10 Ways to Spread Holiday Cheer this Christmas

Do you want to make a positive impact on our community this holiday but you aren’t sure the most effective way to do it?  We did some research and came up with a few ways you and your family can give back during this time of the year!

1. Angel Tree  – This program makes sure your gift gets to a child in need. To help make this possible for thousands of children, The Salvation Army calls on the community to help provide the new toys, books, board games that will be distributed to families in time for the holiday.
2. Sing a Song – What’s more festive than singing acapella style? If you don’t know of a caroling group already, gather one together to make rounds in your neighborhood or take your tunes to an assisted living facility or nursing home and fill the halls with Christmas cheer.
3.  Keep a Family Warm – Call your local utility company and ask to anonymously donate to a family that is behind on their electric bill. Expenses can get out of hand during the holidays and this is one way to be a surprise blessing to a family in need.
4. Be a Free Uber – Know of someone needing a ride to the airport or greyhound station? Volunteer to help out and take them or pick them up.  They might even have family coming in and can’t get to them until hours after they arrive.  This is your time to be a good Samaritan and offer to pick them up and help out. As you know, this happens often in a big military area like the panhandle.
5. Become a Pet Foster Family – Click here to find out how you can become a foster family from the local PAWS Shelter here in Okaloosa County. Fostering a dog, cat, rabbit, horse or any other animal in need of shelter, love, and guidance is a time-consuming effort, but it’s also one of the most rewarding ways to help homeless pets.
6. Bake Extra – Many of us already have family traditions of baking our favorites this time of year. Why not bake extra this year? Take the extra & share with your neighbors, those in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, or even your local shelters for women. Nothing says the holidays like homemade baked goodies!
7. Call a Local Church – You can call one close by or one you drive by regularly or attend.  Just ask their front office if there are any volunteer opportunities.  Many of these organizations are involved in numerous aspects of the community.  Opportunities are vast, it could be a remodel project for a family in need, adopting a local family for Christmas, providing transportation for someone to a doctors appointment, or even providing food for families with a family member in the hospital or a recent death.
8. Anonymous Donations – Find an organization in your local community that you believe in and just drop by with a check to help them out. It could even be your local zoo, humane society, library, or other private or public organization.
9. Cancer Freeze – This annual 5K and raffle event in Florala, AL provides financial and emotional support to people battling cancer through fundraising events throughout the year. It also includes a fishing tournament and donations to ski and ride in boats during the cold winter. It’s usually the first week in February.
10. Caring and Sharing – Located in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, & Niceville this organization feeds hungry adults and children. They need volunteers, monetary donations, canned goods and other nonperishables, fresh and frozen foods, toiletries year round.  During the holiday season they stock up the majority of their donations.
11. *BONUS – Davidson Dash – 5k/10k run where the registration fee will be donated to the American Cancer Society in an effort to find a cure for cancer, a disease that has affected so many people in our community. It’s held in mid January.

If you want to make your donations easier this holiday  feel free to drop off any items to our business storefront located at 840 N Ferdon Blvd, Crestview, FL 32536 and we will make sure it makes it to an organization locally. From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!