Here are Some Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season

Being thankful is what this time of year is all about. It's good to be thankful all year, but there's a spotlight that is put on giving thanks during this time of year.

While it's important to be thankful it is also important to be giving. It's not a bad idea to show thanks by helping others, something that can also be done all year. If you are looking for a way to give back to the community and help others, there are many options available.

You can Give to Local Food Pantries

• Food pantries help to get food to people in the area that need it. There are food pantries all over, so you will be able to find one close to you to drop of goods to be donated. Foodpantries.org has a list of food pantries for both Connecticut and New York.

You can Volunteer

• Whether you are volunteering at a soup kitchen, an animal shelter, at a food bank (like Connecticut Food Bank), or another place that is in need of volunteers, this is a good way to give back.

Give to Your Local Animal Shelter

• Animal shelters usually rely on volunteers and donations to be able to take care of the animals.
  • In Connecticut you can donate to places like: the Animal Welfare Society in New Milford (Hi Tara!), the Danbury Animal Welfare Society (DAWS), Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue (ROAR), and New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society.
  • In New York you can donate to places like: the Putnam Humane Society, Animal Rescue Ark in Patterson, Guardian Angel Rescue, and PawSafe Animal Rescue.
• A quick Google search will give you animal shelters that are close to where you live. If there is no list on the website of items they need, you can give them a call and they should be able to give you an idea what they need most.

Helping Family, Friends, Neighbors, Etc.

• Just helping those around you is a good way to give back and show thanks. For instance, if you see someone struggling with groceries, you can offer to help. It's little things like that which can start a chain of people "paying it forward."

Helping others is such a great way to give back and show how thankful you are. It's great if you can do things like this all year. Helping one another, showing compassion, and respect towards one another is so very important...especially in these times.

Listen to Liz Kaye weekdays from 10-2 on 105.5 FM, online at kicks1055.com/listen-live/ or by downloading the radioPup app for your mobile device.