Staying Philanthropic During Times of Economic Hardship

Knowing how and when to donate can be tricky. Especially in times of economic hardship, how can homeowners, parents, and families strike the balance of caring for themselves and striving to help those in need? The following tips cover how individuals can stay philanthropic during tough times.

Use Social Media to Encourage People to Give

Everyone seems to be on social media these days, whether they’ve got Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or some combination thereof. The good thing about social media is that everybody listens when someone they follow wants to discuss important topics. During tough economic times, philanthropists can encourage other social media users to contribute to a worthy cause. Whatever little they may have will be enough, and if philanthropists can garner several responses, it can make a difference.

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How to Make And Distribute Handmade Cloth Face Masks

Medical experts have urged the general public to wear homemade cloth face masks during this pandemic. However, some people don’t have the resources or ability to create these masks. Donating cloth masks provides a great way to assist others in this time of need. This form of facial covering won’t fully protect the wearer against the COVID-19 virus, but it might help prevent the inadvertent spread of the disease to others.

Materials You’ll Need

Consider assembling these items to create face masks:

Clean cotton fabric (one square foot minimum)
Elastic hair ties or cloth straps
Coffee filters (optional)
Scissors and needle and thread and/or a sewing machine

The CDC website contains complete instructions for creating a mask using the bottom three inches of a cloth T-shirt. It also features directions for cutting out a mask made from a cloth bandana. If desired, you may obtain prefabricated cloth straps by removing the ties from an unwanted apron or a baby bib. Alternatively, you can sew these items by cutting 1″ strips of cloth fabric, folding them once or twice, and sewing the loose seams.

If you possess limited sewing skills, consider using scissors to cut a cloth T-shirt or a bandana mask in accordance with the diagrams on the CDC website. Essentially, you need to create a cloth covering for your nose and mouth that you can secure in place with cloth straps or elastic bands.

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How to Help Healthcare Workers Through COVID-19

In the midst of this global pandemic, healthcare workers are finding themselves overworked and stressed beyond belief. While you may want to do something to alleviate their burden, you might not know exactly what you can do. This guide will help you discover little acts of kindness that can go a long way for our healthcare workers.

Donate Supplies

If you have an excess of any sanitary supplies or personal protective equipment, your local hospital or clinic will happily accept them. Currently, there’s a shortage, and supplies are often diverted to metropolitan areas with a greater need. Donating just a few supplies will be greatly appreciated by suburban and rural hospital staff.

Buy Them Lunch

Now that dine-in eating is out of the question, a large number of restaurants have turned to deliveries to help them to continue operating. However, buying lunch for your favorite hospital staff members shouldn’t be a surprise. Call ahead to find out how many are on the ward and ask what special sanitary precautions will need to be taken.

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How Much Should You Donate?

Donations come in all shapes and sizes, and are made for all different reasons. Whether you want to help people, animals, the planet, or something completely different, your donations matter. But, if donation size is causing you stress, it’s important to take a handful of factors into consideration. Keep these points in mind so that you can donate comfortably to the charity of your choice.

Don’t Overdo It

Whatever amount you donate, make sure that you aren’t putting a financial burden on yourself. Of course it’s important to support a cause and help others, but harming yourself and your financial prospects in the process means you’ll have a harder time supporting causes in the future. Before making a monetary donation, be sure that you have the resources to do so. Otherwise, it might behoove you to try volunteering or a non-monetary type of charity work. .

Look Over Your Budget

If you think you can afford to donate, incorporate that cost into your monthly budget. Make sure that you cover your necessities and save some money before writing that check. You don’t want to donate too much money, and you also don’t want to donate when you don’t have the wiggle room to do so.

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Three Ways to Support Animal Shelters

Many people seem to think that supporting animal shelters can only be done in two ways: by adopting a pet or by donating money. Although these are two great ways to help your local shelter, there are other ways to offer compassion. Here are some lesser-known ways you can support shelters and animals in need!

Spread The Word

To find the best pairings of people and pets, adoption shelters want to garner as much attention as possible and maximize the pool of applicants. Unfortunately, with the prevalence of breeding and pet shopping, it can be hard for shelters to showcase their furry friends. Social media has made it easier than ever to introduce cats, dogs, and other animals to a wide audience. Even if you aren’t looking to adopt, you can always spread the word on social media.

There are many ways to get the word out by liking and sharing posts on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Millions of people look at their social media every day, which makes it much easier to spread the word.

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A History of Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots is gearing up for its 72nd annual toy collection, which according to its website will occur in over 800 communities across the 50 states.

Humble Beginnings

The Toys for Tots program was started in 1947 by Bill Hendricks of the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR), with a handmade doll serving as the first toy donation. The goal of the program is simple; to bring Christmas joy by delivering toys to children whose parents cannot afford gifts. From 1947 to 1979, new and used toys were collected and distributed. Used toys were refurbished on weekends by reservists during the months of October, November, and December. However, from 1980 through the present, only new toys have been collected.

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Items to Donate During the Holidays

The holidays are coming, and that means Jack Frost is nipping at everyone’s noses. Soon, snow and ice will grace landscapes across the nation, lakes will freeze over, and bare branches will tremble in chilly breezes. The cold time of year is especially hard for those who are less fortunate. If you’re feeling that holiday spirit this year, consider donating a few of the following items to offer warmth this holiday season.

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How to Help the Homeless Around Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time of heart-warming reunions, coming together to enjoy the abundance of the harvest, and celebrating the good things in your lives. Some people spread that joy by giving back to society and helping those less fortunate. These are ways to celebrate Thanksgiving through volunteer efforts.

Donate Meals

There are many locations that welcome donations of canned and boxed food. These non-perishable items can be easily made and are tasty and nourishing. If a donation center is not readily available, people can try sponsoring their own food drives. This raises awareness about homelessness and hunger, particularly in the local area. Food drives offer excellent opportunities to create meaningful events in the workplace, and getting the whole office involved means more food for more people in need.

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How To Get The Family Involved In Philanthropy

The word “philanthropy” often brings to mind the establishment of trusts, scholarships, or research institutes worth hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. It can feel, to many people, like something that is restricted to those with access to vast amounts of wealth. But the truth is that the majority of philanthropic giving is done by middle- and working-class people. So, how do you establish a spirit of philanthropy that endures for generations to come?

Start at home

Teaching your children the value and importance of charitable giving and philanthropic work is essential to creating a legacy of giving. It can begin by teaching children to be charitable to each other, family, and friends, and can extend to the wider community as children mature. Teach children that doing things for others is rewarding and the right thing to do. Involve your children from an early age in community work and set up a family tradition of giving that will last their whole lives.

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Ways to Give Back During the Holidays

The holiday season can be a difficult time for families and individuals. Economic hardships often cause people to experience anxiety and sadness. As a result, some often need extra assistance and care during the holiday season. As Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the end of the year each approach, here are some ways you can help those in need.

Create a Moveable Feast

The cost of a holiday meal is far too expensive for many people, and homelessness is at an all-time high. A great way to give back during the holidays is to cook food and serve it to people in need so they can enjoy a hot meal. If preparing an entire meal is not possible, make baked goods such as cookies or brownies. These pastries can even be presented to first responders like policemen and firemen who weren’t able to take time off to be with their families.

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