Every parent wants their children to experience the magic of the holidays, but for many Greater Atlanta families, making that happen requires navigating financial challenges no family should face alone. When budgets are already stretched thin, gifts, meals, and holiday traditions can quickly become one more expense to manage.
Fortunately, if you’re wondering how to help others during the holidays, there are plenty of opportunities to make a difference across Greater Atlanta. It’s time to start planning your holiday donations now so you can make the biggest impact!
Holiday donations and more: Our favorite ways to help others during the holidays
1. Give toys to help children across Greater Atlanta have a special holiday
When nearly 50% of families in Greater Atlanta struggle to afford basic bills, the holidays add yet another layer of pressure. No parents should have to choose between putting food on the table or giving their child a holiday gift, so we partner with Toys for Tots to help families in need provide gifts for their children. Last year, we helped nearly 400,000 Atlanta children have a happier holiday, but we need your help! To participate, bring new, unwrapped toys to your local Toys for Tots holiday donation sites, which can be found here.
Gift drives like Toys for Tots are a great opportunity to get your own kids involved in holiday donations as well! While you’re already shopping for family and friends, it’s the perfect time to create a new holiday tradition of picking out a toy to donate and have your child help you drop it off in the donation box, helping them learn at a young age that generosity can be fun.
If your family needs help for the holidays with toys, reach out United Way of Greater Atlanta’s 211 Contact Center to connect you with Toys for Tots and other available gift assistance programs.
2. Get your workplace involved
While the mood is festive, it’s the perfect time to rally your coworkers to help others during the holidays by organizing workplace holiday donation drives. You can start collecting toys at your office for Toys for Tots, or try creating an end-of-year fundraiser to pool your resources and make a bigger impact.
If you’d like to embody the season of giving in a hands-on way, United Way of Greater Atlanta hosts corporate groups for volunteer projects that help our nonprofit partners. Our volunteer opportunities support nonprofit partners working across issues ranging from education to homelessness. Contact our volunteerism team to learn more. Hurry, volunteer groups around the holidays book up fast!
3. Maximize your holiday donations before the end of the year.
Many organizations offer incentives to make holiday donations before the end of the year through matching gift programs that allow your donation to go twice as far. If you are already researching how to help others during the holidays, look for organizations like United Way of Greater Atlanta that will double your impact! What’s more, giving during the holiday season can make you eligible for charitable tax deductions this year.
Wondering whether United Way of Greater Atlanta would be a good fit for your holiday donations? Giving to our organization ensures your holiday donations stay local and are used where they are needed most, helping more than 100,000 children and families each year access education, food, housing, and hope.
[Give Now Button link to https://unitedwayatlanta.org/give/?form=give_now ]
We accept donations in many ways beyond online giving, such as through monthly pledges, gifts of stock, donor-advised funds and more, which you can learn about on our giving page.
» READ MORE: Donating money to charity? The 5 W’s of giving can help
4. Give a gift to a family member that helps others during the holidays
Ever wondered what to get for your loved one who already has everything? Instead of giving a gift that comes wrapped, consider making holiday donations on their behalf, and surprise them with the gift of helping others during the holidays. Pair it with a thoughtful card explaining the cause and perhaps a sweet treat. It’s a meaningful gift that friends and family can appreciate long after the wrapping paper is gone and the holiday lights are taken down.
United Way of Greater Atlanta makes it easy to donate on behalf of someone when you give online. Simply check the box “dedicate your donation” and fill out the honoree’s name in the form. After making the donation, you will see options to fill out a personalized email message and schedule it to send at a later time and date, whenever your loved ones celebrate.
5. Spread the word about how to get help for the holidays
If you want to help others get help but are unable to directly assist yourself, know how to point people in your community to help when they need it. United Way of Greater Atlanta’s 211 Contact Center helps with more than just gifts — we can help families experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, financial instability, unemployment, and more.
If someone asks, “How can I get help for the holidays?” let them know they can text their need and ZIP code to 898211 to be connected with resources 24/7. Offering this lifeline is an easy — and free — way to show our fellow Atlantans you care.
Helping others during the holidays doesn’t have to be a large time commitment or a grand gesture — everyone has something to give. Whether you make holiday donations, volunteer your time, organize a workplace giving effort, or simply connect a neighbor to resources, every act of generosity helps strengthen our community.
If you’re looking for ways to help others during the holidays, now is the perfect time to get involved and make a local impact. Together, we can help ensure more Greater Atlanta families have the support they need this season and beyond.