This holiday season, there are so many ways to give back to your community. We’ve settled on a few ideas for Aragon Cares, but came across so many amazing organizations and volunteer activities in the process. We thought we’d share them, so that you might feel inspired to give back, too!
This blog covers 5 organizations that are in need of support this Holiday season. While some of these organizations are Bay-Area-based, learning about them can inspire you to find similar organizations in your community. Or, you can make monetary donations to these exact organizations, from wherever you are!
The holiday season is the perfect time to help others!
The 5 Organizations
1) Toys for Tots
I first thought of Toys for Tots this season because I saw a sign hanging on the front door of our office building at Aragon Research HQ–I had heard the name but wanted to look further into the organization.
‘Toys for Tots’ is a group of campaigns run all over the U.S. by the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. The Foundation provides the leadership, funding, and support needed for successful annual toy collection and distribution campaigns. The Foundation is headquartered in Virginia, but Toys for Tots campaigns run all around the U.S.–over 800 communities participate annually.
The goal of these Toys for Tots campaigns is to collect and distribute toys to children that are in need and might not otherwise have Christmas gifts, identified by local welfare or community agencies and churches. Toys for Tots campaigns begin toy collection in October and distribute toys in December each year. The role of a community member who wants to help is to gather new, unwrapped toys and drop them off in collection boxes.
This is a great and fun way to give back during the Holidays. By purchasing even one toy, you’ll likely put a smile on the face of a child in need. If you’re interested in learning more about Toys for Tots, or want to find a local campaign, visit their website.
2) Sacred Heart Community Service
Sacred Heart Community service has a long-term goal of ending poverty in Santa Clara County. To immediately take action, they provide essential services to those in need in the community. But more importantly, they work towards their long-term goal by “bringing the community together to change the government and economic policies that make it impossible for many to thrive”.
This Holiday season, Sacred Heart is holding a holiday drive for families in need. They will provide food (including Holiday meals), gift cards and supplies, Holiday gifts, and survival and hygiene kits. And, they need help! Between monetary donations or item drives, anyone can contribute and make a difference. You can find more details about how to help here.
P.S.–Aragon has something special planned this month to help Sacred Heart! Be on the lookout for updates on our Aragon Cares page.
3) Child Advocates of Silicon Valley Toy Drive
You may remember that one of our Aragon Cares donations in the past was to Child Advocates of Silicon Valley (if not, you can read about that here). Well, this organization is currently conducting a Toy Drive for the holidays!
In December, Child Advocates offers a “winter wonderland” experience for the foster children they serve. Children will be able to walk through a selection of gifts and pick some out for themselves and their families. With a goal to serve ALL of the children, they’ll need about 600 gifts!
To help, you can make a monetary donation or you can pick out and purchase toys through this Amazon Smile wish list.
4) The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army offers a broad range of services and resources to families in need. This Holiday season, they are asking for donations to help support the following things:
- Homeless shelters
- Rental assistance
- Angel Tree Program
- Bill-pay assistance
Specific to the holidays, the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program is designed to take away the difficult decision many parents have to make between paying bills and buying Christmas presents for their children. In a typical year, this organization provides clothes and toys for 1 million children that normally go without any Christmas gifts. You can “take an angel off the tree” and be an anonymous donor for a child or multiple children. Find how to help here.
5) Ronald McDonald House Charities
Another organization we have worked with before for Aragon Cares is the Ronald McDonald House. This season, they are hosting a Comfort & Joy drive. To participate in this drive, you can gather a team (family, friends, co-workers) to collect wish list items for critically ill children and their families. These items include toys, basic need items, and household goods that will help make the Holidays away from home a bit easier on the children and families.
You can contribute to this drive in three ways: purchasing gifts to ship, organizing a wrapping party, or by sending a monetary donation to be spent on the items needed. Find the details here!
Bottom Line
As you can see, so many amazing organizations put extra effort in around the Holidays to make the world a better place. Many of them rely on donations and volunteers like us to help as many people as possible. Aragon encourages every able individual and organization to volunteer this holiday season! And, be sure to keep up with our holiday season Aragon Cares efforts here.