Giving Back in Portland
This is a time of year for abundance - to share with others and, let’s be honest, indulge ourselves.
As we prepare our holiday feasts of rich foods and extravagance and set about an onslaught of retail mayhem, let us take a moment to reflect upon our good fortune.
We live in an incredible city, here in Portland, and one of the the most significant reasons for this being a fantastic place to live is the generosity of Portlanders. From volunteering time and donating to causes to creating innovative support organizations, Portland is a caring city.
Here are just a few ways you can give back this holiday season.
Give!Guide
The annual Give!Guide is a clearinghouse project to help funnel big dollars into a variety of local organizations. The project, hosted by the Willamette Week, allows successful organizations to raise tens of thousands of dollars at this time of year. Lawn signs begin to pop up all over the city - an indicator that giving season has begun!
The included nonprofits are chosen by a selection committee, and applications are open between April 1 and April 30 each year. Selected organizations then work hard through the donation season to promote their Give!Guide opportunity and encourage their supporters to donate big.
The Give!Guide has a huge impact locally. For all of the selected organizations, the funds raised are a significant - and crucial - impact on their annual budgets, allowing them to continue their good work.
Add a Meal or Donate at Checkout
Some grocery stores offer the opportunity to add a little extra onto your bill that will be donated to a local organization.
One of the easiest and most impactful programs is the New Seasons Market Donate-a-Meal program to benefit Portland Rescue Mission. For under $2, you can provide a full meal for someone. The Portland Rescue Mission also has other retail shopping partners with various programs in place. This is such an easy way to make a contribution while you already have your wallet out.
Volunteer Your Time
If you don’t already have a list of organizations you want to support, Hands on Greater Portland is the perfect way to get started. This clearinghouse organization makes it easy for individuals, families, friend groups and business teams to volunteer for projects that make a difference.
It can be extremely challenging for an organization to coordinate a group of volunteers and ensure they provide meaningful work that offsets the time it takes to manage them. As a result, some of the most helpful jobs are simply grunt work - hauling, digging, cleaning, packing food. But that’s okay! Your job is to lend a hand, whatever they need, and hopefully help make it easier for the organization to continue their operations.
At this time of year, it can be particularly humbling to volunteer at a soup kitchen or some other project that serves food to people who are hungry. How many of you reading this have to consider if you will pay your electric bill or buy groceries? That’s a stark reality for far too many Portlanders, and warmly serving a hot meal with a friendly smile can make such a human impact. This volunteer activity is a strong reminder of how fortunate we are, those of us who do not fear for our food security.
Make a Year End Contribution
Donations to non-profit organizations are tax deductible. Your financial advisor, tax preparer or other financial professional can advise you on how to make the most of this opportunity while supporting causes that are important to you.
Around this time of year, you may start to receive an onslaught of donation requests from worthy organizations. It’s not easy to choose just one. Set a budget for what you want to give, then spend some time working on your personal list of organizations to support.
Here’s a fun aspect to consider: If you worked with Urban Nest or another real estate agency to purchase a home this year, you will mostly likely be receiving a tax credit for your purchase. The utmost Portland act of kindness would be to donate some or all of that money to an organization you care about.
Contribute to a Coat and Hat Drive
As the weather gets colder, many of us opt to upgrade our winter weather gear. It’s nice to hang on to a few older items for days when you want to wear a jacket you don’t care so much about, or as a loaner for guests. But with all the continual upgrads in winter weather gear, chances are good your closet is getting full of outdated models.
Gyms, churches, grocery stores and retail locations of all types host collection drives to gather donations of hats, coats and gloves. Socks are one of the most requested items by those who are experiencing homelessness, so some groups host sock drives, too.
Socks should be brand new and in their packaging. For hats, coats and gloves, most drives accept used gear. Inspect your items for wear, tears and stains. Only contribute items that have been laundered and are in decent shape.
Just Give!
Ultimately it doesn’t matter which route you choose on your journey to give back this holiday season, the important aspect is that you simply give what you can, in a way that is meaningful to you.