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10 Reasons To Donate to Feds Feed Families

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The 2016 Feds Feed Families campaign is in full swing and there is still time for you to help make a difference.

What started in 2009 as part of President Barack Obama’s United We Serve campaign to gather nonperishable goods for hungry families has grown into an amazing program collecting almost 52.7 million pounds of food, cleaning and hygiene items. All of these donations are made by federal employees throughout the country.

The USDA leads the way in Feds Feed Families again this year. They have pulled together every federal agency to gather as much nonperishable food and other items that they can. Amazingly, last year the total amount collected came to more than 17.9 million pounds. The Department of Defense played a good role in this by collecting more than 3.2 million pounds of food and hygiene items for the Feds Feed Families program. Almost half of that came from commissary employees and patrons, with donations totaling 1.6 million pounds.

You can make a difference with Feds Feed Families by making a donation of nonperishable food, personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies.

If you need motivation, here are 10 reasons why you should donate items to the Feds Feed Families program.

You wouldn’t allow a child to go hungry. Food banks see a shortage in summer months as less donations come in and demands increase. During the school year, many children are able to get meals at a reduced rate or even free if their family meets certain government requirements.

In the summer months when school is out, families must look elsewhere to feed their children. This is when local food banks get hit the hardest. That is why the Feds Feed Families campaign runs from June through the end of August each year.

A staggering 1 in 6 Americans suffer with food insecurity, meaning they often go hungry or worry about having enough to eat. That’s an astounding 50 million Americans that don’t know where their next meal is coming from or if they’ll have enough to eat.

Since 1985, the commissary has been making donations to local food banks. As part of Feds Feed Families, they are able to make a bigger contribution and so can you.

Military families are also hungry. Military families and service members unfortunately are not immune to this suffering. Not all military families can make ends meet and put sufficient food on the table for their families. Statistics are hard to come by and that’s why new studies are being done, to accurately document how many military families are using food assistance programs.

The reality is, you likely have some food in your pantry that you can donate. You know there is at least one item in there you are never going to eat, that can of asparagus in the back of the pantry you’ve been ignoring for example. You know you aren’t going to eat it, but there is someone out there that would love to have it. You can help ease their burden by making a donation of this and any nonperishable items you have at home. You can download a list of items the Feds Feed Families campaign is looking for.

The Feds Feed Families program is hassle-free. Even if you don’t feel like going through your pantry, you can make a donation. Most commissaries have pre-filled bags with items Feds Feed Families is looking for.

All you have to do is pick one up on your next grocery run and pay for it. Simply drop the bag in the Feds Feed Families donation bin on your way out.

It’s completely hassle-free.

This is a great teaching moment for your children. Many kids these days have a huge disconnect in where their food comes from. Those that have enough to eat don’t necessarily think twice about the cost of food. This is a great life lesson you can share with your family: be grateful for what you have, be kind to others and be an example for the next generation.

If nothing else moves you, you can write your donation off your federal taxes.

If you’re looking for a more hands-on approach, you can join a gleaning event. This year in particular, Feds Feed Families is pushing families to gather extra fresh food by clearing fields of unused produce. This is known as gleaning. Your children can use this as a service project.

Have you always wanted to be a part of something bigger than yourself? This is your opportunity. Every office of the federal government is asked to participate in Feds Feed Families.

Because you can. If you aren’t worrying about where your next meal is coming from, make a difference for someone who is worrying – donate to Feds Feed Families today.

For more information about the Feds Feed Families campaign, visit the USDA’s Feds Feed Families page.

25 Reasons to Give Back This Holiday Season

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When my sister-in-law asks for my kids’ Christmas wish lists, I sigh. I look around our living room and I see piles of toys that were once loved, but have since been forgotten. The kids don’t want to pick up their toys and put them away. And they are always whining for the newest and greatest toy that the neighbor has and they want. Desperately.

My sisters and I love to buy each other gifts. But around the holidays, there’s a mad dash to find a thoughtful, useful and personal gift when I simply don’t have the desire or energy to shop. I would rather be with my sisters than shopping for my sisters.

This Christmas I am considering a different approach to gift giving. Instead of using our money to buy, buy, buy, we could use our money that we allocated for our holiday gifts by making a donation to our favorite charities through the Combined Federal Campaign or CFC.

The CFC is the world’s largest annual workplace charity campaign and it is available to all federal employees, including service members. The CFC offers a convenient way to make a donation to your favorite charity through direct withdrawal from your paycheck. You can do a small amount every pay period or a one-time donation.

Haven’t heard about the CFC at your military installation?

You can connect with your CFC campaign here. The 2015 CFC solicitation period ends December 15.

