Sharing for the Holidays

Lots of people are celebrating various holidays at this time of year. Unbelievably, not counting today, December 4th, there are only 21 days until Christmas.

While we contemplate presents for our loved ones and friends, I also think about those of us who have difficulty just feeding the family. According to statistics from Feed More, the Central Virginia Food Bank, 1 in 7 Central Virginians is food insecure, meaning nearly 200,000 people aren’t receiving the necessary nutrition. More than 53,000 children—children—are included in that number, 1 in 6, doesn’t know when or from where they’ll receive their next meal.

I can’t imagine how heartbreaking it must be for parents who can’t feed their children, much less give them presents. This isn’t only occurring in Central Virginia, it’s all over the United States, and the world for that matter.

People don’t just need help with food. The need extends to all areas—a place to live, proper clothing, and medical care for illness and mental health.

The majority of us doesn’t have the means to help on a large scale, but even a bit here and there makes things better. So, if we can spare a little, why not share a little?

Opportunities abound to lend a hand. Give food to your local food banks. Donate your gently used clothing that you don’t wear anymore. Give to the large charity organizations that deal with the big picture.

A word of caution. Unfortunately, there are those who relish taking advantage of good intentions, using scams. There’s plenty I would like to mention regarding that, but suffice it to say, there should be a place with an extremely inhospitable climate waiting for them.

Before you share some of your hard-earned money, do research. Scammers will often set up bogus charities with names similar to the legitimate ones. Charity Navigator is an excellent resource to check first. It lists many charities with a rating corresponding to how well they manage their funds.

Don’t forget about Forest Christmas. I give all the sale proceeds from the printed version and eBook to Feed More.

Happy Holidays and Happy Writing!