The holiday season is a time full of joy, celebration, and togetherness. And while we may focus our time on shopping and gifts, it’s also a time of helping others, giving back, and making a difference. 

Typically, giving back during the holiday season involves volunteering at soup kitchens, going caroling, or visiting a hospital, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we gather in person. With coronavirus and its variants still a concern for many, we encourage you to get creative when finding ways to give back.

HarborChase Senior Living is committed to giving back to the community in any way we can. As a senior housing provider with independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities throughout the United States, we know the impact that COVID-19 has had on businesses, families, and individuals. We need to take care of each other, now more than ever, so we’re sharing some safe, but powerful ways to give back this holiday season! 

Donate to Your Favorite Organization

While many of us have been slowing down and staying at home for most of the year, many non-profit organizations have been working overtime to continue their programs uninterrupted. With the economic impacts of the pandemic, more families are in need this holiday season than ever before. 

Contributing to these foundations is a simple yet effective way to make a difference. Most organizations will allow you to donate online or mail in a check, so you don’t even have to leave your home. One way to make your donation even more special is to make it on behalf of a close family member or friend. Doing so can be a great holiday gift for those you love. 

Toys for Tots, The Salvation Army, and Angel Tree are all excellent organizations to support during the holidays, but we also encourage you to find some local charities closer to home! 

Spread Cheer with Holiday Cards

Spending time with family at home is one of the simple pleasures of the holiday season. Unfortunately, some families are not able to do that. A great way to spread holiday cheer to these families is by sending them festive holiday cards. This simple gesture can bring endless warmth and joy to those who need it most this year. 

St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital has a great program where you can purchase and send cards online, and donate to families in need. You can also reach out to your local hospital to see if they have a holiday card program. 

Clean Out Those Closets

The holiday season is generally seen as a time to get more things, but consider this year to give away things. Local shelters are always in need of items, and as the weather gets colder, clothing items like coats, blankets, hats, and gloves become a necessity. 

As you’re spending time at home, go through your closets and drawers, and pull out the items you no longer need or use. This is a great way to help those in need and minimize clutter! You can also buy new coats and blankets to donate to your local shelter—but don’t forget to get children’s sizes too. 

Send a Tree to the Troops

One of the best holiday traditions is picking out and decorating a Christmas tree. It provides a tangible feeling of holiday cheer and becomes a focal point for all holiday celebrations. Some people, though, like deployed soldiers, don’t have access to trees overseas. Programs like Trees for Troops allow you to make a donation to send deployed soldiers and military families a Christmas tree for the holiday season. Many of these soldiers have already sacrificed being with their families for the holidays, so this is a great, simple way to support the troops and spread holiday cheer across the ocean! 

Check On Your Neighbors and Friends

While we tend to focus on giving back to the community at large or national organizations, sometimes the need is right at home. The holiday season is a time for coming together, and even if it’s socially distant, there are plenty of ways to do that with family and friends. Bake cookies for your neighbors, send a card to an old friend, or make sure your family members are keeping well and healthy. These small acts of kindness can go a long way during hard times. 

‘Tis The Season For Giving Back

The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and togetherness, and it’s also a time for giving back. This year, more than ever, it’s important to lend a helping hand to those in need. And while it may look a little different this year, there are still plenty of safe and distant ways to give your time, money, or cheer. From all of us at HarborChase, we wish you a very merry holiday season! 

We invite you to follow us on Facebook and see how we’re spending the holidays at our independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities!