Kindness Matters Even More During the Holidays

The arrival of the holiday season often means spending time with family, exchanging gifts and enjoying delicious meals with loved ones. But it’s also the perfect time to focus on gratitude and giving. Choosing to focus on doing good during this hectic time of year can be a wonderful tradition to start. Whether you’d like to volunteer, make a donation, or perform any number of random acts of kindness, there are plenty of ways to make a difference in the life of someone in need during the upcoming season of giving. You don't have to volunteer every waking hour or donate your retirement savings to a charity in order to give back.

Giving back to our communities through volunteer groups, non-profit organizations, charities, or other means does so much to help those in need and contributes to the common good. We each might choose to give back in a different way, but no matter how we do it, giving back to our communities will touch many people’s lives. Whether it’s volunteering at a local event, helping a neighbor or making a monetary donation, it’s not the size of the act that matters. Even the teeniest good deed can ignite change and positively impact the community by providing a renewed sense of hope.

Vermont 211 Information & Referral (I&R) Specialists can connect you to those organizations across the state that are helping those in need of a little extra care and kindness during this holiday season. These folks are making the holidays brighter for many through the provision of holiday meals, holiday food baskets, holiday gifts and toys programs, holiday transportation to seniors, free holiday programs for children, and more.

There are over two hundred listings in the Vermont 211 database that will connect you to the many ways to volunteer and/or donate to fellow Vermonters. To find opportunities in your communities and beyond:

Visit Vermont 211’s Online Resource Directory http://www.navigateresources.net/211Vermont/. Search for holiday giving opportunities via the Keyword Search feature and search using the following terms:

• Holiday Donations
• Holiday Gifts/Toys
• Food Donations
• Volunteer Recruitment/Placement

Or simply dial 211 and speak to an I&R Specialist who will provide information about holiday giving programs in your area. You may also text your zip code to 898211 to connect directly with a specialist. Together we can make a difference!