Forget the partridge. Here are 12 ways to help others in Central Florida this holiday season.
The holidays are a time when many of us are filled with little extra joy and goodwill. Maybe you want to help others but aren’t sure how.
That’s why, each year at this time, I reach out to nonprofit leaders throughout Central Florida for suggestions on how you can make a difference — in ways that will last well beyond Christmas.
Some require only a few minutes or a few dollars. Others are more substantial, but can make more of an impact. See what fires up your yuletide spirit. Care for a homeless child
The folks at Matthews Hope Ministries in Winter Garden are all about getting people back on their feet, self-sufficient with full-time jobs and savings in the bank. But it’s hard for a homeless mother or father to get job training or hold down a position when they can’t leave their kids alone. That’s why the nonprofit offers day care. A gift of $125 allows Matthews Hope (www. matthewshopeministries.org) to provide child care for one homeless child for one week.
Play Santa
Frankly, the folks at the Hope Partnership in Osceola should charge for the chance to participate in this feel-good exercise — helping financially struggling parents pick out free toys for their kids at the group’s Holiday Village event Dec. 17 and 18. You can sign up here: bit.ly/HHVInterestForm. Or donate new, unwrapped toys by checking out the organization’s wish list here: bit.ly/HVToys. Or donate one of the group’s most-needed items — bus passes — by mailing them to 2420 Old Vineland Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746. Give books
This a super-easy way to give the gift of reading. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida want to stock the bookshelves of their after-school centers. To make it simple, the clubs have preselected a collection of books on Amazon (at https:// amzn.to/3o5RPEN) where you simply click on the books you want to donate, choose “Boys & Girls Club Gift Registry” as the mailing address, and the books will be shipped directly to the nonprofit and then distributed to centers all over Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties. I gave this one a test-whirl and had books on the way in less than 90 seconds.
Feed and comfort the elderly
Homebound seniors need both meals and human company. The Meals on Wheels program run by Seniors First (seniorsfirstinc.org) provides both. A donation of $280 provides a senior with one month of fully prepared, nutritious meals delivered by a volunteer five days a week. As Seniors First development director Wendy Jackson says: “This helps to combat the three biggest threats to aging: hunger, isolation and loss of independence.” Be a tutor
There’s a certain nobility and humility when an adult acknowledges they need help learning to read. We should be there for those people. The Adult Literacy League (adultliteracyleague.org) is seeking volunteers willing to work weekly with individuals and small groups. Or you can donate $100, enough to provide two student/tutor pairs with all the books they need to get started. Provide mental health help
The Mental Health Association of Central Florida (mhacf. org) fills a massive need by providing care for the uninsured at its Outlook Clinic. Still, prescription drugs can be cost prohibitive for some. A gift of $1,500 will allow the group to provide meds to 20 uninsured patients for three months. Feed hungry kids over winter break
Many needy kids get their meals at school. But we’re about to hit winter break. With a gift of $50, the Second Harvest Food Bank (www.feedhopenow. com) can provide 10 children with “Kids Packs” chock full of shelf-stable items like granola bars, cereal and juice. Maybe you can help 10 kids. Maybe you can help 100. Volunteer as a family
What better way to instill the value of volunteerism in your kids than by doing it alongside them? United against Poverty, a job-training and food-assistance charity in downtown Orlando, makes that easy with family volunteer nights (www. UPOrlando.org/volunteer). Families can sort groceries in UP’s low-cost grocery store, which helps working parents whose paychecks don’t go far enough make ends meet. Provide medical care
Shepherd’s Hope is a stellar nonprofit that provides medical care to the uninsured. Doctors, nurses and other professionals donate their time. But they need equipment. $1,000 will pay for one of the laptops this network of clinics uses to capture patient information. $500 will pay for five mammograms. As little as $20 will provide sanitizing wipes to keep exam rooms clean. My own amazing wife volunteers weekly at the
Longwood location and has seen the life-changing — and life-saving — work this group does. More info at www.shepherdshope.org.
Help LGBTQ youth
Orlando’s Zebra Coalition (zebrayouth.org) helps LGBTQ youth who are struggling with everything from bullying to parents who have kicked them out of the house. Sponsor a therapy session for $48 or six months’ worth for $960.
Help those starting over
Harbor House of Central Florida (harborhousefl.com) helps domestic-violence survivors rebuild their lives. That requires basic house necessities. So consider donating a gift card to Target or Walmart. Better yet, organize a gift-card drive where your friends round up cards as well.
Donate clothing for men
Here’s a reality many people are unaware of: “Most donated clothing comes from women, but most adults living on the streets are men.” Those are the words of Eric Gray, director of Orlando’s Christian Service Center, which runs a free clothing shop (christianservicecenter.org).
Wondering what to give? “Think from the ground up,” Gray said. “The items making contact with the ground most often are the items we need more of: shoes or flip-flops, socks, pants (especially jeans) and underwear.” Also belts, particularly of small sizes, since many of those who live on the streets are more malnourished than those who typically donate clothes.