2018 Home for the Holidays

Page 32 2018 Home for the Holidays LINCOLN DAILY NEWS November 21, 2018 Sign up to ring the bell for the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. The money raised through this campaign helps the Salvation Army assist many people during the holidays and beyond. Volunteer at the local food pantry. Donating food, money, or paper products is appreciated, but food pantries also need volunteers to pick up, store, organize, and stock the shelves. Sometimes the way to help others is through simply giving of your time. One way to give your time at the holidays is to visit lonely people. The whole family can visit a neighbor or family member who lives alone and ask about ways you might help them. There are numerous concerts, pageants, and holiday celebrations in the schools, churches, and senior centers. Joining in large festivities is a great way to enhance your Christmas spirit, and taking some less involved person as your guest can be a great gift. Families could also visit a local nursing home and bring some extra cheer to the lives of lonely residents by singing carols, playing games, or doing puzzles with the residents. You may also know someone facing their first Christmas without a recently deceased love one, so you could visit that person and share tears as the departed one is remembered, discussing how the deceased appreciated Christmas. Ask if there will be any special remembrance of this person at Christmas. You may even offer to help put up decorations as grieving people may not be inclined to decorate. It is easy to become wrapped up in the busyness and stress of the holidays but finding ways to help those in need during the holiday season can bring them cheer and will often brighten your holiday at the same time. Center for Youth and Family Solutions 2100 W. Fifth Street Lincoln (217) 732-3771 Toys for Tots https://lincoln-il.toysfortots. org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/ default.aspx Toy Distribution Date December 14,2018 Operation Christmas Child | Shoebox Ministry - Samaritan’s Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we- do/operation-christmas-child/