Time, Talent, Treasure, or Tampons?

It’s that time of year.? We count our blessings around the Thanksgiving table, build shoe boxes, and assemble Christmas baskets for families in need. I love that the holiday season spawns a donation and volunteering frenzy in communities, churches, and businesses.

I know first-hand the excitement, but also the embarrassment, of being a recipient of a Christmas basket. ?I’ll never forget those fuzzy socks, lifesavers, and the compact umbrella.? I think I was probably ten years old and the middle child of a single mother doing her best to provide for her three daughters.?

I’m much older now and no longer need to worry about where the money will come from to make a car payment or pay a utility bill. I’m financially stable, have two teen daughters, and have worked hard over the years to ensure they never encounter those feelings of inadequacy.

Volunteering has looked different over the years - helping in classrooms during parties, monthly book readings, field trips, and selling Girl Scout cookies. Today, I’m partnering with my 16-year-old daughter on a feminine product donation drive for women in our community who, much like my struggling single mother, need a little bit of extra help to make it until the next paycheck.

Giving starts with gratitude, and I am blessed! This year, not just the holiday season, I pledge to find ways to donate my time, talent, treasure, or even tampons to help out my community. I know we all have margin to do more. Together, let's make 2025 a year of giving back.