6 ways you can help the McKinney community this holiday season

It's never too late to lend a helping hand or canned good.

MCKINNEY — During the holiday season, many people realize how fortunate they are and want to reach out to those in need. We would encourage you to take that feeling and funnel it into good works throughout the year. Many local nonprofits receive gifts and support for their clients during the holiday season but struggle to meet the community needs at other times of the year. We often are contacted by citizens who want to volunteer on Christmas by serving food or other activities. Our local nonprofits make their holiday plans well in advance and don’t usually need “spontaneous volunteers” since they use their regular volunteers who have been cleared through a process that keeps the clients, staff and volunteers safe. If you want to do something nice at this time of year, consider the following:

· Make fleece blankets for chemotherapy patients

· Collect peanut butter or canned meat for the local food pantry

· Purchase a set of children’s clothes complete with socks and underwear and package it up in a large ziplock baggie (with the size written on it) and donate it

· Sign up to volunteer on a weekly basis with a local agency. Start the process now and you can be helping in early 2013

· Ask your friends and family to give you cash instead of presents and give it to the nonprofit that is closest to your heart

· Purchase gift cards and donate them for local nonprofits to use

Whether you are an individual or a group, thoughtful activities like these can make a difference throughout the year.