Indeed, the holiday seasons are not the only times one can give back and make their contributions to someone in need. The need for individuals who are finding themselves and, at times their entire family homeless or financially unstable is not just a situation that happens during Christmas time. However, donating during the holidays for many people comes to their minds more often. This is a good thing when caring individuals take it upon themselves to contribute to the act of giving whether it is through a monetary donation, or goods and services.
Destiny Butler, a freshman here at Saint Augustine’s University, studying criminal justice from Goldsboro, North Carolina makes donating a holiday routine. “I donate EVERY year to The Salvation Army, back home. Ever since I was little my mom would tell me, “It’s better to give than receive” and ever since then I have been donating any and everything I can,” said Butler.
Personally, I feel that “the gift of giving, gives to you”. For one, as a college student, I do not at all have an endless supply of money, however, I can offer something. Being able to have something to give is a gift within itself. Giving also gives you a sense of pride and self-fulfillment that hopefully, you brightened someone’s day. This Christmas my goal is to donate clothing. Almost every year during Christmas break I declutter my closet as I organize my winter clothing. In the process of packing away my summer wardrobe and hanging up my sweaters, somewhere between doing this task I come across clothing I can no longer wear or want.
Just this weekend, I got to a little bit of an early start with my cleaning process. I managed to get everything organized and set a bag of clothing aside to donate. On Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, I took a trip to Burlington Coat Factory to get a new affordable coat. While making my way to the checkout counter I saw a nicely decorated box welcoming Christmas coat donations. At home, I remembered that in the bag of items I hoped to donate over the holidays that there were three coats.
Being that the store is local I know I will be going back soon for Christmas shopping. When I do those three coats will be added to the bin along with many others donated. Burlington Coat Factory rewards customers who donate a coat with offering ten percent off of one’s entire purchase.
I know here at SAU as a college community students have already begun giving for the holidays. During Thanksgiving, many students apart of varies organizations delivered Thanksgiving meals to local families in Wake County in need of them. You can check out that article here: https://falconforumonline.com/?p=4407.
Quante Williams, a senior communications major with a concentration in broadcasting, from Clayton, North Carolina has donated his time already for the holiday season. “My fraternity brothers and I, members of Phi Beta Sigma donated our time during the Thanksgiving holiday. I feel giving back to the community is important,” said Williams.
An article posted via the Tampa Bay Times posted on Dec. 1, 2017, by Libby Baldwin a Times Staff Writer wrote about giving back during the Christmas holiday. Her story entitled, “Lady Gaga and layaway charity help Tampa families pay for Christmas” discusses just the inclination one most likely has while reading it.
Baldwin writes, “Lorraine Ducree faced a grim holiday and was about to let her electricity get cut off so she could give her grandkids a little joy this Christmas. They’re my heart,” said Ducree, 68, who has struggled to pay for the children’s coats and toy trucks she put on layaway earlier this year. But help came Friday. Her $169 layaway at north Tampa’s Burlington Coat Factory was paid off by a charity effort supported by Lady Gaga. The national nonprofit Pay Away the Layaway teamed up with the entertainer’s Born This Way Foundation to pay the balances for about 25 families at the store, which is near some of Hillsborough County’s most impoverished neighborhoods.”
To learn more about Burlington Coat Factory’s donation efforts and how you can join them check out what, ABC News, Good Morning America has to say.
– By Jazmin Powell
