By Addie Rising, SHARECharlotte.org, a free, easy and local website that makes it easy to learn about and engage with our local nonprofits.
Can you believe it’s almost a wrap for 2016? And what a year it’s been! SHARE Charlotte’s #GivingTuesdayCLT campaign raised $7.2 million for 174 local nonprofits! We are SO grateful for all who gave to give a boost to Charlotte’s nonprofit community. It’s awesome to feel that true sense of community at a time when we all need it.
And now, we’re just ONE week away from Christmas and while there’ll be lots of feasting and present unwrapping and LOTS of family together time … there’ll be LOTS of family together time! Two weeks with the kiddos home from school and I know I’ll be searching for ways to avoid the “B” word … boredom!
But we’re going to try something different this year in my house and maybe you can too. Here are five ways to keep the giving spirit alive during winter break:
1. Make a plan for 2017! Plan to volunteer as a family once a month … that’s just 12 times. Over winter break, ask each family member to select something important to him or her and then visit sharecharlotte.org to search volunteer opportunities each month!
2. Encourage your kids to spend 15 minutes a day doing something nice for his/her sibling. Maybe it’s working together to clean up a room. Maybe it’s an older sibling playing a game of the younger siblings choosing. Some days this will be a piece of cake in my house … other days it will be a HUGE challenge!
3. Do you have $10? Visit the Give Shop and buy something for a local nonprofit. $10 will pay for shirts or pants that Communities in Schools can keep for students in need. Teen Health Connection needs many items under $10!
4. Visit a Charlotte museum: Charlotte has many museums that provide the perfect indoor experience on a chilly winter day. Museums provide education and culture and are great places to trick the kids into learning something … not that I would ever do that.
5. Do something random! Even if it’s calculated by YOU, a random act of kindness can feel like a million bucks to the recipient! I remember being in a drive-thru line and getting to the payment window and being told the car ahead of mine had paid for my order. It had been a bad morning and that one kind, generous act changed my day. I paid for the car behind me and felt amazing. Do something awesome for someone and get the kids involved! It’s contagious.
