Do Not Forget Those in Need During the Holiday Season

It is the holiday season so do not forget those in need. Food banks are getting whacked this year as the need is high and the supplies lower especially as US funding programs dry-up or disappear. Local food banks are always looking for volunteers, as are local thrift stores and other places.

If you have clothes or wares to donate, and you do, do not give them to the big-box thrift conglomerate that starts with a G. Half that stuff goes into people's pockets. Instead, search out the poor town that is near where you live and you will find that there is a thrift store there, perhaps one block back from the main street. Give your donations to those thrift stores since the blue-haired gals know who is in need in the community including the working poor. They will also typically take canned goods and other food donations.

Wounded Warriors, Tunnel to Towers, the Gary Sinese Foundation, and lots of other charities can always use donations. Humorously, if you need return address labels for the snail mail you send, do not give $15 bucks to Scamazon. Instead, write a check or donate that $15 directly to a charity of your choice and it is guaranteed that you will receive endless address labels for yourself. The charities provide the free address labels hoping that will entice you into donating in the future. Comically, Keystone has 80,000 return address labels that will never be used.

And do not forget building materials and things for the house or garage that were never used. Maybe you have a new window, or door, that was never installed, or kept the old one after it was replaced and it is still in good shape. That stuff can go to Habitat for Humanity that was started by former President Jimmy Carter. They will take any building materials leftover from jobs. There should be a location near you and you can call them if you have any questions. So you no longer have an excuse not to clean the garage. Load up the stuff that is still usable by handymen and drive it down to the Habitat for Humanity location. They will be happy to take it and use some of it on the houses they fix, or build, for the poor.

So there are lots of ways to help those less fortunate. If you go to bed hungry and your stomach is growling as a child, it is something you never forget in life. So donate to your local community to help others and you may find that it actually helps yourself. Merry Christmas to all and Happy Holidays.

It was an annual event for Darlene Love to sing "Christmas" on Letterman each year. What a beautiful lady with a powerful voice. She was born to perform.