Giving Something Back this Winter

As Jedi we are charged with promoting harmony, and one way we can do this is through making a difference in our communities, improving the lives of those who need help and support.

Winter and Christmas can be an especially difficult time for people in need. As such I thought it might be worth having a thread about the extra initiatives we'll be supporting or volunteering for this winter, in the hope it will encourage others in our community to do similar. There's no better time for giving than the festive season which is just around the corner - not least because tons of charity or community opportunities seem to spring up at this time of year.

So - what will you be doing?

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I'm volunteering for Winter Night Shelter Milton Keynes , a charity which provides homeless people with a safe, warm space to sleep, a warm meal and some fun activities such as films and games. The organisation also provides pastoral care to homeless people in the local community.

I'm also donating weekly to the Leighton-Linslade Community Food Bank , an organisation run by some local churches to distribute food and other essential groceries (laundry detergent, toilet roll etc) to people of any or no faith who are in need of support.

Prior to Christmas I plan to go through my children's old toys and pick some of the best things to distribute between local charity shops, allowing those who aren't in a position to buy expensive toys from the store to pick them up cheaply and also help out the charities a little.


Not much and I hope there'll be more, in time. But hopefully that sets the ball rolling.

I'm not currently doing anything for a charity, but my neighbourhood has a lot of pensioners; every winter we talk to the ones around us and make sure they have everything they need, offering to get things for them if they need it (partly because it's so bloody cold). Before it snows, we salt their driveways and pathways and help them with shopping if they need us to.

Also, there's a regular food bank drive at our local supermarket, so I always make sure to contribute

Just got my schedule through - so far I'm the only volunteer to sleep overnight at the shelter for the six sessions.

Woo! Supervisor!

I expect to ring bells for the Salvation Army. We have a homeless shelter problem the city is working on that I may step up to?

Last winter I gave a hungry coworker a bunch of groceries Christmas Day. I surprised him by showing up at his door with four bags of food, he told me he had food for a good two weeks from what I had given him. Not sure what I will be up to this year yet...

Sometimes the best gift isn't always on so large a scale. As Jedi we tend to think Charity = big homeless shelters and donations to out of country war torn places ect ect....And these are great! Please don't get me wrong...if you have the ability to work on those scales...cool.

But there are people right next door to you who could use the same amount of charity as those over seas or in homes.

Myself....we have an Elderly lady across the street. Im sure her time left on this earth are limited and ive noticed over the years she gets no kids over for visits. No grandkids or even family really. I don't know her....I never have time to go over and visit with her and even if I did I don't know what I would do or say. She gets all the "help" as far as shopping and yard/house work goes... So instead I will make her small casserole dish with cookies and help my girls (3 and 4 years of age) take it to her on Christmas day.

I think it is very important that while it is good and wonderful to think on the big scale of charity....it is also important to remember the ones you miss sitting next door.

Great post TZB!

If folks are sending out cards anyways, I know there are lots of places that accept cards and distribute them. Like hospitals and the like. I'll keep an eye out for the addresses to add here as they pop up.

I wanted to do Therapy Dog work but I don't want to be running around hospitals with a new baby at home. I think the cards are probably all I'll be able to do this year. Usually there's lots of volunteer work that comes down through the military channels though. Last year I helped raise money for food for local families.

I know this could be potentially dangerous, but if there are a large group of us in one city why don't we hold a meal in late December that all are invited to come from homeless to wealthy, maybe open up some people's eyes on the fact that everyone is human maybe help the hungry at the same time, I know there are a lot of dangers and planning that would need to be involved but it's just an idea i thought i would thrown out there

Kitsu Tails wrote: But there are people right next door to you who could use the same amount of charity as those over seas or in homes.

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That reminded me, I left a large jar of strawberry jam (Smuckers) with a bow on my grumpy neighbors front step Christmass Eve. :evil: :laugh: :woohoo: