Community is critical for humanity to thrive. In times of uncertainty, having people to catch and provide for you is how we face the future with strength and empathy. Now, at the dawning of a new year, Green America encourages you to rethink generosity and how we can give more holistically to our communities and those in need.
Try Gifting to Strangers
Everyone deserves gifts, the joy of opening something specifically for you from someone who loves you. But love is limitless and can extend beyond your circle. If gift giving is your love language, consider participating in a gifting program.
Transanta is a mutual aid project founded in 2020 that “connects anonymous gift-givers with trans youth who are unhoused, in foster care, or otherwise without crucial support they need to thrive.”
Kyle Lasky, a co-founder of Transanta, explains they developed this project with Indya Moore and Chase Strangio “to make a big impact on young lives by tapping into the immense power of mutual aid and direct one-to-one giving.”
“I think our program is so successful in part because of the empowerment and joy that people feel when they know they are directly responding to an individual’s request for help,” Lasky continues. “There is so much power in understanding you CAN make a difference.”
Gifts and drives don’t have to be limited to the holidays. Organizations like Transanta need support year-round to continue operating, and other groups host drives throughout the year.
The Family Giving Tree hosts a back-to-school drive and offers help and support for you to run your own drive. At Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, they accept toys no matter the time of year. After all, it’s never a wrong time to play with Barbie or cuddle a teddy.
CityTeam is a Pacific Northwest-based nonprofit that offers a variety of programs to get involved with, from mobile pantries and pop-up closets, vocational training and mentoring, and case management.
Across the country in Boston, The Home for Little Wanderers, the oldest child welfare agency in America, is an intensive foster and adoption organization. But that’s not all—they also organize drives of all sorts: clothing (coat and jacket specific drives in winter), hygiene kits, gift cards, sporting goods, and more. They also offer support for people to organize their own drives.
You Don’t Need Money to Give
Though volunteerism peaks at the end of each year, Americans are giving their time back to their communities less than ever, according to AmeriCorps. Looking ahead to a more empathetic and generous future, maybe it’s time to address that.
Fortunately, there is volunteer work for every interest and skill set across the board, from soup kitchens and elder companionship to nature conservancy and administrative work. Talk to your friends and community leaders, search your city + volunteers online, and you will find an abundance of ways to give back.
Donating pre-owned items like clothing, books, games, and beyond is another green way to show generosity. Women’s shelters, children’s hospitals, mutual aid groups, and migrant shelters are often in need of supplies—just be sure to check organizations’ websites to see if they have guidance on what they do or do not need. Additionally, many teachers post annual calls for supplies needed to help stock their classrooms.
But that’s not all—you can also consider donating gifts to do a green gift exchange with friends.
Don’t forget that gifts don’t have to be brand new to have meaning. Does your friend always borrow that sweater you never wear anymore? Get it dry cleaned and package it up like new for their birthday! Any gift exchange can be donation-based, taking pressure off money spent or shopping around for the perfect gift.
Go Beyond Giving Season
Though this time of year boasts the highest levels of generosity, it’s imperative to take it beyond December and into every new year ahead. Most organizations depend on support year-round to continue operating, and there’s never a wrong- time to give back in any way. With the rise in frequency of natural disasters, inflation, and global conflict, generosity is needed more than ever, especially for vulnerable populations. “It takes a village” applies to all of us, strengthening the very fabric of our communities and providing refuge in the face of an uncertain world.
