Lend a Helping Hand - a charitable giveaway

This time of the year can be hard for a family in need and for those with little or no family. I do my best to help support programs to help those in need, especially this time of the year.

At work, I am the department coordinator for the Adopt a Family program that we participate in annually. Through the local Salvation Army, we adopt a family and are provided with their wish list. As a department, we take up a collection and then go shopping to get items from that wish list for both the kids and the family. It is a nice way to give back as part of a group and we have a good time spending a few hours together shopping and wrapping the gifts over lunch one day.

The other day, as I was talking about the Adopt a Family program, one of my friends mentioned that in addition to doing that, she wants to reach out and help near home too. Her plan is to take her family to a nursing home and "adopt a grandparent" - someone that doesn't have family - and visit with them. She has a young child and feels that not only will his presence be a treat for the residents, but it will help show him the importance of community outreach. I told her that I could remember when I was younger, that my Girl Scout Troop would do both - adopt a family that we would deliver food and presents too and would go caroling at the Nursing Home. I'm not sure what we brought, but I seem to remember bringing small gifts for the residents. The residents were always so excited to see us - even though I'm sure our singing wasn't the greatest. This act of kindness can have no cost other than your time, but can make a brighter day for someone.

The daycare that we use has a number of families that are in need and every year, the center does a Share a Christmas. They create tags with wish lists for the children and hang them on the tree to help those families out. I select a child or two from the tree each year and together with my children, go shopping to choose gifts for that child. I like to involve the kids because I think it is important for them to recognize that we can give back to the community and share holiday spirit with others.

How do you help out in your community? Continue reading for a chance to have Hormel make a donation to your local food bank, just in time for the holiday season.

Hormel Foods has a program called “On Our Way To Ending Hunger.” Through this program, Hormel Foods uses their food manufacturing experience to work with nonprofits, retailers, and the government on hunger relief efforts. The program is founded on three pillars:

Collaborate
Nourish
Motivate

Giveaway!




Giveaway will remain open until December 7th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

Giving back to the local community works for me.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. I wrote this post through my participation in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program. Hormel is providing the donation to a local food bank.