My Spirit FM 90.5 | Pass the Gratitude - Volunteering
Giving to others makes you feel great and it also builds self-esteem (which builds happiness and gratitude. It's a big happiness circle!)
"People who volunteer tend to have higher self-esteem, psychological well-being, and happiness," Snyder says. "All of these things go up as their feelings of social connectedness goes up, which in reality, it does. It also improves their health and even their longevity." (US News and World Reports 4/4/2012) And of course volunteering makes our community even stronger!
Not sure where to start? We have some great suggestions to get you going:
Gobble your Neighbor!
Kick- off the "thanks" in Thanksgiving in your neighborhood with a Spirit FM Gobble Gram. Directions and printables to get you started are HERE.
Kids 0-5 Years Old
This can be a tough age to volunteer with, but there are definitely things you can do with your young children to teach them about giving back.
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Christmas is coming, this is great opportunity to go through their toys together to see what they would like to donate to another child in need.
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Have them help you shop for food items to donate to families in need. If you provide an allowance, perhaps they can help purchase a meal for someone.
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Does your church have a food pantry that makes meals for the homeless? Can you children help with making sandwiches or being "runners?" Each church will have its own age requirements.
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Help us make Christmas cards and be Santa for Seniors.
Ages 6 to 10
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Make "bags of hope" to keep in your car for our homeless population. Bags of Hope can include a bottle of water, cereal bar, crackers, a piece of candy, a note from your child to let them know someone cares about them, hygiene products or socks. (It is recommended by law enforcement that you do not include any money or personal information.)
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Special Events. Many kiddos in this age group are too young to volunteer at a charity, but are able to volunteer for a special event; like a run, walk or outdoor event. If your child has a favorite type of charity (like children, pets or radio stations!), contact a local organization to see what events they might have coming up. Kids make great fundraisers!
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Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful. Great way to get some exercise and keep our beautiful community in tip top shape! Contact projects@keeptbb.org or visit http://www.keeptampabaybeautiful.org/.
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Our friends at Feeding Tampa Bay have plenty of opportunities for families to help sort and package food on the weekends and evenings. For more information, please visit: https://feedingamericatampabay.volunteerhub.com/events/index
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Take up a collection. Friendly competition is a great way to get our kiddos involved and help those in need. Consider setting up drive for your class, homeschool group or neighborhood to collect food, socks or skivvies (most needed items at homeless shelters!). Contact Metropolitan Ministries, St. Vincent DePaul, Catholic Charities or any one of great organizations in our area to see how your collection can make a difference.
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Do you have a stash of shampoos and soaps from recent hotel stays? Pinellas Hope needs toiletries for their residents. During the month of November, Spirit FM will be collecting unused (new) shampoos, conditioners, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes and dental floss. Please drop by or mail to: Spirit FM, 717 S. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33609
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All of the above plus
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Organize a Christmas drive with your friends to benefit a family you know or contact DOSP Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, Metropolitan Ministries to see where you can donate items.
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Consider "adopting" a family in Puerto Rico, Galveston-Houston, Key West or one of the communities in Northern California this holiday season. To find how you can help, visit their local Catholic Charities.
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Give the gift of Time. Visit your grandmother, grandfather or someone you know that doesn't get a lot of company. Are there errands you can help them with? Maybe taking out the trash or weeding the garden. Then during Thanksgiving, take part in Storycorp's Great Thanksgiving Listen. Trust us, your grandchildren will be thankful! https://storycorps.me/about/the-great-thanksgiving-listen/
Give
#GivingTuesday is November 28, 2017! https://www.givingtuesday.org/
Spirit FM, the Thrill of Hope (coming soon!)
Your gift to Spirit FM not only helps keep the station running, but this time of the year will ensure a person in need has a Christmas meal. It's a win-win!
There are so many things to be grateful for this year. We are certainly grateful for you and all of our listeners and we hope that you count Spirit FM as one of your blessings!
Get Writing | Pray Always | Volunteering (Your Time, Talent and Treasure)
