time we walk into Walmart, my boys see the games/rides, etc at the entrances and usually ask if they can play one, to which, I the frustrated mother say no, for whatever reason I come up with that day. However, one day they discovered the Make a Wish coin funnel. Now when we enter the store, that’s the first thing they see and ask to play. I tell them if they’re good helpers in the store, they can play that “game” when we’re done. They love racing their coins down the funnel and on the way out to the car, we have a chance to talk about where the coins go.
I like to think of those without family. It is amazing how blessed we are by those we share our lives with (that in itself is such a gift)! There are such wonderful people at Achieve that have no family. This gives people a chance to call Achieve and find out a way to make sure each person has a gift to open this Christmas. It may even open your heart to other opportunities…
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