Check Your Neighborhood Facebook Group to Get Help During ChristmasFacebook has a bunch of groups that give away free things. If you do a search in the Facebook search bar look for; freecycle near me, or buy nothing near me. Depending on where you live there may even be a buy/swap group for parents to give/sell kids' clothes, toys, etc. In these types of groups, I have often found many generous people that are willing to help their neighbors in need or also give advice on where to get help locally.
Holiday Assistance for Struggling FamiliesA lot of people look for assistance at the holidays. Traditional holiday meals can be expensive and you may be hosting friends or family. Children's gifts can seriously stretch the budget as well.
Doing Good Deeds with FreecycleI have been a member of Freecycle for a long time. Freecycle is an organization that keeps usable items out of the landfill by giving them to other members. I have both given and received many items.
Save Food Packaging for Non-ProfitsDid you know these are worth cash to non-for-profits? Save them and ask around. These are collected by Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4H kids, youth groups, schools, missionaries, and more. Ask around and you will find someone who will take them.
Donate Food ThoughtfullyI was a director of a crisis center. We were mainly a crisis center for pregnant women, but we also did food and clothing. Going to community meetings, I met with those who ran the food pantry, and discovered that we had many common issues. One was giving clients items that they needed and could actually use.
Giving to the Needy at ChristmastimeEvery year I am strapped for money this time of year and see on my local news where to drop off food and other items for our shelters and food banks and wish I could donate to my community. So this year starting right now I have a plan and a hefty donation for next year, all easy on the budget.
Food Pantries Need More than FoodIn addition to food, consider donating paper goods, toiletries, feminine products, school supplies, and over-the-counter medications. Food stamps do not cover these items, and they can eat up a good part of the budget. If you coupon, as I do, you can get these items for pennies on the dollar or even free.
Donate Worn-Out Linens to the Animal...Animal shelters will welcome towels, sheets, blankets, pillows, and any other linens that are too worn-out to be given to someone else. Do a good deed for animals and save our planet as well.
Donate Sample Toiletries to HomelessI have an abundance of freebies and I am on a mission now to help those less unfortunate. I have some used purses as well and I am putting some of the items that I have compiled over the years and doing a handout to the homeless.
Blessing BagsBlessing Bags to keep in the car when you pass homeless people. Something special you can do with your children or grandchildren to teach them about caring/giving for those in need!
Donate to Other Thrift StoresJust a warning out there to all you good people that donate to Goodwill, thinking that you are helping the needy out. I know from firsthand experience that my local Goodwill Stores receive way more items than they can sell in their stores.
Top 5 Best Ebola Virus Outbreak CharitiesThe recent Ebola outbreak in Texas has been a sobering wake up call to the world. The virus needs to be contained as quickly as possible and health care workers need to be protected from patients exhibiting symptoms. We all want to help but we also want to make sure it goes to the people who need it most. I took some time to look for the best choices for this current crisis.
Donate to Victims of the Washington LandslideOur hearts go out to all the families suffering in the tragic landslide in Washington.
Collect Freebies for a Good CauseI belong to several companies' rewards programs and often am eligible for freebies. Sometimes I don't need or want the free items, so I donate them.
Penny Wars FundraiserPenny Wars is an easy fundraiser that we have used several times in our office. You need several containers, we use 5 gallon water jugs, but even one gallon jugs would work. One jug for each of the groups.
Address Labels from DonationsIf you donate to charities like the Cancer Society or the SPCA, you get packages of address labels as a thank you gift. I find you get a lot and they last a while.
Giving to the Salvation ArmyIn Canada, we have coins for $1 and $2. I start saving them in mid-November and put about $20 worth in my coat pocket at Christmas time whenever I go out. Each time I see a Salvation Army donation globe, I drop some coins in.
Launching a Fundraiser for Marion-Polk Food ShareI am doing a fundraiser for Marion-Polk Food Share here in Salem, OR.
Couponing for Food DonationsI save thousands of dollars each year by couponing. I used to not use, trash, or give away coupons for items or brands we don't use, even if they were free or close to free.
Link: Click to Donate Free MammogramsBe a Blessing to someone, go to www.thebreastcancersite.com and click the big Pink Box and someone gets a Free Mammogram. I have an icon on my PC and every morning when I open it up, I CLICK IT!
Tour Local Historic BuildingsIn my area historic/unique house or church tours are done for fundraising. People get to see fine old houses and help a good cause at the same time. Another idea is to have garden tours in the summer.
Donating Clothes And Household Items To CharitiesCharities should be a no-brainier, it seems everyone who reads ThriftyFun shops or has shopped at thrift stores. It makes you wonder if as many people give back to these charities.
Donate Items as You Identify ThemOne day I'll see an item in a different way than I did maybe a few months ago. What was once important, no longer is, and it feels good to let go of something; to be less attached to an object.
