As the holiday season is officially in full swing, people are heavily anticipating all of the gifts that will be given and received from family and friends. However, this is not the case for everyone, as some families are faced with extreme hardship during this time of the year. The beginning and midst of the holiday season is the perfect time to show gratitude to not just friends and family, but the less fortunate. There are things everyone can do to give back to the community that will surely have a massive impact on others’ and shed light on gloomy frigid winter days.
Some of the most popular places where people can give back to their communities, rather it be through monetary gifts or time, include: food pantries, food banks, animal shelters, libraries, hospitals, school districts, amongst others.
Student organizations at MCC provide several opportunities to give back—Letters to Santa, a way for children and people in need to receive gifts anonymously that has been running for 15 years, allows for anyone to purchase something to make a difference in another’s life. A music faculty member and adviser for SPAN, the student peace action network on campus, Patricia Gaughan, explains just how these holiday donations work within our community: “It is through a charity in Chicago called Direct Effect, they go to high poverty schools, and have the students write letters to Santa; things they would like. Very heartwarming and touching letters.”
Gaughan said that the school had cut down slightly with the number of letters they could accept due to COVID-19, they previously had hundreds of gifts given. “They distribute them (the letters) to people who will go and get gifts.” Students, faculty, and staff of MCC take the letters and fulfill the students wishes. The gifts are taken to the schools for the students. The availability of this generosity alone is a reason to get involved; while it is prevalent during the holidays, the organizations like Direct Effect that accept the gifts are running year-round and in need of donations more so after the holidays, specifically when it is not as common to make a habit of donating for some.
Another way to give back is to locate the “Giving Trees” all around the community where you can pick up a marked ornament of things that people need: shoes, jackets, gloves, canned goods, gift cards, etc. Once you have your item, you can bring it back to the tree and place it in the donation box or station that the establishment has set up to collect the gifts anonymously. These “Giving Trees” can be found in a variety of different places, including coffee shops, stores, and restaurants.
A big part of giving is finding reliable and inclusive places to contribute your time; one place to give back at is a local food pantry. Sarah Christenson, a student at MCC, has volunteered twice at the Grafton Food Pantry, located in Huntley. Christenson and a group of friends worked together to collect a variety of different things, including canned goods, toilet paper, deodorant, and other similar items. The group was able to unload the goods at Grafton Food Pantry, where Christenson realized the significance of giving back, even at a young age.
“I think it is important for everyone to donate,” Christenson said. “It really opens your eyes to see what people need and don’t have. It also can be something good to do when you have free time and want to do some good. I felt really helpful and happy to be able to provide things to those who don’t have the ability to afford such items. I think everyone should help out and donate at least once in their lifetime.”
Food banks are another place where people can volunteer their time for their community. One food bank local to the area is Food for Greater Elgin. According to the Food for Greater Elgin website, they serve over 9,057 households in Elgin and other nearby towns. This equates to over 34,081 individuals who received food at least once from the organization. Over the course of a year, 130,965 people receive food from the food bank. A frequent volunteer at Food for Greater Elgin, Sandy Carpenter, reflected on one day of work that stood out to her: “My favorite experience while volunteering was when children came with their parents to the pantry. They would make it over to where I was distributing milk, eggs and other dairy products and would see their eyes light up when I would pull ice cream out of the freezer and hand it to them.”
Some people may wonder why they should give back to strangers in their own local community when there are large, nationwide charities in existence. This importance comes into play because these large organizations do not always have the chance to touch each community throughout the country.
“It is important to give back to your community as this is where support should start to improve your city and surrounding areas,” Capenter said. “Our predecessor knew there were national companies like Amway and the American Red Cross, but wanted to give back to the community where we conducted business. Helping our communities thrive by providing food security is a great start in repairing our cities where we choose to raise our families. Coming together is for the greater good.”
In a world that is constantly overcome with chaos and suffering, it is important that we contribute support to each other. Empathy is a powerful thing to have and share with everyone, even if you do not gain anything from it—it is virtue that brings communities together. Young people are extremely impressionable, so when opportunities arise to teach them prosperity, it is important to act and inform them of what their contributions do. Be aware that a little bit really does go a long way; do not undermine what a small donation looks like to you, because it could be a significant improvement for someone else.
With the opportunities of donating and volunteering in the community, it can also have positive internal effects that are rewarding to individuals. There are many health benefits that one can reap by volunteering their time, offering support to those in need, or donating to charities. According to an article by the Cleveland Clinic, people who give back to their communities in these ways can experience an increase in “feel good” chemicals within their brain. The chemicals include serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Serotonin helps to regulate a person’s mood, dopamine gives a sense of pleasure, and oxytocin works to create a sense of connection with others. The internal benefits of giving do not end here, there are many other advantages that come along with it.
There are more physical and mental benefits to giving back, according to the Cleveland Clinic, these include: lower blood pressure, longer life span, decreased stress, and an additional boost of something called “helper’s high.” Helper’s high is the phenomenon of what follows after giving; the act stimulates the brain’s mesolimbic pathway, otherwise known as the reward center, and releases endorphins. This helps to boost one’s self esteem, in turn elevating feelings of happiness and combating different emotions associated with depression. All of these outcomes that lessen stress result in reduced cortisol levels, the stress hormone that contributes to feelings of being anxious and overwhelmed. Essentially, donating funds or time to others is good for the spirit and soul.
“Volunteering has made me feel a sense of belonging and serving,” Carpenter said. “Being able to give back has made me grateful for the gifts God has provided.”
There is a general increase in generous spirits during the holiday time, this attitude should be carried into all seasons. No matter what time of the year it is, there are always people in need.
Giving back to the community that you are part of can be a rewarding experience to integrate into your day-to-day life. The twinkling lights that currently line the streets will fade, but the needs of those around us will not.
To find places to volunteer at in McHenry County, visit:
