This time of year we can’t help but reflect upon all the things we’re thankful for. We’re thankful for great friends and loving families, and many other things. But it’s also a time we can’t help but think about those with less than us.
Over the years, George Nice & Sons has contributed to the community in many ways, from volunteering to donating. We cherish our family and pride ourselves on running our business like one. We gather our loved ones for the holidays and spend as much time together as we can. But there are many people less fortunate than us.
2017 alone was filled with so much tragedy, from hurricanes and wildfires and earthquakes, to even mass shootings. There are those who lost their homes, their families, or their lives. And maybe a lot of us don’t have much to give, but even the littlest bit goes a long way.
Here are 5 of our favorite organizations:
Mennonite Disaster Service: “Mennonite Disaster Service is a volunteer network of Anabaptist churches dedicated to responding to natural and man-made disasters in Canada and the United States.
“Our aim is to assist the most vulnerable community members, individuals, and families who would not otherwise have the means to recover. MDS volunteers – men and women, youth and adults – provide the skills and labor needed to respond, rebuild and restore in the wake of a disaster.
“MDS is known for having a collaborative spirit, and we work with other groups including faith-based organizations, local recovery committees, and both governmental and non-governmental agencies. MDS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.”
Salvation Army: “The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
“The Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command serves south side Hampton Roads and its surrounding communities with programs and locations that serve families in need with emergency assistance, housing, substance abuse treatment, youth enrichment opportunities, spiritual care and emergency disaster services.
“The Salvation Army began its work in the Hampton Roads area 110 years ago, after arriving in America from its official base in London. From the beginning, the Army created programs in Hampton Roads to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and provide counseling and support to those most in need of help. As these needs grew, so did the number of locations and variety of services available to the community
“Since then the Army has grown with many programs including the Adult Rehabilitation Center, Residential Housing for Young Mothers and their Children, Christmas Assistance programs, The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club, Emergency Shelters, Family Services, Disaster Assistance, Volunteer Outreach and more.
“The Salvation Army is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.”
(http://virginiasalvationarmy.org/hrva/)
Community of Faith Mission: “Community of Faith Mission is a faith-based, non-governmental low barrier emergency shelter program which, through the efforts of volunteers, shall provide emergency shelter and food on a weekly basis from November through March for men, women, and families who are homeless in the greater Williamsburg, Virginia area.
“COFM provides three meals a day and 126 nights of safe shelter to homeless individuals during the coldest months of the year. The shelter rotates weekly to a different host location where guests get to meet caring volunteers and staff. We collaborate with other community resource providers and make regular referrals for medical care, transitional housing and other social services.”
Proclaiming Grace Outreach: “In March of 2008, the Tabernacle UMC faith community lost one of their cherished youth, Jenna Grace King, in a car accident. As her faith community and family mourned her loss they found a new energy in their faith to begin to dream big and pray large to the possibilities of creating outreach ministries. These ministries would serve those in need of clothing, food, and other services. As with most small faith communities, they at first doubted their ability to provide meaningful services, however as many in the community looked back upon the life of Jenna they could see the drive she had to overcome obstacles placed before her.
“Jenna’s accomplishments of graduating high school early and nearly completing her first year of college by age 17 showed her ability to dream big. From this tragic loss, congregational members of Tabernacle UMC, in 2008 formed, Proclaiming Grace Outreach as a 501(c)(3) faith-based non-profit corporation, which has been certified by the IRS, to provide the oversight and structure required to meet the needs of those in the area surrounding our growing faith community.”
(http://proclaiminggraceoutreach.com/)
Give Local 757: “The Peninsula Community Foundation’s goal is to work with its community partners to identify places where new strengths can be built and to encourage greater civic engagement throughout the community – philanthropy being just one area of engagement. In 2014, we created Give Local 757 as a way to build capacity for local nonprofits in online fundraising and to connect citizens to local causes. In collaboration with our partners, we have raised $1.8 million for over 350 nonprofits.
“Give Local 757 is an opportunity to both educate the public on the many nonprofit programs in the region and to encourage a wider audience to engage in philanthropy and experience the joy of giving. Through the initiative, nonprofits build their capacity in marketing, online fundraising and social media and created a meaningful way in which the region can come together to support those who need it most.
“In 2017, over $660,000 was raised in just 24 hours. The Muse Writing Center was the Grand Prize Winner with over $20,000 in donations and prizes. Click Here to read how Give Local 757 has impacted their organization.”
(https://www.givelocal757.org/)
Don’t have a lot of money to spare? Donate your time to your local soup kitchen or shelter. There are so many ways to help this season!
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