The holiday season is an exciting yet busy time. Between the shopping, party planning, and budgeting for both, this hectic time is a rush that would get anyone feeling the Christmas cheer with family and friends.

Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to get into the holiday spirit.

This season, a little bit of empathy goes a long way, and here are simple but impactful things you can add to your to-do list this holiday season:

• Contribute to a stage for children to show their talents

Filipino Christmas is filled with carols and jingles as early as the first ‘ber month of the year. To join in on all the merrymaking, the girls from the CRIBS Foundation’s New Beginnings program, aimed at rehabilitating minors who are victims of sexual abuse, are set to have a yearend recital. Aside from contributing to their talent showcase, you can also sponsor the foundation’s Christmas tradition of allowing the kids to choose and buy their own gifts using an allocated budget.

CRIBS is the first non-government organization in the Philippines to implement a Foster Care Program and has since committed to the care and development, healing and recovery of children in need of special protection. Contact the Cribs Foundation through their website to donate or send your donations straight to their BPI Account: Cribs Foundation, Inc. 3081-0806-06.

• Do some grocery shopping for someone else

While shopping for your holiday parties, why not also help stock up on someone else’s kitchen not just for Christmas but for the coming months? The nuns at Saint Rita Orphanage are always open to getting donations to help supply food for the upcoming Christmas party and their daily needs. Donations will also support their Christmas outing and the baptism of new babies under their care.

The religious order of nuns at Saint Rita Orphanage has had its doors open to caring and developing orphans since they admitted the first child in 1964. Assist Saint Rita Orphanage in providing the best care by reaching out to them through their Facebook page.

• Get a kid’s dream gift

Choosing the right gifts for your loved ones brings a different kind of happiness. You can bring that same joy to the kids who live in the Virlanie Foundation’s residential homes by getting their wish list and donating their dream gift to the foundation. You can also light up a family’s Christmas by helping fund or donate Noche Buena packages to families in the communities they work with.

The Virlaine Foundation has helped over 22,000 street children in the 31 years that they have been operating. They have attended to children in the foundation’s residential homes and to families and street children through their mobile unit. Ask for a kid’s wish list or other ways you can help the Virlaine Foundation by emailing [email protected] or checking our their website at www.virlanie.org. You can also  make a direct donation to their BDO Account: Virlanie Foundation, Inc. 004580002426.

• Share your talents with others

While the gift of time is free, it is one of the most important gifts you can give to someone. One of Kids with Purpose International (KWPI) Inc’s objectives is to be able to empower children and youth to discover their purpose and become independent. Volunteering at KWPI gives you the opportunity to tutor the kids in their academics or put on workshops about arts, music or even sports. While you may not leave them with a toy to play with, you can give them an experience that they can remember for the rest of their lives.

KWPI has helped children find new homes since 2018. Their residential care gives young kids a place to stay before finding a new home and their Leadership Development Program makes sure every child is supported throughout their development even without finding alternative parental care. Find out how you can start volunteering with KWPI by emailing [email protected] or donate through their website.

• Help organize a Christmascelebration for people of all ages

Christmas isn’t only for the young ones or the young at heart. Hospicio de San Jose makes sure no one misses out on the fun by planning a Christmas celebration for the people under its seven programs. You can donate in cash or in-kind to provide gifts, games, and great food not only for kids, but also for the elderly, persons with special needs, and persons in crisis including victim-survivors of abuse and trafficking.

Hospicio de San Jose established in1810 is the first social welfare agency in the Phillippines and has since committed to providing both residential and non-residential services to the vulnerable sectors of society. You may course your donations through their BPI Account: Hospicio de San Jose, Inc. 8103-0986-62. Learn about how you sponsor their residents on their websiteor email them at [email protected]

Doing their part for the nation, Solane, one of the leading LPG brands in the country, reaches out to several organizations by providing free LPG. This ensures that the kids get nutritious meals and also freeing up budget for the organizations to allocate more towards their different programs and services. While the rest of the country is beginning to emerge from the challenges of the pandemic, several communities and Filipinos are still in need of help.

Helping in any way is more than enough to help bring the spirit of Christmas to as many people as possible. As you cook up a storm for the holidays with your trusted LPG partner, watch how these simple acts can lighten up the season for you and for Filipinos that receive a bit of your holiday cheer.