Giving Back: December 2013 and January 2014

With all the generosity that Christmas brings from others to our family, as well as the gift of his promotion in September, my husband and I have decided to pick a charity for giving each month in 2014. I have been feeling guilty about the limited time and funds we've given in the past - especially with how good God has taken care of us. It's been a little here or there, but not enough for me to feel sated. Maybe writing it down this year will help.

We actually started right away by giving in December, where we gave a small donation to a fellow blogger who was raising funds to purchase new infant equipment for a local children's hospital they visited. Since its not a non-profit status, but was just a fund raiser, we weren't able to match the gift through our company, but we did see the photos of all the new baby rockers and chairs purchased, which should make anyone stay a little more comfortable.

In addition, we donated to our church, canned goods to two food drives, and a car-load of clothes and house hold items to two local thrift stores (local ones, not a large Goodwill / Salvation Army) that directly benefits other charities we have supported in our town. Lastly, we cleaned out some of our own baby-swings, seats and play mats and gave them to a teenager-pregnancy support group.

Now that it's January, we were blessed to give another $50 (which this time we can match 100% through my company) to our local food pantry / soup kitchen. I've volunteered there once before stocking food in the pantry, organizing their cold storage and vegetable donations and ladling food to the hungry. If they had more open hours outside of my work schedule, I'd volunteer there every month. Happily, my mom has also been donating to the same pantry once a year for a few years now. We're all so glad to have full refrigerators and heat, it felt very good to give to others. As a bonus, I'm scheduled to give blood to the red cross next week.

I'm still looking for a charity to focus on as our "premier" charity, but at least we're finally acting on our desire to give back.