As the Midlands’ expert in philanthropy, Central Carolina Community Foundation has offered their recommendations for local “acts of giving” opportunities to get you started.  They hope you will take time this holiday season to enjoy a time honored family tradition or begin a new one. Your traditions will certainly inspire generosity!

The 2016 Holiday “Acts of Giving” List from Central Carolina Community Foundation

An annual guide for Midlands Families of local giving opportunities

December  1, 2016 (Columbia, SC) – ‘Tis the season for giving. The holiday season has arrived and with it comes a spotlight on giving.  Giving brings joy all year round but especially during the holidays. The holidays are a wonderful time to begin instilling a “giving spirit” in your family that will last all year long.

As the Midlands’ expert in philanthropy, Central Carolina Community Foundation has offered their recommendations for local “acts of giving” opportunities to get you started.  They hope you will take time this holiday season to enjoy a time honored family tradition or begin a new one. Your traditions will certainly inspire generosity!

Adopt a Family: Expand your family this holiday season. Palmetto Project’s Families Helping Families can assist you with finding a family in the Midlands to adopt. Pick out gifts for the family with your children, shop for their holiday meal fixings or make special holiday treats to share.

Write a Kind Note:  Begin the conversation of giving with your family by reflecting on your blessings.  Have each member of your family write a note about what they are grateful for about another family member. Gather as a family to read the blessings and brainstorm joyful and authentic ways your family can celebrate those blessings by giving to your community.

Warm a Heart: Collect coats, blankets, mittens and hats to give to the homeless. One local family collects these items at their annual Christmas party and gives them away in a local park on Christmas morning. Their kids now look forward to the yearly tradition even more than the presents they receive and the family now greets many of the people they give the coats to by name.

Spread Cheer with a Card: Create homemade cards for the holidays and mail to military, hospitals, nursing homes or to local emergency responders. Or, after the holiday season is over, send the cards you received to St. Jude’s Recycled Card Program.

Make Giving A New Year’s Resolution: Use the holidays as a starting point for a New Year’s resolution to make giving a part of your family all year long. Ask your children to collect their spare change and use it to fund a charitable project. One local family uses their spare change to make lunches for the homeless on Christmas Day. The children are responsible for putting together the lunches and the family delivers them early in the morning- hours before they open their presents.

The Community Foundation wishes you and your families a very happy season of giving.

About Central Carolina Community Foundation

Central Carolina Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization serving 11 counties in the Midlands by distributing grants and scholarships and linking the resources of donors, nonprofits and area leaders to communities in need. For more information about the Foundation, visit their website at www.yourfoundation.org or call 803.254.5601.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CentralCarolinaCommunityFoundation

Twitter: www.twitter.com/CCCFtweets

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cccfpics

Press contact: Tracie Broom, Flock and Rally, 415-235-5718, [email protected]

Chloe Rodgers, Flock and Rally, 843-230-1611, [email protected]