20 Ways to Give Back to Your Community This Holiday Season

We have so much to be thankful for this holiday season. As we reflect on the past year and how blessed we are to be part of this amazing community, we’ve started thinking of ways we can give back and show our appreciation. Today we are sharing our top 20 tips on how to give back to your community this holiday season.

1)    Collect canned goods and donate them to a local food bank.

2)    Donate blood at your next Red Cross drive.

3)    Pay a larger tip to a server or delivery person.

4)    Clean out your home and donate unneeded items to Goodwill, Deseret Industries, or local homeless shelter.  

5)    Purchase a few extra toys to donate at your local store or Toys for Tots.

6)    Bake cookies or other treats and give them to your coworkers or neighbors.

7)    Buy someone’s order who’s behind you in line at a fast food restaurant or store.

8)    Send holiday cards to family and friends. Be sure to express the things you are appreciative of.

9)    Sponsor a family in need for their Thanksgiving meal.

10) Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

11) Leave random notes of kindness or encouragement on stranger’s windshields.

12) Adopt a “Grandfriend.” Find a local nursing home or retirement center and find a friend to spend time with during the holidays and beyond.

13) Make blankets and hygiene kits to donate to a local church or other humanitarian foundation.

14) Bring home an animal in need from your local animal shelter.

15) Run a 5K or other kind of charity race for a cause you believe in.

16) Clean up a roadside or park by picking up trash.

17) Donate a vehicle if you’re looking to buy a new one or have one sitting around.

18) Chop off those long locks and donate to Locks of Love.

19) Purchase holiday presents from a brand known for giving back, or from a friend running their own business.

20) Write thank you notes to friends and loved ones.

How many of these items will you cross off your list this month? We challenge you to think of ways you can give back to your family, friends, and community to help make this world a little better. Be sure to leave a comment and let us know your favorite way to give back during the holidays and all year long.