November is hitting the Puyallup area in full force with Thanksgiving around the corner. Fall is in the air and the temperature has slowly been dropping lower and lower forcing us to turn up our heat and don extra layers when we leave the home. Families are getting their holiday plans set and thinking about what to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner. Most people are contemplating what they are thankful for and a majority of those people have plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. However, there are families and people in your area that are not as fortunate. Some families do not have as many options when it comes to what they get to eat for their Thanksgiving dinner or get to don all those extra layers. According to stats from the most recent government data 48.1 million Americans lived in food-insecure households, including more than 15 million children. The term food-insecure is defined as “lacking reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” Giving to the local community of the Puyallup area should be added to your to do list this holiday season. There are many good reasons to give or volunteer during the holidays that benefit both your community and help contribute to the overall goodwill in the city during the holiday season.
There are many benefits to volunteering or giving and some of those reasons actually benefit the person that is giving or volunteering. In a Canadian study, 85% of Ontario volunteers rated their health as “good,” compared to 79% of non-volunteers. Only 2% of volunteers reported “poor” health, one-third the amount of non-volunteers who reported the same health status. Also people who give or volunteer have higher self-esteems and have a tendency to be more positive. These are just a few reasons why giving to charity or volunteering for a cause is beneficial but here are seven more reasons why it counts both for you and your community.
1. Setting an example: They say that the future lies with the younger generation and teaching by setting an example is the best way to teach that generation how to be loving and caring adults. By showing your children that giving or volunteering is important it will teach them to do the same. One example is visiting the local food bank or donating your time is a great way to set an example for your children.
2. Tax Deduction: In the United States, any money donated to charity can be taken as a deduction on your tax return. Although this reason should not be the primary reason why you donate, it is definitely an added bonus.
3. Supporting a cause keeps you well informed about social injustice: When giving to a charity, people have a tendency to take the time to research the cause or issue that the charity supports. As result, people become more educated about the different types of social injustice that affect different places around the world.
4. Volunteering results in physical and social benefits: Typically after donating money to a cause, people feel drawn to actually becoming involved with that particular charity by either donating their time or helping to organize charity based events. Inevitably, by giving your time to a charity your social circle will grow to include like-minded people. Studies have shown that people who have a wider social circle have a tendency to live longer and happier lives.
5. Giving back to your community: People often forgot that volunteering or donating locally helps to build a better community. Focusing on local charities will help to build a better city for both your family and the other families that live in the area.
6. Others will follow suite: It is common that once you begin to donate your time and money to charity, others around you will follow suite. Your passion for your newfound charity or cause will bleed over into the lives around you hence inspiring people to join the cause or donate their time and money.
7. Gain a whole new perspective on your life: Sometimes we let our lives drag us down or stress us out. Helping out those less fortunate can really help put your own problems in check and make you realize what truly is important in life.
We do work hard for our money so rewarding ourselves with material possessions is not a bad thing. But imagine giving away just a bit of your time or your money and the benefits that both you and your community will reap will far surpass those material items. Make sure to take the time to volunteer or donate during the upcoming holidays. There are many organizations and charities in the Puyallup area that would love to have some of your time or donations. This link is to a website that lists a lot of amazing charities in the Puyallup area along with a brief description of the charity: http://greatnonprofits.org/city/puyallup/WA . There are so many ways to give this holiday season and so many reasons why it is important so don’t hesitate and contact one of these charities today to see how you can help!
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