The holiday season is in full swing: finals are over, and most of us are back at home with family, thinking about getting last-minute gifts and picking out our own wish lists. It can be hard, in the middle of all the craziness, to remember what this season is actually all about: giving. So, take some time out of your busy schedule and do something for people in need, maybe even within the Champaign-Urbana community. Not only will you feel all warm and fuzzy about what you have done, but you will also have made a difference in the lives of others in the community. Here are a few suggestions to get you started!
Making Cards for Nursing Home Residents
This is one of the easiest ways to give back this season. Get together with some friends or sorority sisters and make some homemade cards for the seniors living in local nursing homes. The residents will love receiving your beautiful cards, and it will definitely cheer up anyone feeling a little lonely during the holidays. It will also help you get in the spirit of the season too!
Donate to the Crisis Nursery
The Crisis Nursery is located in Urbana, and it provides 24-hour emergency care for children and families in need. It also supports children and families dealing with abuse and neglect. Because the Crisis Nursery is constantly assisting people in need, they are often in need of basic items for the families and children, including: new/gently used children’s clothes, diapers, bath supplies, pacifiers, and gift cards to stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and CVS. Check out their website for their full wish list, and for the donation guidelines.
Participate in Samaritans for Seniors
Get together with sorority sisters or your RSO and participate in Samaritans for Seniors! This program allows people to volunteer for senior citizens by helping them do things around the house, such as snow shoveling or snow-blowing, cleaning the house, and other household chores. The program is very flexible with your schedule, so fit it in whenever you can!
Volunteer at Wesley Pantry
Wesley Pantry is a food pantry that operates inside of a church at 1203 West Green Street in Urbana. This pantry is always looking for donations and/or volunteers to help with unloading the food truck, setup, distribution, and cleanup. This food pantry feeds thousands in the Champaign-Urbana area that cannot put food on their tables. Help out this wonderful organization, and check out their website for more information about volunteering!
Participate in C-U at Home One Winter Night
Though this event doesn’t take place until February 3rd, you can start planning to participate now with your sorority, RSO, or just a group of friends. The event aims to raise awareness for homelessness by encouraging public figures in the Champaign-Urbana community and other groups of people to spend the night sleeping outside in a cardboard box or tent. A $10 per person donation is required to participate, and you can contact Melany Jackson at melany@cuathome.us or 217-819-4569 to find out more about this fantastic event!
As you can see, there are so many ways to give back to the Champaign-Urbana community, and there is no better way to celebrate the holidays than giving back to those in need! Happy Volunteering!