In the glorious south, the temperature still isn’t too bad, so thinking of colder temperatures and how to help others during the winter is quite hard to get my brain to cooperate with. But honestly, this is the perfect time to think of how I can help others during the winter weather season. It’s not yet cold enough that the need is urgent. However, it is close enough, that I should be setting my goals.

In each area, there are a variety of local drives such as coat, shoe, blanket, food or gift drives that will be occurring over the next few months. Locally, for me, I have a variety of which that I could choose from in order to help. Many accept money donations, which can be used for purchasing the needed items. Some prefer you to purchase the item and donate it. While some of these take good condition used coats, blankets, or toys.

Therefore, you have several options that may be available to you. First, go through your closets and find any of these that your family no longer has a need for. If your family is like mine, then that may not be an option for you. My boys tend to wear these out within a year or so.

If you have any extra money, that you have either set aside for this purpose, or that you choose to use for this purpose, try shopping at bargain type stores to get the most for your money. If you know several that are going to be donating, see if you can find a wholesaler that will sell to a group in order to cut the cost and allow more items available to help those that need it. Some simply have a minimum that you have to buy and then they add the sales tax on.

If you don’t have money or goods to donate, why not donate your time? Check with the organizations and see if they need more volunteers. There is a multitude of tasks required from operating these drives and often an extra couple of helping hands is just what they need.