Are you thinking about scaling down your Christmas budget this year? Are you considering a Christmas that is more about giving to others and less about giving gifts?

Here are 25 reasons why I’m considering making donations to my favorite charities through the CFC instead of buying gifts this holiday season.

Here are 25 reasons why I’m considering giving gifts that give back this holiday season.

  1. I don’t want the Black Friday craziness. The day after Thanksgiving I don’t want to be battling for an electronic device in a big box store. I want to be at home, listening to holiday music and spending time with my husband.
  2. Giving is a teaching opportunity. When we donate money to charities through the CFC, it’s a teaching opportunity for our children. We can talk to them about children who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical conditions and what a blessing their health is. We can watch videos on Make-A-Wish’s website so that the girls can see how their donation (instead of gifts) helps a child have their wish granted. Donating to charities, like Make-A-Wish is a teaching opportunity for gratitude and empathy.
  3. Giving back helps me put my life in perspective. I like to tell myself that my children are ungrateful and I am not. But if I really listen to what I complain about (I want a bigger house, a new purse and top-of-the-line tablet), I find that I’m losing perspective on what’s important in life. If I’m not careful I focus on things instead of people. Making the decision to give a donation instead of buying a gift helps me remember that things won’t lead to my happiness.
  4. Wrapping paper and I don’t get along. I really, really don’t like wrapping presents. It’s not my thing.
  5. Buying less leads to a greener Christmas. The majority of the toys we buy our children aren’t manufactured in the United States. By buying less and trying to buy a few locally made items, we can help reduce our carbon footprint this holiday season.
  6. This gift won’t break, tear or need batteries. Aren’t we all disappointed when a toy doesn’t last more than few months? When we give the gift of giving back through the CFC, we know that this gift won’t be tossed in the trash. This gift will be making a difference in someone’s life.
  7. We don’t need anything and others do. We have life’s necessities and more than a few luxuries. Instead of getting more stuff, we can give more to others who need it more than we do.
  8. Making donations through the CFC empower us when we feel powerless. When I watch the news, my heart breaks. I see children who need help. I see women who need help. And I feel powerless to help. I want to be right there in Nebraska after a tornado serving food to families who lost their homes. But I can’t; instead I make a donation to the American Red Cross. Supporting organizations that help people after natural disasters helps me not feel powerless.
  9. There are no shipping costs. I like to shop online so I spend a small fortune on shipping fees to get presents to my family during the holiday season. This year, when I make donation to the CFC instead, I won’t waste money on shipping fees.
  10. My donation is a thank you gift. Thank you USO for offering my family a place to relax and recharge when our flight was canceled.
  11. We can honor our family members who we miss this holiday season. Before he died, my grandfather, a Korean veteran, was able to take an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. He was very grateful for this experience. This year, when I’m missing him and remembering the box of chocolates I used to give him every Christmas, I can instead make a donation to Honor Flight through the CFC.
  12. One donation gives back all year. When you make a donation to an organization like Serve Our Willing Warriors, you know that your donation is helping ill and injured service members and their families throughout the year. It’s a gift that goes beyond December 25.
  13. A donation is a one-size-fits-all gift. I don’t have to worry about sister-in-law returning this gift. I don’t have to worry about nephew already having this gift.
  14. My gift can help a community close to my heart – veterans.  Here are 21 military and veteran charities that I highly recommend.
  15. Less stuff means less stress at PCS time.We know we are going to move again. It’s part of being a military family. When the time comes to move, I can get pretty stressed out with all the stuff we have and trying to make it fit in the new house. With less stuff, my stress levels aren’t as high when I unpack after a PCS.
  16. Gifts that give back reduce my guilt. I would love to volunteer with a few organizations that I really love, but right now, I don’t have that time. (I’m looking forward to doing that when I retired.) Since I can’t give my time, I can give my money and stop feeling guilty about not volunteering.
  17. These gifts aren’t hard to find. When I was a child, I wanted a Cabbage Patch doll like every other 5-year-old in the early 80s. But unlike every other kid, I didn’t get one. They were sold out everywhere.
  18. Gifts that give are the perfect gifts for that person who has everything. You know that person (cough my husband, cough) who has everything and you still feel obligated to give them a gift. Skip the jelly of the month club membership and make a donation through the CFC instead.
  19. I could be done with my holiday shopping today. I’m always annoyed when I see a friend post on Facebook on October 15 “already done with my holiday shopping, now I can concentrate on what really matter this holiday season.” Meanwhile, I don’t even start thinking about the holidays until after Thanksgiving dinner. With a few clicks on the CFC website, I could be done with my holiday shopping. It’s so tempting.
  20. There’s not a temptation to overspend. Every year, I make a holiday gift budget and I vow to stick to it. Then I’m shopping and I get excited about everything I see. My budget goes out the window. When I pledge donations through the CFC, I stick to my budget.
  21. No more waiting in lines. Every December I waste a lot of time standing in line. Standing in line at the store. Standing in line to take a photo of my kids with Santa. Standing in line at the post office.
  22. Take the competition out of Christmas. Even when my husband and I pledge to not buy each other gifts, I get sucked into the holiday competitive spirit. I want to give him some amazing gift to show how much I love him when in reality his love is a gift to me.
  23. Gifts that give back help my military family. We know that for many military families this time of year isn’t the happiest time of year. Organizations like Trees for Troops help military families  by providing free fresh Christmas trees to service members and their families. Another option is Snowball Express. This charity provides “hope and new happy memories to the children of military fallen heroes who have died while on active duty since 9/11.”
  24. These gifts help us to never forget. Through the charity, Wreaths Across America, we placed wreaths at the tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery 3 years ago. This event was the perfect opportunity to talk our children about remembering and honoring those who came before us.
  25. I want to celebrate a meaningful Christmas filled with experiences, not gifts. When we talk about past Christmases, my kids never remember the toys they unwrapped. Here’s what they remember:
  • Putting out reindeer food on Christmas Eve
  • Going to the Nutcracker ballet with their cousins
  • Watching The Sound of Music while snuggled under blankets
  • Sledding with their friends at Lake Tahoe

