UW Combined Fund Drive

November 2, 2022

Ways of giving during the holidays

The holidays are finally here and some of you have been feeling the gift of giving extra around this time of year. November and December are major giving months.

If you are thinking about doing something good during the holiday season, then you are already reaping the benefits of giving.

30% of annual charitable donations occur between Thanksgiving and New Years day.

Studies have shown that just by thinking about giving you are already activating pleasure-seeking parts of the brain. Imagine what could happen when you take it a step further and put those ideas into action.

Practice giving during the holidays

Give your time and volunteer at a food bank. Volunteering at a food bank is a great way to ensure that everyone around you is enjoying a meal during the holiday season. If you can’t volunteer, ask if your local food bank allows hosting food drives or if there are other ways you can help transport food donations.

  • Northwest Harvest (0316358): The mission of Northwest Harvest is leading the fight for hungry people statewide to have access to nutritious food while respecting their dignity and promoting good health.
  • Feeding America (0464861): The Nation’s Food Bank Network is the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization, with a Network of more than 200 regional member food banks and food – rescue programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia
  • U District Food Bank (0316382) – For nearly 30 years, they have provided nutritious food to low-income seniors, adults and children living in Northeast Seattle neighborhoods. Each week, about 1,100 different households rely on them to help meet their nutrition needs.

Host a book drive. Page Ahead is a children’s literacy program that believes in closing the literacy gap. By hosting a book drive you help put books on the shelves of young readers in communities of concentrated low income in Washington. This book drive can be done in-person by partnering with a bookstore or online through online bookstores or even Amazon wishlists.

Race for good. If you love running or want to get the blood flowing, consider doing it for a good cause! The month of November hosts many turkey trots, while December has a lot of runs with candy cane lane and cookie themes. Here are some runs happening this season and the causes they are supporting:

  • Electric Cookie Run – Justify your holiday cookie consumption by registering for this run in Greenlake. Run a loop or two, receive a medal, and then celebrate your achievement by eating the finest cookies in Seattle. Proceeds of the run will go towards Mary’s Place. Mary’s Place is a non-profit organization that empowers homeless women, children, and families to reclaim their lives by providing shelter, nourishment, resources, healing and hope in a safe community.
  • Hopelink Turkey Trot 5K – This year Hopelink is doing another virtual run! You can participate and do the run wherever you prefer and post your photos and times online to see how other runners are doing. Hopelink promotes self-sufficiency and lasting change by providing food, shelter, transitional housing, financial assistance, employment services, literacy classes, transportation, healthcare, and family development.
  • Jingle Bell Run – Support the Arthritis Foundation to bring awareness to arthritis and help find better treatments by signing up for the Jingle Bell Run. Wear your favorite holiday costume to spread good cheer at Greenlake’s aqua theater on Sunday, December 11.

Join a holiday pet food drive. Homeward Pet Adoption Center is hosting a pet food drive to help homeless animals and families in need. There are multiple ways to participate. If you prefer a contactless method, you can order through their Amazon wishlist or Chewy wishlist. The other way is to drop off your generous donations through their multiple locations.

Each week, the Homeward Pet Food Bank distributes pet food and supplies to help more than 1,100 families keep their pets home for the holidays, and throughout the year. And every year, Homeward Pet Adoption Center matches nearly 2,000 homeless cats and dogs to their new families.

Contributed by UWCFD campaign assistant Candy Santos. Candy is finishing her last quarter at UW Tacoma as a writing studies major. She has experience working in the nonprofit world and joined the UW Combined Fund Drive to learn more about working with our community and how to make it better. She enjoys reading books, staying active, and eating delicious food.