In the spirit of “keeping Christmas well,” here are five places you can donate today to help a person in need this Christmas season.
Charles Dickens’ beloved short story "A Christmas Carol" ends with this iconic line:
It was always said of [Scrooge] that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!
“He knew how to keep Christmas well” -- what might that mean?
There are many ways to keep Christmas well, of course — chief among them being to get ourselves to church:
But another big part of “keeping Christmas well” is being generous. That’s the lesson Scrooge learns, after all.
The more we give to others, the more we practice the Christmas spirit of kindness and goodwill — the spirit of Christ.
In the spirit of “keeping Christmas well,” you might volunteer your time or give a gift to help someone in need. Here are five places you can donate today to help a person in need this Christmas season. (You might consider donating in the name of a loved one as a Christmas gift for "the person who has everything.")
1The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
If you just know of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s thrift stores, you might be amazed to learn of all the good work they do. They serve those in need in countless ways, all grounded in prayer and personalized to the local community:
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA harnesses the power of community and partnerships to feed, clothe, house and heal individuals and families in our community who have nowhere else to turn for help.
Our volunteer members – known as Vincentians – are women and men who are compelled by our Catholic Christian faith to serve those who are needy and suffering.
From rental assistance and homelessness prevention, to thrift stores and food pantries, to disaster recovery and charitable pharmacies, we share our time and treasure with those who need help and hope.
We believe EVERYONE deserves a fair chance at a bright future, regardless of income or life circumstances.
Donate here to support the Society’s crucial work, which in many places is helping your local community.
2Unbound
Unbound invites people in the U.S. and elsewhere to partner with families living in poverty, not only to support and encourage them but also to learn from and be inspired by them:
Unbound is an international nonprofit based in Kansas City, Kansas, and founded by lay Catholics grounded in the Gospel call to put the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable first.
Unbound offers a practical way for sponsors, donors and volunteers to make a personal and direct impact as partners in our global community. Through walking with a child and family, youth, elder or community on their path out of poverty, our supporters have an opportunity to expand their worldviews and be part of creative solutions to poverty.
Donate here to support the families Unbound serves.
3Aid to the Church in Need
Serving specifically Christians facing persecution for their faith, Aid to the Church in Need provides pastoral and humanitarian assistance to the persecuted Church around the world:
For more than 74 years, our donors have reached out to the suffering, the distressed and the poorest of the poor in over 145 countries.
Each year, we fulfill more than 5,000 projects through our spiritual and material aid programs. Our shared goal: To help strengthen the Church and keep the Faith alive.
Where there is darkness and despair, we provide light, hope, and a constant sign that the Church is a dynamic, single, universal body in Christ. By reaching out to the discarded and the desperate, we help keep the Faith alive.
Donate here to help persecuted Christians through Aid to the Church in Need.
4Mary’s Meals
We’ve written before about this remarkable ministry. Mary’s Meals brings meals to children at schools in underserved communities, drawing children to get an education while feeding them today:
Mary’s Meals is a global movement of people playing their part in tackling world hunger using a simple idea. By setting up community-run school feeding programs in some of the world’s poorest areas, Mary’s Meals helps to encourage children into the classroom – and gives them the energy to concentrate on lessons – so they can gain an education that will help them work towards a brighter future…
We partner with local communities and places of education to deliver our school feeding program. Our meals are cooked and served by community volunteers and, wherever possible, are made using locally produced food, thereby supporting the local economy.
Together, we are helping to transform the lives of children in desperate need.
Donate here to help kids get food and an education with Mary’s Meals.
5Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
When a parent is incarcerated, often their innocent child suffers:
For kids with parents serving time, every day can feel like a life sentence. They didn’t commit a crime — but they’re paying the consequences.
Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program helps these kids know their parents in prison haven’t forgotten them. Church volunteers buy a gift specially selected for each child and deliver it in their parent’s name:
Through Angel Tree Christmas, you’ll help a child and their family know they are not forgotten — impacting generations to come with the love of Christ.
Donate here to show these children they haven’t been forgotten.
