Today is Giving Tuesday, and non-profits and friends who are down on their luck could use a little love. Researchers have already discovered that when we give to others we actually benefit ourselves, with a happier life. Even if you only donate once a year, this is a great place to start.
The first thing you can do is to decide what you want to support. Would you like to help kids in needs have a warm coat for the onslaught of winter? If so, click here to donate your gently used coats or better yet, new ones.
Everyone gets hungry - and if you’re like me, food is important not just for the delicious meals but also for the comfort of relaxing and stopping to eat, many times with friends and family. Did you ever stop to wonder what it would be like to be alone with your growling stomach, with nothing in your cupboards? Or how about sitting down with the kids for dinner and having not much more than a thin bowl of soup? If you want to help feel families in need, there are many local programs including Toni’s Kitchen, The Salvation Army and if you can want to wide with your donations, why not contact the Community Food Bank of New Jersey?. Donating is simple - just click on the program of your choice to learn how you can help.
But what if you are strapped for money, and struggling yourself? Still, you also want to feel happy and give to others. I don’t believe you need a fat wallet - or even a dime - to give to someone else today. For many years when I was younger, I could not donate to anyone - and even before “Giving Tuesday” I figured out that offering a smile, a hand carrying groceries to a stranger, and other simple daily good deeds went a long way enriching my life. And, as always, the gift of "time" is always welcome in any non-profit organization looking to help others without the funds to pay workers.
Take some time today to practice the art of love, and the science of giving, and I promise today will be a day you will enjoy and treasure, because it really is true that giving to others is the best gift of all.