This year, I hope that I can give my children a meaningful Christmas once again. I hope this Christmas will be a time of reflection about what we have instead of what we think we need.

Has your family stopped giving gifts for the holidays? How did you do it?

10 Ways to Pay It Forward

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As we say hello to December and full steam ahead to Christmas, we can’t help but get caught up with the shopping craze. I’m guilty. I have an internal clock that is counting down my shopping days.

Sometimes we can forget the underlying meaning of the season and miss out on great opportunities to give back to the community. These little acts make a big difference in people’s lives and it all adds up for a positive and promising future. The best part of random acts of kindness are that they are relatively easy to do and can give you a sense of fulfillment.

Want to feel good this holiday season? Pay it forward with these 10 simple ideas:

  1. Help your neighbor. Does the couple across the street desperately need a date night? Or is your neighbor going through a deployment? Offer to watch the kids or head over for a chat. We’ve all been there and need that support. 10 Ways to Pay It Forward and Feel Good This Season
  2. Donate to Toys For Tots or any other charitable organization. It’s easy enough to piggyback another toy in your Christmas shopping and share with families in-need. Keep the love going after the holidays by volunteering with a local charity.
  3. Pitch in for the next person’s coffee. If you’re like me, then you understand the need for coffee. It’s my fuel for the day. When you’re at your favorite coffee shop, let the barista know that you would love to buy a coffee for the next person in line, especially if you notice they are struggling a bit more than you are on that particular morning.
  4. Double your typical tip to commissary baggers. I tend to start conversations with my commissary baggers, especially because I park far away to avoid the congestion closer to the entrance. On one of my first solo commissary adventures, I was particularly moved by a young teen’s determination to save money before he started college. He was the son of a soldier on post and starting his first semester away from home. His story stuck with me because I knew how it felt to be in his shoes. After that, I make it an effort to go the extra mile when I can. It’s just a few more dollars after all.
  5. Sacrifice your parking or line spot to another person. Sometimes we have a sixth sense when it comes down to gauging if a person is in need. When you’re behind the wheel and see someone else that might need that closer spot, motion for them to take it and the same goes for a struggling mom or dad in line at the commissary or exchange.
  6. Raid your closet. Donate items that you haven’t wore in about a year or so because let’s be honest, you probably won’t wear them again anyway. It’s a pre-PCS purge that feels good and helps others.
  7. Host a get-together for a friend. Did you find out about a recent promotion or have another reason to celebrate? Take the time to put together a party in honor of someone else in your life.
  8. Visit your local VA hospital or elderly care facility. Because of the military lifestyle, we may end up setting roots far from our immediate family, especially in our later years. My parents and grandparents live in completely different states– and here I am more than a thousand miles away from both. Try sharing a meal with an elderly couple or just having a conversation. You could learn so much from them and it could make you appreciate the bonds you have within your own family.
  9. Give an unsolicited compliment. If I see another person with cute shoes or purse, I chime in and let them know. It’s a great way to keep the positivity going.
  10. Smile when you can. When you’re having a particularly good day, smile at strangers while running your errands. Your small gesture could help another person get through their not-so-good day. Smiling is infectious! 10 Ways to Pay It Forward and Feel Good This Season

How are you kind to neighbors and strangers this holiday season? Tell us in the comments section.