By Sarah Lemos

The holiday season is a time filled with joy and happiness for families all around the world; but, sometimes there are those that do not have that luxury during the holidays. However, there are several means of making someone’s holidays a bit more jolly.

Many local organizations exist in order to join and help during the holidays – whether it’s serving food or gathering gifts for underprivileged little kids and teens that cannot afford even small luxuries. 

While holiday shopping, make the effort to shop for a less fortunate child as well. Purchase a new toy and take it (unwrapped) to a Toys for Tots drop-off location between October and December. One or more members of the U.S. Marine Corps will distribute the toys to children in your community.

Another toy drive organization would be The Make A Wish Foundation, where you could help make the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation partners with many companies during the holidays with promotions. For example, drop off a letter to Santa at any Macy’s and the store will donate $1 per letter to the Make-A-Wish foundation. 

The Salvation Army and Walmart have also teamed up to hold a toy drive at several participating Walmart stores. The event offers customers a chance to help local families in need. Shoppers receive a list of suggested gifts they can purchase in the store and donate on the spot to “Fill the Truck.” The Salvation Army will then distribute the gifts to families in your community. Schools could participate in these drives too and participate in making a little kid’s Christmas a little bit more joyful.

Another way to help during the holidays is to show the hungry, homeless and needy that people care. A donation of a mere $2.10 provides a hot, nutritious meal for someone in need. Hope to the Hungry will bless thousands and give people in need a meal that could make their holiday a little more jolly. For them it’s more than just a meal – each donation brings hope and, more importantly, an opportunity for a person to experience the feeling of someone that cares about them when they felt alone.

There are so many people and families in need and that may not have a very Merry Christmas, but there is more than one way to put a smile on a kid’s, adult’s, or even a whole family’s, face. Make this holiday count and volunteer somewhere or donate; either way, you’d be giving back to the less fortunate.