With Christmas, winter break and presents just around the corner, it can be easy to forget about helping others this season. Even though grades, personal well-being and relationships are crucial components of college life, helping and growing our community is also something we should keep in mind. There are many things you can do at home to help your community, even here in Macon.
Here are just a few things you can do during this holiday season to get in the spirit of giving:
At Home
- Volunteer and Donate Locally
Visit your local soup kitchen or volunteer at a local non-profit! Toys for Tots, The Ronald McDonald House and Goodwill are some great non-profits that you can volunteer at or even donate to.
- Find Ways to Bring Your Community Together
Host a bake sale or car wash and then donate the profits to a charity you’re passionate about! You can even get some friends together and spend an hour or two cleaning up trash around your neighborhood. This can be a great way to see friends while giving back. You’re also helping the environment!
- Share Your Skills!
Teach a class on a skill you have. Knitting, sewing and cooking are all helpful things to teach your community.
- Give Blood
Tragedies still happen over the holidays and giving blood is just one way to help those in your community who are going through a crisis. While you might feel a little prick, you could be saving a life this Christmas season!
- Share Your Pet
That might sound strange, but taking your family pet and visiting a hospital or nursing home this season is a sure way to put smiles on faces and make you feel good too!
In Macon
- Be a Big Brother or Big Sister
Join the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and become a mentor! You get to impact the lives of younger children by taking them to the park or museum or by just being there. There’s no better way to give back than by directly influencing someone’s life for the better. For more information about how to be a Big Brother or Big Sister, make sure to check out http://bbbsheartga.org/
- Deliver a Meal on Wheels
Contribute an hour and half once a week to deliver food to senior citizens! Driving for Meals on Wheels of Middle Georgia is a great way to serve the elderly community. To find out more and to volunteer, visit http://mealsonwheelsmidga.com/volunteer/
- Join the Macon Volunteer Clinic
Help the Macon Volunteer Clinic by cleaning, managing, translating, or bookkeeping! You can sign up at http://maconvolunteerclinic.org/volunteers/volunteer-form/
- Fulfill a Child’s Wish List
Make a child’s holiday wish list come true by making goodie baskets or bags for orphans at The Methodist Home located on 304 Pierce Ave.
http://www.themethodisthome.org/donate-items/
- Donate Something to Layaway Santa or Kids Yule Love
Layaway Santa will use your funds to pay off holiday layaway accounts at local retailers, while Kids Yule Love provides Christmas presents with a message of hope to the less fortunate children in the Middle Georgia. Visit Kids Yule Love’s website to learn about how to be a sponsor or to see drop points. http://www.kidsyulelove.com/. You can also donate to Layaway Santa at http://thelayawaysantas.com/
- Bake or Buy Sweets for The Elderly
Make sure to visit Eastview Nursing Home on 3020 Jeffersonville Rd. with delicious holiday treats! You could even share recipes!
- Show Your Spirit!
Invite friends to attend the Main Street Macon Christmas Parade and The Nutcracker of Middle Georgia. These are fun ways to get the community together and in the holiday mood.
This list mentions just a few things you can do to give back to your community here in Macon and even in your hometown. While we may take for granted the communities we live in, it’s important to remember that for most of us, Macon is our temporary home. This city has opened its hearts to us for the short time we are here, so why don’t we do a little something to say ‘Thank You’ this holiday season. Even the smallest donation or act of kindness can change your community’s holiday season!
