Three ways to give back this holiday season

The holiday season is a time when people come together to celebrate and help each other. This year might be a little different. We might not be able to spend the holidays with family and friends, but you can still give back. 

There are families in your community who need your help. The pandemic has left some people unemployed and families struggling to make ends meet. There are plenty of ways that you can help those in your community have a joyful holiday. 

Our team wants to outline some ways to give back this season and where you can find donations Omaha and Kansas City spots. 

DONATE FOOD TO A LOCAL FOOD BANK

When you think about celebrating the holidays, you typically think about gathering around a table full of food. For some families, this is not possible due to their budgets. Feeding America estimates that one in six people could face food insecurity in 2020 due to the pandemic.

One way to help those in your community have food is by donating food to your local pantries. These organizations collect food to help feed families across the city. Here is a list of food pantries where you can drop-off food donations. 

Omaha area

• Food Bank for the Heartland 
• Heartland Hope Mission
• Project Hope
• Tri-City Food Pantry
• Salem Food Pantry

Kansas City area

• Community Services League
• Harvesters - The Community Food Network 
• St. Therese St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry
• Grace United Community
• Jewish Family Services

DO VOLUNTEER TIME 

For those looking to give back in a more direct approach, try volunteering. There are lots of organizations around this time of the year that are looking for volunteers. Some volunteering can be done virtually or in-person, depending on the organization.

Do not forget to take the extra safety procedures by wearing a mask and social distancing. Here is a list of Omaha and Kansas city organizations that need volunteers this holiday season. 

Omaha area 

• Food Bank for the Heartland
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Midlands 
• Stephen Center
• Women’s Center for Advancement 
• Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging (ENOA)
• American Red Cross of Omaha and Council Bluffs Metro
• Visit SHAREOmaha to find more volunteer options. 

Kansas City area

• Community Services League 
• United Way of Greater Kansas City
• The Animal Rescue Alliance 
• Community Blood Center 
• Habitat for Humanity-Kansas City
• Here are more volunteer options. 

DONATE YOUR UNUSED CLOTHES AND FURNITURE

Declutter your closet and give back to your community by donating your unwanted items to local thrift stores. These stores collect clothing, shoes, furniture and other items at donations Omaha locations and sell them at affordable prices. 

On top of that, some thrift stores are partnered up with nonprofits/charities to collect clothing. For every item donation that you make, thrift stores pay those charities that collect the items. By donating, you are helping fund local programs and services. 

FIND DONATIONS OMAHA AND KANSAS CITY LOCATIONS

If you are looking for a place to donate your unused items, donate them to Thrift World. We have drop-off donation locations in Omaha and Independence, Mo. Don’t have time to drop-off items? No worries, we also do free at-home pick-ups! Visit our website to find donation information.