Help a Child this Season

The holidays are upon us. And I will be honest, some call me a bit of a holiday-holic. I love "It's a Wonderful Life". I love the cheesy holiday family movies of my youth (Hermy doesn't want to make toys??!!!!). I love my family being together and all of the holiday traditions we embrace, from making cookies to being with friends. And the decorations throughout my house? Well, let's just say it is not minimalist around here.

But the holidays are also a bit bittersweet to me. While I celebrate the holidays wildly, I always think of those who don't have toys or cannot afford nice dinners. Most importantly, I think of those who are unhoused, particularly children.

In Seattle, homelessness has grown over the years. We all know the homelessness is tied to our broken economic structure. In fact, Prosperity Now announced last year our economic disparity continues to grow, leaving families of color further and further behind. And while the epidemic of homelessness continues, many become hardened to seeing the people behind the numbers. Facing Homelessness is about encouraging people to see those who are unhoused, just stopping to check on people or say hello. If you are looking for ideas for how to make a difference this year, Seattle's Child is always a good resource for those wanting to do good. Many families are interested during the holiday season in adopting a family, which sows the seeds of empathy and generosity in children. Seattle's Child also shares a list for those who want to donate toys, a wonderful way to get your kids involved. For many years, I have been involved personally with Treehouse, which helps youth living in foster care. I wholeheartedly recommend going to their site if you or your colleagues want to start a drive this season.

But perhaps the most critical need as the temperatures fall is for housing. And for that, I always turn to Mary's Place, an organization I have been lucky enough to work with in the past. What an amazing place. From their compassionate and big-hearted CEO, Marty Hartman, to their dedicated volunteers, Mary's Place is one big source of love and support for families living in homelessness. More importantly, they keep their eye on helping families in their journeys out of homelessness. Watch this video to see more about their effort to get people inside during these cold months.

We all hear people talk about the income inequality of this region. It makes zero sense that we have billionaires and such great wealth in a region in which we have families living in cars. Those families who are struggling are more than an inconvenience. The people struggling with mental health are more than what some see as a buzzkill in the downtown shopping experience. We have true tragedy, income inequaltiy and homelessness. And it is not getting any better.

We have hard questions to ask about our community, our priorities, our wealth. But that is a lot to work on and will take much time. But today, in this holiday season, all we can do - each and every one of us -- is to give and fill the gap which our community services do not meet. Think of the parent struggling to afford a holiday present for a child. Think of the person who has lost his or her job and is struggling to pay bills. And most importantly, think of the child without a home tonight.

I am hoping by sharing this post, I can give you a view links and places to go if you want to give back this holiday season. Please forward this to others, too!

And to paraphrase my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life, it's amazing how one person's life touches upon so many others. When he's not around, it can leave an awful hole. I hope we each endeavor this season to touch as many lives as possible, making our community as magical, empathetic, loving and equitable as possible. Here's to a community of George Baileys this year.

Happy Holidays, friends.