Link: Shop With iGive To Donate To CharitiesI found a site called iGive.com. It gives a percentage of my online purchase amounts to this charity when I shop stores through their site. These are online stores that I shop from anyway.
Donate Clothes Not Worn After A YearHang clothes backwards and rehang them forward after each use. After one year, everything still backwards can be donated.
Links: Donations to Charity without Spending a DimeDonate each day by simply clicking on the following sites.
Donate Cards to St. Jude's Recycled Card Program
This is a tip to not only help sick children learn entrepreneurship, but a chance to teach your own children and grandchildren the gift of sharing and caring, particularly here at Christmas time.
Looking For Financial Help With The HolidaysIt might be a little late to be looking at this time. You really have to listen to the news and read the papers carefully, starting around Thanksgiving time, because that is when most of charities start taking applications.
Donate Care Packages For ChristmasDuring the year I go on-line to freebie sites. I get a lot of samples in the mail and save them up for stocking stuffers and care boxes. These care boxes are made up to send to overseas soldiers, my local woman's shelters, and convalescence hospitals.
Call 211 for Referrals To Local AssistanceIf you are looking for help with food, housing, employment, health care, counseling and more (including holiday help), call 211.
Plant Sale FundraiserTired of fundraisers selling useless and cheap items? When the schools ask for volunteers for fundraising, volunteer to start a flower fundraiser. Our local schools used to sell flowers in flats and baskets from a local nursery.
Place to Donate Campbell's Soup Labels and MoreMy mother has kept the labels off of Campbell soup cans for months. She would send them somewhere to help out needy children on an Indian reservation. This last time she collected all her labels together, she discovered she lost the address to send them to.
Buy Postage Stamps to Help Pet SheltersI wanted to share this with fellow pet lovers because it's for such a wonderful cause and I think this is a great thing to spread around!
Angel Food MinistriesWhat do you think about Angel Food Ministries?
Link: Pet Donations For Free At FreeKibble.comIt's a website that you can go to every day, 7 days a week, and answer multiple choice questions regarding your knowledge of cats and dogs. Whether you get the answer right is of really no consequence other than a little more knowledge.
Volunteer at Community Food Pantry or Thrift StoreVolunteer at your local thrift stores or food pantry. They will be appreciative of your help and you most likely will be able to choose some material items or food in exchange for your donation of time!
Hunters: Remember the Food PantriesFor all you hunters out there, remember the food pantries and the homeless when your freezer gets filled up and your friends don't need any more venison or wild game. Everybody can benefit from your sport.
Donate Books to Local SchoolsI have a great tip for anyone who has books collecting dust. Donate them to your local school. I had a garage sale recently with a friend (she home schools). We took the left over books loaded up my car, and I donated them to my son's grade school.
Think Recycling Before You Throw Anything AwayContribute to your child's education and the earth's welfare at the same time! Teachers are always in need of odd items, they often spend their own personal money in order to have more effective teaching tools.
Donate Excess Food From Your Pantry or FreezerMy frugal self sometimes gets carried away with triple coupon offers and BOGO's. Then comes the day that I realize I have two large jars of mayonnaise, three bottles of ketchup, etc.
Give to Food Banks in Lieu of Christmas GiftsInstead of buying Christmas gifts for people who already have everything they need, try donating some food to your local food bank.
Give a Mending Kit With Donated ClothingDuring the Katrina aftermath, the school I worked at in Texas had quite a few refugee families move in. People often donate used clothing for these kind of events, but sometimes that clothing isn't exactly perfect.
Donate Your Crafting Supplies in Your WillI am a big-time crafter with yarns. I do crochet, knit, and plastic canvas, and some latch hook. Basically if it has to do with yarn I do it. I have put it in my will that all of my crafting materials are to go to an adult care center or a nursing home.
Time for a Major DeclutterI have been having a major declutter at my house. Nothing has been spared. I figured if I hadn't looked at some of the stuff I was considering hanging onto, I didn't really need it.
Hand Out Snack Bags to the HomelessMany of us are moved to reach out to those "homeless and hungry" people by the roadside, but are reluctant to offer money because of not wanting to support drug or alcohol abuse.
Chocolate Heaven FundraiserNeeding a successful fundraiser? An organization back where my husband is from, each year has a "Chocolate Heaven" fundraiser.
Secure Donated Electronic Parts TogetherThis tip goes out to all you frugal living people who remember to give back! Donations can often be nothing more than someone looking for the use of a free dumpster, and gently used is the key.
Donate Books and Magazines to the Local LibraryOur local library accepts donations of books and magazines. They keep what they can use and sell the rest in a "Friends of Library Sale" a few times a year. The proceeds go to buy more books, etc. You might ask in your local libraries if they ever do anything like that.
