Many North Carolina Non-Profits In Need For ‘Giving Tuesday’
This year has been hard for many people financially. Trying to pay bills for lots of us is hard, me included. Yet, this is the time of the year that I try to be so grateful for all I have: a warm place to sleep, food, warm clothing to wear, and family and friends in my life in case I need anything. Many people don’t have those things which is why today is so important.
The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is ‘Giving Tuesday’. It’s a day for all of us to help others that may not have the essentials in life. There are so many non-profits that are in need of help this year. And giving is easy! The amount you give isn’t important, it’s the fact that you’re giving to others.
The holidays are truly a time for kids to be happy and enjoy all the festivities the holidays bring. An organization that Christmas K supports is the CMPD Explorer’s Toy Drive. According to Queen City News, they’re accepting toys now through December 31. Drop off a new, unwrapped toy for ages 14 and under to any Charlotte police or fire station. If you would rather, you can make donations via Venmo. The Venmo account is @CMPDExplorersProgram.
Another easy way to send a toy or toys is via Amazon. There’s a toy list that you can check out, and once you purchase the toy or toys, you can have them sent directly the CMPD Explorers Toy Drive. Easy!
The Salvation Army is expecting to provide gifts to more than 15,000 children this year. You can help by buying toys and placing them in donation barrels at Charlotte area Belk stores and Original Mattress Factory stores. Just bring a new, unwrapped toy to either location. The Magical Toy Drive list of drop-off locations can be found on WCNC’s website. According to WCNC, you can also donate money online or purchase a toy online and have it shipped directly to the Salvation Army.
No matter what city you live in, your local food bank is in need of donations. Not only now, but year-round! There are numerous food pantries in and around Charlotte. Google ‘food pantry and your city’s name’ and one is sure to pop up. Donations of non-perishable food items and monetary donations are usually accepted.
Animal Organizations Are Also In Need
Animal shelters and animal rescue organizations are always in need of donations and foster families. It’s beyond disheartening how many animals are in need. If I didn’t live in a tiny apartment, I’d have more dogs for sure! Both my pups and Phil’s pups are rescues. One of the organizations I donate to as much as I can is Clifford’s Army Rescue. My dog Eddy was rescued by them. She was living as a feral dog on a property that has now been condemned. I can attest that the folks that work for this organization are tirelessly helping all the animals they can. The rehabilitation this group is doing for animals is amazing!
I also try to send food via Amazon to my local shelter here in Gastonia. I adopted Kramer from the Gastonia Animal Care and Enforcement center. They always need monetary donations or food or animal toys/blankets from Amazon. As does EVERY local shelter! Google your local shelter or humane organization and you can help them directly.
This year for Christmas K 104.7’s ‘Beasley Best Day of Giving’ we are raising money to help the Charlotte Housing Authority on December 7. Charlotte Family Housing’s mission is to empower working families experiencing homelessness to achieve life-long self-sufficiency through shelter, housing, supportive services, and advocacy. The organization works with currently homeless, working families, on a path to self-sufficiency. This is an amazing organization and as with most non-profits, they are always in need of support.
You many have a charity that’s close to your heart for whatever reason. Please consider donating today to the non-profit of your choice. Every little bit helps! And thank you for anything you can do today, and any other day!
7 Festive Games and Activities for a Memorable Holiday Party
Name That Holiday Song
All you need is someone with a phone full of great Christmas songs, ready to play DJ. See who can guess the festive songs first after hearing just a few notes. It’s a laid-back way to enjoy some post-meal fun.
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Never Have I Ever Holiday Edition
Give this timeless game a festive twist by asking questions like, “I’ve never regifted a present,” and find out what secrets your friends and family may be hiding. You can stick to the traditional rules where those who’ve committed the act take a sip of their beverage, or you can opt for a point-based system, with the winner receiving a holiday surprise as their reward.
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Present Stacking
Here’s a game that allows you to unleash your creativity. Wrap a selection of uniquely shaped objects, and the challenge is to see who can build the tallest stack of presents. Using fragile items in this game should be avoided for obvious reasons.
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Christmas Carol Challenge
Here’s a straightforward, no-fuss game that’s perfect a cozy home get-together or an office party. Gather everyone in a circle, and the game begins with one person singing a line from a holiday song. The person to their right then must continue with the next line of the song, and so on. You can choose from timeless classics like Jingle Bells or opt for a more contemporary holiday hit like Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You. While you might know the opening lines of these songs, it becomes quite a challenge as the game progresses.
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Best/Worst Gift
Distribute four slips of paper to each participant. Every guest is tasked with jotting down two positive Christmas gifts and two negative ones: one from their real experiences and one fabricated. Collect all the slips in a container and let the group take turns guessing which presents were genuinely given and which were made up.
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Saran Wrap Ball Game
Make a big plastic wrap ball stuffed with little gifts like mini liquor bottles, gift cards, candy, and cash. One person starts by unwrapping it, while someone else takes the dice and tries to roll doubles. The twist is that you can’t stop unwrapping until your neighbor rolls those elusive doubles, so the pressure’s on to keep the ball moving. Players get to keep all the goodies they uncover during their turn, so everyone’s in for some prizes. You can make it more challenging by requiring the person unwrapping to wear oven mitts.
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Celebrity
Here’s a fun party game you can enjoy with friends or family anytime, anywhere. You split into two teams, and each player writes down 5 celebrity names on pieces of paper. You take turns being the clue-giver. In round one, the clue-giver describes the celebrity without saying their name or nickname, and the team guesses. In round two, you can only use one word as a clue. Round three is like Charades, where you act out the celebrity without speaking. Keep score to see which team guesses the most celebrities correctly. It’s a great game for any gathering.
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