The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer.
Itβs the holiday season, and along with the holidays comes the holiday spirit β and, for some, the spirit of giving.
Surprisingly, this can be a challenging time of year for nonprofits. As a homeless services director for a local nonprofit, I am grateful for generous individuals who offer to run drives for us, provide meals, and buy presents for the youth and families that we serve.
We are kept busy with the constant arrival of donations. Phones are ringing off the hook, with volunteers offering to help in any way that they can. Our closets and shelves are overflowing with supplies.
Our program participants are greatly assisted during a challenging and expensive time of year, and we are grateful for the financial donations that carry us confidently into the new year. Thank you!
And then January rolls around. While we are inundated with giving during November and December, nonprofits become eerily quiet after the New Year.
Our shelters and housing programs are still full, but the donations stop rolling in. The teenagers in our shelter still need to eat and have birthdays, but there are no offers to provide meals or presents.
As a result, nonprofits must often take whatβs received during the holidays and make it last as long as possible into the new year. Itβs an uneven situation.
Staff members work frantically to provide ways for volunteers to serve during one short time of the year, yet often have no volunteers at other times when they could be incredibly helpful.
What we need is a way for all of us to extend the spirit of giving beyond six weeks in November and December, and create additional support and consistency for nonprofits doing amazing work year-round. Here are three ways you can do that:
First, in addition to your end-of-year giving, consider making monthly financial gifts to an organization doing work that you feel passionate about.
Second, if you enjoy volunteering at the holidays, consider offering your services in some way during another time of the year. Maybe March? Or August? Or even better, just ask your local nonprofits what times of year you could be of the most help.
Each organization has its own busy season, unique to the work they are doing.
Lastly, if your business or group runs holiday drives for nonprofits, consider doing those at additional times during the year. Supplies are a constant need for many organizations all year long.
The holidays come once a year, but people are in need every day. If all of us considered doing a little extra beyond the holidays, we could have a huge impact on our community all year long.