Avoiding Charitable BankruptcyIt feels good to donate to a charitable cause. I write the check that I know will buy the last ingredient needed to find the cure for cancer, and it feels good. Then, I write the check to help pay for books at a school ravaged by floods, and it feels good, too.
Adopt a Family During the Holiday SeasonDuring the holiday season, adopt a family and deliver a basket of food for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. Share your good fortune with others, if possible in some way. If doesn't matter if it's big or small. Good deeds mean a lot.
Donate School Clothes to the SchoolsWith school starting I wondered if there were children in need of clothing, especially middle and high school age. A lot of kids this age would be too proud to ask for help, and embarrassed not to have new clothes. Guidance counselors at schools usually would know of those in need.
Make Sure Your Money Is Going Directly to the CharityThis tip is regarding charity solicitations via telephone. I've recently been contacted by a telephone solicitor to contribute to a Children's Leukemia Foundation and the envelope arrived today.
Donate Clothing and Toiletries to Women's SheltersThis is a tip if you're into coupons, rebates, store good deals, buying in bulk, and have yard or garage sales. If you have items left over such as clothing, toiletries, makeup, etc., donate them to your local abused women's shelter.
Free Samples To Benefit OthersI'm always looking for ways to contribute to the homeless or less fortunate in my area. I was requesting free samples one day when it hit me that I could use this to benefit not only myself, but others.
Donate Craft Items to Local Non-ProfitsDonate your craft items that you know you won't use to a local shelter workshop. Many shelter workshops do not have work for the clients to do on a consistent basis, yet they still need something to do while there.
Teacup Candles For FundraisingHere's a great fundraising idea that my Relay for Life team developed. We purchased 60 small teacups and saucers off eBay. We took the cups to a local candle making shop and had them put a wick and scented candle wax in the cups.
New Jersey Charity OrganizationsHere is a list of New Jersey Charity Organizations that may be able to help. They are listed by name, number and then county.
Non-Food After Their Expiration DateI think that stores should donate past date items to shelters and food banks. But, many of the donation places in my area won't take items that are past date. This is stupid and wasteful.
Lottery For Charitable DonationsMy husband and I get a lot of calls for money over the phone. Instead of saying no or refusing to talk to these people, we ask them to send a form for their request. Then we say we'll put it in our lottery.
Helping Others ResolutionInstead of the same old New Year's Resolutions, how about something different that will make you feel good as well as helping others in need.
Donating to the Food Bank or PantryI make sure I have foodstuffs to donate to our local food pantry in the month of August and September. Most food pantries are particularly hard pressed for donations during this time frame.
Donating Hotel Shampoo BottlesI am a registered nurse and also volunteer for the Red Cross and will be leaving shortly for the disaster in New Orleans. I just wanted to suggest a wonderful way to help your local shelter.
Famine in Niger and Links for DonationsThriftyFun is donating $2 for every photo entry sent in through Sunday, August 7th to UNICEF. Urgent appeals have been made for help for famine-stricken Niger where more than one million people are at risk from starvation after a locust invasion worsened an already poor harvest.
Recycling Paperbacks and MagazinesI drop off magazines and paperback books I have read at an elder care home near my home. I drive past it every day anyway, and it just takes a minute to do this kind gesture.
Donating Items to Senior Citizen CentersDonate extra produce, magazines or other useful items that can be used. Seniors on limited incomes really appreciate it. Usually they have lunch programs during the week that they attend each day so items will quickly be taken so the center doesn't have to store things.
Volunteer For Something You EnjoyVolunteering isn't so bad after all. Did you know that you can choose what you like to do the best? Check with your Chamber of Commerce, Hospital, the local police department, School including the local college.
FREE for Charity, School, Church, etc. EventsI don't know where you live...but if you have a HomeTown Buffet, Old County Buffet or County Buffet in your area contact their Community Rep.
Looking For Ways To Volunteer?Want to work with a volunteer group but don't know where to start?
Donate to Groups Responding to the Tsunami DisasterThe recent Tsunami from an earthquake near Sumatra has left a huge number of people in several countries without homes, medicine, food or water. Below is a list of some of the many groups providing critically needed humanitarian aid to tsunami victims.
A Lunch Bag for PanhandlersI don't like giving money to panhandlers but sometimes want to do something. I fixed up lunch bags with a juice box, snack mix, apple, cookies, and a candy or two.
Donate Your Old GlassesIt's the time of year to be thinking of others: Your old prescription glasses may be able to help someone else. If your local eyeglass store doesn't collect and redistribute them, contact your local Lens Crafters or Lions Club.
By Chell
Nursing Home DonationsI recently went to a yard sale and they had several jars of sample size body lotion, hand lotion & small bars of soap. I offered $1 for the whole lot and they accepted. I brought the items to a nursing home.
