Charitable opportunities during the holiday season
Lea Krusemeyer (She/Her) // Staff Writer
As soon as the first snowflakes fall, the spirit of Christmas fills most people’s homes. Staying on brand, and in the spirit of Christmas, here is a guide of ideas as to how we as students can give back to the communities we are a part of. Get ready for events, gift ideas and more.
Many students are operating on a small budget, and buying expensive gifts or making big financial donations during the winter time is not a realistic option — yet there are still ways to help and contribute.
One easy and convenient option would be contributing to the CapU Community Closet. Students can donate clothes as well as other items, such as gloves and shoes, and CapU will distribute them through the Community Closet located in the CSU Lounge in the Library Building.
Another option, this one is off-campus, could be donating to the Distro Disco. They host a monthly donation drive on the first Saturday of every month, where they accept donations that will be distributed to the unhoused people of Vancouver. Information about what items are needed can be found in their Linktree on the organization’s Instagram page @distro_disco.
Staying on the topic of donations, The Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau is a great option for donating gifts. They take donations for kids and teenagers such as books, video games, dolls, and more. It is important to note that they only take new items and do not accept pre-used donations. To get in touch with them you can email the office at office@lmcb.ca to organize a toy drop-off. If you or anyone you know struggles with affording gifts for children and teenagers in their family, you can also reach out to them through https://www.lmcb.ca/registration2023 and register as a donation receiver. They accept registrations until Dec. 22, 2023.
Donating to the YWCA of Metro Vancouver and sponsoring a family with gifts and groceries is another way to give back this season. This one is a little more on the pricier side, with the cheapest donation option being $200. With that$200 a family will be able to have food and gifts this winter season, which is a real blessing for families in need. https://ywcavan.org/help/donate/presents-of-peace is where you can find more information about their organization.
Now not every student is in the position to donate material things, but that does not mean you cannot still make an impact and give back during the winter. Students can join the Union Gospel Mission as a volunteer.This organization hosts regular soup kitchens and other events catering to the unhoused and low-income families of Vancouver. They are always on the search for new volunteers and more information about them can be found on their website https://ugm.ca/volunteer.
A more long-term way of giving back could be to become a mentor for Big Sister / Big Brother BC. This is an organization that matches volunteers with young kids in need of a role model in life. You can get matched with a kid and then go on and help them find their voice and space in the world. More information about how to become a mentor can be found on their website. https://www.bigsisters.bc.ca/become-a-mentor/.
Those are just a few suggestions as to how you can give back to the communities around you and to fellow students if you know about any other organizations and events, use your own social media platforms to spread the message, or organize a donation event with your friends and find a cause to donate to that is important to you. Overall, no matter how big or small your efforts are, everything matters, and giving back is always important.