Once November 1 hits, the holiday months are upon us. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and many others are right around the corner. In a normal year, these holidays would be filled with family, friends and food. But taking into consideration we are still in a global pandemic, not a lot of these usual activities are going to happen. 2020 has been a year filled with unprecedented events that have a toll on many. We could all take a step back and take a look at how we can help others this upcoming holiday season. 

There are national organizations located in and around Cleveland that take donations. Many of these organizations are popular among the United States, such as Make-A-Wish, Toys for Tots and The Salvation Army. A lot of the holiday season is aimed towards giving younger kids the holiday experience of giving/receiving gifts, which is why Make-A-Wish and Toys for Tots exist. Both of these organizations are pushed to help give kids presents, when their parents cannot afford them or when they are ill. The Salvation Army does money collections in their iconic red kettles, usually outside of big stores such as Walmart or Market District. The money donated is used for things such as providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster survivors, rehab for those suffering from drug/alcohol abuse and clothing and shelter for people in need. 

Narrowing down to just Cleveland, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank helps to feed Ohioans who are struggling financially. Donate, volunteer or contact them to host a food and funds drive. Only three years ago in 2017, Cuyahoga county had the highest number of food insecure residents in  Ohio. Many people are still going hungry around the holidays. For many, it is an overlooked problem because it is not something a majority of people think about every day.

The Solon High School’s Key Club Hosts the annual canned food drive. Although this year it might be different. From November 16-20, Key Club will be collecting canned food items at each of the entrances to the building. For virtual students who want to help out, there will be one day during the week they can drop off food by the main office. Unfortunately, there will be no competition between classrooms this year. 

Another event Key Club is doing this year is called Lights For Kids. They will be collecting battery operated lights and batteries to donate to different hospitals throughout the holidays. The lights will help bring some joy to kids who are hospitalized and their families. 

People are not the only ones in need of help this holiday season. Animals around Cleveland, big and small, need your help. They need food, toys, proper care and most importantly a home. It may be hard to convince your parents to give them a home, so donations are a more widely accepted form of help. While there are not normally any holiday events for the shelters, you can still donate and help out especially during the winter months in Ohio. 

The Cleveland Animal Protective League (APL) accepts money donations, or you can view their wish list on the Cleveland APL website to give physical items. A more local shelter is the Geauga Humane Society’s Rescue Village. Just like the Cleveland APL, you can either make a cash donation or donate physical items to their wish list. 

Donating or volunteering for any or even all of these organizations will not only make you feel good, but it will help make someone’s holiday season much more enjoyable. These are only a few of the many organizations that you can help, and most of these organizations do work all year round. During this time of year, the gift of giving is a crucial part of the holiday season.