The holiday season often reminds people to give back to those less fortunate and to spread good will. Here are a few ways you can give back to the community this season and all year long.
Jasmine’s Bears:
Jasmine was a Cedar Park high school student that had cancer. During her treatment she received a stuffed bear and was so touched, that after her treatment she started Jasmine’s Bears. Jasmine’s Bears is an organization that provides stuffed animals to children who have recently received surgery. If you have any brand new stuffed animals you can bring them to collection centers at Cedar High School or St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church.
Brown Santa:
In 1981 deputies realized that many families were without Christmas presents; leading to the foundatio of Brown Santa. Brown Santa provides Christmas presents to local families during the holiday season. They need help loading and unloading trucks, wrapping presents, sorting presents, and collecting toys. Volunteer spots are open Dec. 2 and Dec. 6 to wrap presents and on Dec. 13-15 to load and unload trucks. If you collect presents you can bring them to Brown Santa from 10a.m.-6p.m any day before Dec. 21. For more information go online to www.brownsanta.org
Blue Santa:
Blue Santa is a nonprofit organization similar to Brown Santa. Blue Santa provides families with a Christmas meal as well as Christmas presents. It was started in 1972 by parole officers who realized that many families under their supervision did not have any money for Christmas. Now it serves 3500 families in central Texas. To volunteer at Blue Santa go online to www.bluesanta.org/volunteer.html. Volunteers are needed to fill boxes and wrap presents. You can also donate at any one of their drop off sites listed on their website.
Trinity Center:
Trinity Center is a shelter serving the homeless of Austin. Originally it was part of St. David’s Episcopalian Church but later became a separate organization. They need people to perform daily maintenance, paint walls and pack lunches. They also need donations. Most needed items include toiletries, warm clothing, hand sanitizer, Kleenex and Bibles. You can drop these off at the Trinity Center anytime. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Emily Prince at 512-610-3553 or go online at www.trinitycenteraustin.org.
Mobile Loaves and Fishes:
Founded in 1998, this nonprofit organization helps provide food and shelter to the homeless of Austin. It was started by a former homeless man that wanted to help people living on the streets. Mobile loaves and fishes have food trucks that go around distributing food to the homeless. They also provide shelter through Community First. Volunteers are needed to prepare sandwiches, donate food and distribute food to the homeless. To volunteers you can go www.mfl.org to sign up.
Operation Christmas Child:
Operation Christmas Child is a world-wide program run by Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief that gives much needed supplies to children in impoverished areas of the world, and also spreads the word of God to these children and their families. Families from all around put together the boxes, which contain the gifts, and take them to a local drop- off site for distribution. Building a gift box is easy; all you need is a shoe box, which you can wrap, but the lid needs to be wrapped separately, the age and gender for the child you want to receive the box, gifts to go in the box, and a $7 donation to help cover shipping and other costs. Some of the items that can go in the boxes are toys like yo-yo’s, stuffed animals, harmonicas or jump ropes, school supplies like pens, pencils, writing pads and coloring books, hygiene items like soap, washcloths, toothbrushes and toothpaste, or things like socks, tee shirts, hard candy and hair accessories. The items just must be age and gender appropriate. You can also include a picture of you or your family, a handwritten message and an address, in case the child wishes to respond to you. After you have finished putting together the box, take it to a local drop-off site, or you can mail it, year round, to the Samaritan’s Purse offices.
