Bettering Communities: Host a Christmas Party for a Nonprofit

by Amy Sullivan on December 13th, 2016 | 2 Comments »

The holidays are a great time to find ways to give back in your community. My dad told me, "You become who your friends are." I'm sure this statement referred to his concern about the people who clouded certain years of my life. At the time, I thought his words silly. Years later, I see truth.

Of course, we take on habits and characteristics of our friends. They are the people who blanket our lives and fill our days. Today, the idea of becoming more of who my friends are thrills me.

Why? Because my friends push me to live better. In a season of frenzied shopping and endless decorating, I have friends who stop, take in the needs of others, and then find ways to reach out to our community. One of my favorite friends inspired ideas to host a Christmas party for a nonprofit. Not only does this grow friendships, but it also encourages people to become more engaged in the community.

How to Host a Christmas Party for a Nonprofit

Here are six steps to hosting a Christmas Party for a nonprofit:

1. Chose a local nonprofit to gift. Call the nonprofit and find out about current needs and ask them to put together a wish list.

2. Gather friends. You know the girls who make you laugh hard and live big? Yes, call them.

3. Ask each party-goer to bring a gift for the organization. My friend asked her guests to bring toiletries to give a local shelter for sex trafficking victims.

4. Instead of just collecting goods to dump, find a way to make your gifts personal. We wrote notes and cards of encouragement.

5. Go beyond what is expected. Instead of tossing our notes in envelopes, we framed them. We hoped the reminders we penned to the recipients would last even after the wrapping paper was picked up.

6. Deliver the goods. When needs have a face, they become more real. Don't just attend the party, but make a date to deliver the donated goods together. I find I am always on the hunt for news about the organization which received our goods. I am curious about the people we gifted, and even though the girls who received our gifts remain strangers, I think of them often.

What about you? Have you ever hosted an event (big or small) for a nonprofit?

Amy L. Sullivan. Word lover. Book devourer. Music addict. Amy is a Northern girl who found herself living in the South. She drinks sweet tea, turns her nose up at okra, and attempts to tell her daughters “yella” isn’t a color.
Featured image courtesy of Flickr.