No matter which winter holiday you celebrate, the season has become synonymous with the spirit of giving. While children are busy making their wishlists (in families that celebrate a gift-giving holiday), parents also want to emphasize the importance of giving. If you want to inspire generosity and make charitable giving or volunteering part of your holidays, then this Giving Guide is for you! It’s a roundup of area organizations where individuals and families can pitch in to make a difference. And feel free to share this post, so that others too, can contribute to someone in need!

Breathing Room Foundation

The Breathing Room Foundation’s mission is to provide care and support to families affected by cancer. This holiday season, staff and volunteers will provide holiday gifts, home baked treats, homemade cards and holiday cheer to over 200 families. All of these families are in active treatment and are in need of support. You can help to bring the spirit of the holidays to these families in a number of ways:

• Sponsor a family or an individual
• Donate gift cards such as Target, Walmart, Amazon, or any grocery store
• Hold a collection to help fulfill wish lists using this Holiday Collection Flyer
• Order gifts from their Amazon Wish List
• Make holiday cards
• Help deliver gifts to over 200 families
• Contribute scotch tape, gift wrap, bows, gift bags, and gift tags and boxes
• Collect winter warmth items

For more information, please email Mary Ellen with any questions.

Child Guidance Resource Centers

Child Guidance Resource Centers provides behavioral healthcare to families. They also have approximately 200 children they are trying to pair with donors in order to provide a holiday filled with joy and happiness. Find their Wish List here but please be sure to follow the directions at the top!

City Team Chester

CityTeam works with volunteers to provide life-changing help to neighbors who are struggling with poverty, hunger, homelessness, and addiction. During the holidays and throughout the year, they offer a variety of volunteer opportunities. Visit the CityTeam Chester page to find out how you can get involved.

The Delaware Valley Children’s Charity

The Delaware Valley Children’s Charity’s holiday program has been bringing warmth and joy to thousands of area children in need for the past 36 years. This season, DVCC has moved its holiday gift-giving program to the You Give Goods website. To donate, simply go to the You Give Goods website and click on Delaware Valley Holiday Giving – All Supporters where you can shop online until Dec. 1, 2022 to purchase the gifts you would like to donate. You will receive a tax receipt via email at the time of purchase. At the end of the drive, all gifts ordered online will be shipped directly to their Delaware Valley charity partners. Your contributions will lift up spirits this holiday season and bring joy to so many deserving children.

Cradles to Crayons

Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth to age 12 who are living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive. Help keep kids warm this winter and donate to their Gear Up for Winter initiative, which is now underway. The goal is to help local children stay warm by providing them with long pants and shirts that fit, sweaters and hoodies, socks without holes, warm jammies, winter coats, hats, gloves, and more. This season they will provide more than 20,000 local children with cold-weather essentials. Please

Gemma Services

With the help of many friends and supporters, Christmas is a time of joy and cheer for the children and youth served by Gemma. If you are interested in helping Gemma this year, you could make a financial gift in the spirit of Christmas, or suggest that family or friends make a donation in lieu of a gift to you. You can also provide a gift from their Wish List (all gifts should be new and unwrapped). Gifts must be delivered with an appointment; contact info@gemmaservice.org to schedule a time to drop off gifts. Additionally, you can directly assist those they serve, help at a special event, or support our work in other ways as a volunteer.

Grands Stepping Up

Grands Stepping Up is a nonprofit based in Drexel Hill that is helping out families all over Delaware County this season. Their mission is to assist grandparents who are taking care of their grandchildren due to the opioid epidemic, mental health issues, incarceration, death, or other situations. All donations will help provide support to “grand families” in the area. You may choose to sponsor a family for gifts, donate to their new food pantry and clothing closet, make a cash donation, or volunteer. Visit their website get more information about how you can help.

Support Center for Child Advocates

SCCA provides legal assistance and social service advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect in Philadelphia County. Many of the children and families served are living in poverty and working to overcome multiple obstacles. In 2021, SCCA was able to provide over 1,300 children with $50 in gift cards, thanks to the generosity of hundreds of donors! You can be part of this year’s success by contributing to the Child Advocates Gift Card Drive, now until Dec. 5, 2022. You can also sponsor a family or teen or make a donation online.

Tredyffrin & Easttown Care

It’s that time of year again! Tredyffrin and Easttown Care (T&E Care) will be collecting holiday gifts and delivering them to local families in early December. You can purchase gifts for a whole family or just one item through their SignUp Genius link (available through December 2). Then drop off your donation at St. John’s Presbyterian Church (217 Berkley Road, Devon). If shopping isn’t your thing, T&E Care are happy to accept monetary donations via check, credit card, Venmo or PayPal. Those funds will be used to purchase gift cards or requested gifts. Additionally, there are opportunities for in-person volunteering. Visit the 2022 Holiday Drive page for more information.

West Chester Salvation Army

There are numerous volunteer opportunities with the Salvation Army. You can volunteer for general service, the Ministry of the Bells, the mobile Red Kettle, or the Community Meal Program. You can also participate in their Christmas Adopt-A-Child program, which matches donors with a child to purchase gifts from that child’s list. There is also the opportunity to volunteer for preparation and distribution of these gifts!