Cyber Monday Is Winding Down; Time For Giving Tuesday
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - After shopping from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, now it's time to think about giving.
Giving Tuesday is Tuesday, Dec. 1 and North Texas nonprofits that serve the area's most vulnerable children need support now more than ever.
About 34,000 kids in Texas are in the foster care system and the pandemic seems to be making the shortage of foster families even worse.
"I think now what we're seeing, as you know we're kind of months and months into this, is people who are already kind of unsure and unknown of the future - are they willing to become licensed caregivers?" said Kathleen Ender, a program trainer for National Angels.
The nonprofit pairs volunteers with foster families to gift them a monthly "Love Box" and be a part of their support system.
Ender says the foster families who are currently taking care of children need more help.
"DFW Angels has seen an uptick of families needing to be matched and served and supported," she said.
The organization is kicking off a three-day virtual Give-A-Thon Tuesday.
"When you can't gather, that's a huge loss of projected revenue, and there's a huge need to be able to make up for that," said Ender.
Other nonprofits are also finding safe ways for people to give back.
"We have a tall order, and that's why it looks like Santa's workshop here in our office," said Tori Mannes, president and CEO of ChildCareGroup (CGC).
The organization provides early childhood programs for nearly 1,000 of the most vulnerable kids in Dallas. They want to make sure each of them receives at least one Christmas gift this year.
"Sometimes they're the only gifts that we know these children will get," Mannes said.
This year, there are three different virtual and/or socially distant ways volunteers can join to help:
Stocking Stuffing Elves:
CCG is looking for volunteers to help stock holiday stockings this year. Each stocking needs the following (new items only, please): child-sized toothbrush, children's toothpaste, Play-Doh, crayons, jump rope, bubbles, and a child's reusable water bottle (unisex). Please indicate the number of stockings you will provide. Drop off at 1420 W Mockingbird Lane, Suite 430, Dallas, TX 75247, or email zbernabe@ccgroup.org to schedule a pick-up.
Lunch Break Wrapping Party:
Help ChildCareGroup wrap 1,000 presents over lunch on December 4 at Dallas Bethlehem Center. The gifts will be wrapped for the children and families CCG serves. Volunteers are encouraged to bring wrapping paper and bows — even open rolls they want to get rid of, but CCG will have necessary materials on-site as well. Volunteers must register to attend as social distancing guidelines will be followed, including wrapping outside if the weather permits, and everyone will be masked up. Volunteers can register here.
Purchase a gift off the Amazon and Target Wish Lists:
ChildCareGroup has created wish lists online of items that can be purchased for a child. Donors can go here to click on the registry links and the gifts will be sent straight to ChildCareGroup.
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