Giving Back During the Holidays While Keeping COVID-19 in Mind

Giving back to those in need during the holidays is so important. It may seem harder this year to help others due to COVID-19, but don’t let that stop you from spreading kindness at a distance.

As an organization, we’re truly passionate about giving back, and not only during the holiday season! Each year we proudly continue our annual December of Giving campaign, where we spread holiday cheer and encourage others to join us.

If you’re thinking of making a difference this holiday season, there are many ways you can get involved. You can still help others, even with COVID-19 social distancing procedures in place. Here are some of our best tips on how you can give back and spread kindness during the holidays.

Ways to Give Back During the Holidays…Socially Distanced

#1 Virtual Volunteering

Virtual volunteering is becoming increasingly popular as elderly homes and hospitals are looking for volunteers to make friendly phone calls during the holiday season. Call your local homes and hospitals to see if they have opportunities for you to donate your time.

#2 Acts of Kindness

This year, we proudly celebrated our 110th business anniversary. To honour this milestone, we introduced our #GiveBackOntario 110 Acts of Kindness Challenge. Through this, we’ve encouraged everyone to complete acts of kindness alongside us and we shared ways to do so virtually. Spreading kindness is contagious and the holiday season is a great time to give back. Share your act of kindness with us and we’ll promote it on social media.

#3 Check on Family & Friends

Just because it’s best to keep in-person visits with your loved ones minimized, doesn’t mean you can’t check in on them and spend time with them virtually! During the holiday season be sure to try FaceTime, calling, or setting up a group zoom call to stay in touch.

#4 Donations

Seasonal donations come in many different shapes and sizes! You can make a monetary donation to your favourite charity online or can give warm clothes to those in need or donate blood. Donating blood is a great way to give back during the holidays, or at any time during the year. Especially now, Canadian Blood Services really needs our support.

#5 Lead by Example

COVID-19 has contributed to many people experiencing confusion, stress, and panic. One of the best ways to give back to others is to create a safe and kind environment within your community. Leading by example is one way to do this. The holidays are usually a very busy and hectic time, so now more than ever, it’s important to show compassion – kindness is contagious!

Remember, giving back doesn’t always mean financially, it could be donating time, sharing a charity's message on social media, or a simple act of kindness. Even though COVID-19 has created many obstacles, we have the ability to adapt and continue to make a difference at a distance!