Welcome to the fifth post of our Home for the Holidays Series! We hope you’ve checked our other blogs in the series: Community Events for Families, Activities at Home, Home Décor Tips, and our Shop Local Round-Up! Next, we have a post all about giving back to the community.
At Activa, we celebrate giving back to the community that supports us year-round! This year we were proud to support local organizations that encountered new issues due to the pandemic and took action to create innovative solutions to these issues. One of these organizations, Nutrition for Learning, opened bagging stations so that volunteers could safely pack student nutrition program bags while social distancing was been in effect. Another, House of Friendship, started the Shelter Care program, integrating shelter and healthcare, as homelessness in the region became even more worrisome during the pandemic.
During the holiday season, we at Activa try more than ever to support local and give back. For inspiration, we asked our employees how they donate to local not-for-profit organizations during the holidays. We loved their ideas so much, we wanted to share them with you! Follow along for some feel-good holiday inspiration!
Donation Advent Calendar
Do you love a chocolate advent calendar? We do too! Our Site Coordinator, Cat, also recommends incorporating a “reverse” advent calendar into your daily countdown. The “reverse” component means you give something instead!
Starting on December 1st Cat puts a non-perishable food item in a box each day counting down until Christmas. Once the countdown is complete, she donates all items to The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. We love this idea of incorporating a donation aspect into this tradition, and it is a great way to allow your kids to be involved from the comfort of home – It’s never too late to start!
Donate a Toy
Creative Designer, Jennifer, purchases new and unwrapped toys for donation within the community. Her charitable efforts also go beyond home! She has participated in Operation Christmas Child for many years where she fills shoeboxes with toys, school supplies and other items to be delivered to children living in developing countries.
When out and about Christmas shopping, our Design Studio team likes to pick up an extra toy for drop off at a donation box located right in the mall! If you’re able to donate an unwrapped toy, you can also bring it to any Canadian Tire location in the KW Region in support of their toy drive initiative for the Salvation Army. You can view a list of participating locations here.
Use up your Loyalty Points
Do you have a PC Optimum card loaded with points? Digital Marketing Supervisor, Liz, cashes in her President’s Choice loyalty points accumulated throughout the year to purchase personal-care and non-perishable food items for donation. We love this affordable donation idea – check your points balance, you never know the difference you could make!
Purchase a Habitat for Humanity Gingerbread Kit
Two of our Sales Representatives, Tracey and Megan, collectively purchased 35 locally sourced gingerbread village kits from Habitat for Humanity to give as gifts to their friends and families. All proceeds from the purchase of these kits go directly to building homes for families in Waterloo Region. Have some fun while helping your community – you can purchase a kit at any Cambridge and Waterloo ReStore location!
FUN FACT: Each Activa employee was gifted a gingerbread village kit to build at home with their families, and we even have a contest to see who can build the best one. Good luck team!
Donate from the Comfort of Home
There are so many ways you can support local charities from home! Digital Marketing Specialist, Sarah, purchased a holiday gift package for women and children through the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. There is a selection of various personalized gift packages to choose from at different prices based on what women and children really need. You can also make a monetary donation from the comfort of home to so many other local causes, such as:
- The Food Bank of Waterloo Region
- Cambridge Self Help Food Bank
- The Salvation Army’s Toy Mountain
- House of Friendship
- Family & Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region Holiday Support Program
PRO TIP: check a local cause that matters most to you and see if they have arranged a holiday giving program!
Get Social With Us
Do you give back to the community during the holidays? We would love for you to share with us your best ideas for supporting local not-for-profits. Follow and tag @builtbyactiva on Instagram or Facebook to share, or you can send us a DM. Happy Holidays!