The holiday season is filled with wonder, twinkling lights and songs about families gathering together in celebration. Yet some people struggle more at this time of year if they don’t have family nearby or are down on their luck. What can we do to help others find joy and connection during this holiday season?
For starters, we can focus on gratitude and thankfulness for what we have instead of what we want. Showing appreciation for others is much more satisfying and creates an amazing trickle-down effect.
You can leave a larger tip than usual for great service, drop off cookies and a note to your local fire/police departments or help out a neighbor with chores. Dublin resident Stephanie O’Donnell says, “When my family and I notice some particularly good or fun outdoor holiday decorations, my kids and I will write and mail a card telling the homeowners how much we love them.”
Food is an incredible way to share joy in most cultures. We always bake and decorate homemade sugar cookies and enjoy expressing our creativity. Dublin resident Beth Starrett suggests making dinner and cookies for your children’s teachers so they can have a break. She carried out this tradition while her children were in elementary, middle and high school. This is also a great way to support seniors, families with a newborn or military personnel.
In addition to helping those in your immediate circle, we can cast a wider net by supporting local non-profits. Tia Gannon organizes the Holiday Shop for Beatty Park Elementary.
Volunteers collect donations of items (new or like new condition) that are smaller than a shoe box including items such as coffee mugs, candles, hats, gloves, scarves and books. Students can then make a list of who they want to shop for and volunteers help them pick out the perfect gifts for family members. The student also gets to select an item for themselves. Donation ideas for the kids include action figures, coloring books, basketballs, footballs, crafts and hoodies.
Interested in donating or volunteering your time? Contact Tia Gannon at donationsforbeatty@yahoo.com
Ashley Kanney runs a non-profit program called Feed The Kids Columbus. They strive to ensure that all food insecure children in central Ohio have nutritional meals so the kids can thrive and focus on school.
Kanney started in 2019 at Daniel Wright Elementary by feeding 97 children, and today she partners with 30 other schools and community centers, feeding 9,000 students.
“The schools determine which children need assistance and we fill the gaps, especially during extended school breaks,” says Kanney.
You can help by donating food, money or your time in packing up bags of snacks. www.feedthekidscolumbus.com
Heather Heins is the Executive Director for One Dublin, an organization that helps neighbors in their time of need. During the holiday season, they connect community sponsors to families facing temporary hardships in their Adopt a Family and Adopt a Senior programs.
Healther Heinz, courtesy of One Dublin
Sponsors can start signing up at the beginning of November and gifts are delivered early December. Donors can spend up to $100 per child, buying items such as dolls, trucks, games, footballs and basketballs. Families will also receive a $50 grocery gift card from One Dublin. Last year, 243 local families were served which included 606 children.
Heather Heinz, courtesy of One Dublin
Several schools adopt families including Glacier Ridge and Eli Pinney Elementary Schools. The schools conclude with a wrapping party and assembly featuring holiday music and a guest speaker from One Dublin thanking the students for their generosity.
Adopt a Senior was implemented two years ago at Stoneridge Court to support a fixed income community. Last year, One Dublin helped 48 residents with a cap of $50 per senior. Requests from the residents included items such as toaster ovens, new sheets, stretch pants and fruit baskets.
If you are making a gift basket yourself, it is always nice to write a holiday card to include along with your delivery. Some of the residents like to write thank you cards as well.
Get more information about One Dublin at www.one-dublin.org
Beth Wanless volunteers with Franklin County Children’s Services because she was inspired by her mother who was in Columbus foster care and remembers how special it made her feel to receive a gift 65 years ago.
The Holiday Wish Program fulfills more than 6,000 child wishes every year. Each child makes a wish list under $50 and the sponsor uses that list to shop from.
Wanless takes responsibility for 100 children. She buys for 10 kids herself, her mom’s group of friends do at least 40 and Wanless finds other sponsors to assist.
Her own three children, ages 5, 9, and 10, help pick the gifts, wrap them, and attach a tag with the recipient’s first name and age. Wanless then rents a van to pick up and deliver the gifts to the office.
The program always gets late requests so readers can reach out even if it’s already December. FCCS also needs help/volunteers in the warehouse as well with sorting gifts, etc. www.fccs.us/holiday-wish
Robin McAllister-Zaas is the founder of The Mirth Project which looks to support low income 13-19-year-olds and former foster youth who are between 18-24. They must be enrolled in school to create a wish list to receive gifts and a Christmas dinner. Supporters can sign up to sponsor a participant’s dinner and/or presents. Gifts should be wrapped and tagged with the first name and dropped off the first week of December.
Learn more about the organization at www.themirthproject.org
Colleen D’Angelo is a Dublin Life columnist and freelance writer. She and her husband, Tony, raised three children in Dublin of the last 25 years. Colleen enjoys playing and teaching pickleball; walking her pup, Mason; and traveling internationally. You can reach her at colleendangelo1@gmail.com.
