Mom’s Money

Giving To Charity This Year Is Getting Harder

Every year I am bombarded by ways to give gifts to needy folks in our community.  Angel Trees, Giving Trees, Gifts Of Love Trees, you name it and there’s a need for it.  I want to give to those in need, but my severely limited budget won’t allow any more philanthropic gestures.  How can I resolve this heartbreaking decision?

I have been able to save just enough money to purchase one gift for each of my family members.  This isn’t the way it used to be.  I think I am not alone.  The news each night is a reminder to me of the fact that millions of families are facing budget nightmares over the Holidays.  Now, when I’m faced with giving to charity, I feel helpless. 

Discussing these feelings with my family, we came up with a merciful solution.  It seems we all are feeling a bit pressed upon to give, but without any money to actually buy an item to put under an Angel Tree, we decided to be creative and frugal. 

Our family shops at the resale and consignment stores often and have found a great many fabulous bargains.  Consignment shops have been very good to us.  There are some wonderful, tidy, neat, clean, and stuffed consignment and resale shops that cater to people in all walks of life.  So we have decided to shop for items in consignment and resale shops that are really great, wrap them up, and give them away. 

If that sounds like cheating, or it sounds in poor taste, here’s why I don’t agree.  I buy myself clothing at resale shops at incredible deals, and they are in perfect condition, sometimes they actually still do have the tags on them.  If I’m willing to clothe myself in neat and clean “previously loved” clothing, shouldn’t someone who is needy be happy with those same items? 

One other method of giving that my family has decided to do this year is cleaning out our own closets and donating the items to the thrift shops.  That way, we are giving to the truly needy in our community by supplying good clothing items to the thrift shops that are most frequented.  I’m not proud to say that we have way too many clothes, some barely worn, some never worn, which need to be given to someone who can use them.  I think a big box of good sweaters, slacks, jeans, shirts, and coats, will go a long way to providing needy people with a hand up this winter. 

Going to a department store and purchasing a new sweater, wrapping it up, and putting it under a Giving Tree isn’t the only way to help needy families.  Sometimes, a whole box of good, lovingly worn clothing is just what a family needs.  And our family is doing whatever it can, within our means, to help those less fortunate than us.