Spread Holiday Cheer Without Breaking the Bank Creative Ways to Give Back This Season The holiday season is an excellent opportunity to catch up with loved ones, relish some time away from work, and enjoy delicious foods. It’s also the perfect time of year to give back to others in need. In fact, 10% of all giving for the entire year occurs Dec. 29–31!
this has on you is you may need to shop for more soap, toothpaste, or whatever else sooner, but it won’t cost you anything now.
If you are open to spending a little money, you can also purchase toys, shoes, books, or other items and donate those, too. While these items aren’t necessary to survive, they can make nice gifts and help someone through a hard time.
Volunteer your time. Believe it or not, one of the most precious things you can give to others this season isn’t money — it’s your time. You can volunteer at a local animal shelter, homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or other charitable events that impact our community by taking a few hours out of your day.
However, during a season where spending is already up, many families aren’t able to give big donations to charities, even if they would like to. But this doesn’t mean giving back has to be off the table; you can help those in need in many other ways without writing a big check this year! Here’s how. Donate items to your local shelter. As we said, giving back during the holidays doesn’t have to be some extravagant gift. Some people are looking for help in getting their basic necessities covered. If you have any extra bars of soap, tubes of toothpaste, sanitary products, or other hygiene items around your house, gather them up and donate them to a shelter. The only impact
Leave positive reviews for your favorite local small businesses.
Small businesses don’t have the marketing power or money to put out fancy commercials or ads like the chains do, and more often than not, they rely on word of mouth to keep their business afloat. So, if you want to give back and help someone, take an hour out of your day and list your favorite small businesses you patronize. Then, head over to their Google Reviews or Yelp pages and let others know how fantastic those places are. Doing this can go a long way!
CHICKEN, LEEK, AND BLUE CHEESE PILAF
Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups water • 1/2 cup brown basmati rice • 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder • 1 bay leaf • 1 tsp grapeseed oil • 2 skinless chicken breasts, chopped
• 1 leek, thinly sliced • 2 zucchini, thinly sliced • 1 cup frozen peas • 4 walnut halves, broken • 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Directions
1. In a large pot, add water, rice, bouillon powder, and bay leaf. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat oil and stir-fry chicken over medium-high heat until just cooked. Remove from pan, then fry leek until soft. Add zucchini, stir-fry for a few minutes more, then add peas. 3. When the rice is cooked, add it and any liquid from the pot to the vegetables. Return chicken to the pan, then cover and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in walnuts and cheese and serve hot.
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