The best way to give back during the holidays is to set up a monthly donation to be given all year to the non-profit of your choice. This way you know you are helping all year long, and not just during the holidays. If you are not able to do this, a one-time donation is always appreciated. In the spirit of helping your specific community, speaking with school guidance counselors and gathering the needs of the school, talking with local faith communities, and visiting your community food banks are all good ideas to see what the specific needs are and how you can help.
As always, it’s a good idea to do a little research before you give to non-profits. You can visit Charity Navigator and GuideStar USA to find out the information that you need, such as their budgets and the breakdown of where the money goes. Our community has wonderful non-profits that provide for our most vulnerable citizens.
A few places you may consider for “giving” this year:
CCHASM – www.cchasm.org
Chesterfield Food Bank – www.chesterfieldfoodbank.org
The James House – www.thejameshouse.org
Commonwealth Catholic Charities – www.cccofva.org
CARITAS – www.caritas.org
Pathways – www.pathways-va.org
