The holiday season is all about the good stuff in life, right? Family, togetherness, joy, faith, and even generosity. Have you ever stopped to think about why that is? Why should we give back to the community?

In the Christian tradition, which I hold to, there is a reason for all the sentiments we practice. You likely know this, but remembering and honoring the birth of our Savior, Jesus, and the gift of salvation He gave us is the reason behind all our celebrations. 

Much of our culture’s emphasis on holiday generosity comes from that. And for good reason. So let’s talk about giving back, since “‘tis the season.” 

As we consider “why give back to the community?,” we’ll look at the following:

1. What I am doing to give back
2. Why you should consider giving back

What I am doing to give back

Because I am moved by Christ’s generosity to me and motivated by His example and instruction in being generous, I’ve chosen to model my business accordingly. Here’s how.

1. 10% of web sales will be donated to cystic fibrosis research in December 2023.

The recipient of those donations is the Vivian Lee Foundation, which supports those living with cystic fibrosis and the quest for a cure. 

I’ve told the story on social media about my dear cousin Lauren, who succumbed to CF. We spent a lot of time together growing up and were quite close. It was eye-opening for me to see how she struggled to breathe, and startling to witness the loud, disruptive machine that made the process easier for her.

I choose to donate a portion of my web sales for CF support because of my front-row seat to her struggle, and my desire to help others who suffer as she did. 

I welcome you to join me in my quest: if you’re considering a purchase on CarryCourage.com, doing so in December will mean a donation to this cause close to my heart. 

      2. 100% of profits from Norboo bag sales go back to Norboo all year round.

If you’ve followed me on social media for any time, you’ve heard me share my love for Norboo, its founders, story and mission. 

The short version: the founders, based in China, founded the company with the mission of lifting single mothers in neighboring Tibet out of poverty. How do they do it?

They routinely visit Tibet to build relationships with women and single mothers in communities where job opportunities are scarce or non-existent. Then they select women for employment making these beautiful bags, and they teach them how to sew if they don’t know already. 

The women then create these beautiful products and make a living doing it! 

Because I believe wholeheartedly in the mission, I offered to be a distributor of these bags in my shop, and to give 100% of the profits back to the company. So they can continue providing a living for these otherwise impoverished Tibetan women.

I don’t say that to toot my own horn. Rather, I want to bring awareness to the opportunities I’ve embraced so I can bring it back around to you.

Why should you consider giving back to the community?

We all have our own set of values and priorities. The causes you cherish probably won’t be the same as mine, and that’s OK. But considering the emphasis on generosity this time of year, I thought I’d see if I might challenge you to get into a “give back” mindset.

We find ourselves in a challenging economy right now. I get that. Something I’ve thought about is, that if the average income earner is having a more difficult time in this economy, that is surely affecting the finances of many charities that rely on donations for their existence.

The way I look at it is (not to get preachy), no matter how bad life gets:

1. There are always abundant blessings to consider
2. Others out there have it much worse

For that reason, I delight in the opportunity to contribute some of what I do have to help make the lives of others better. 

Are you with me so far?

What giving back does for you

When you choose generosity, you:

• Get the soul satisfaction of knowing you improved someone else’s life
• Unite with something bigger than yourself – a larger and more noble purpose
• Spread joy to others, which inevitably comes back to you
• And, to be pragmatic, you also get a tax write-off

What would you add to the list?

My challenge to you, in closing

If you haven’t already this season, I encourage you to think about the charities or individuals who are doing good work for a cause close to your heart. You may even need to brainstorm what those causes are!

Once you’ve identified a few, decide to which you’ll give and how. 

Maybe it’s a one-time donation. Perhaps monthly. Maybe volunteering is the thing for you. There are so many wonderful organizations making a life-changing impact – the toughest part is narrowing down what to do! 

If you want to drop a comment and let me know what you’ve decided, I would be delighted to hear from you!

To a joyful and generous holiday season!

Marisa