Once again, we are entering the season of holiday shopping and gift giving. Before you do your shopping this year, I would like to ask you a question…..What was the best holiday gift you received last year? Think about it for a minute. Ask your family members this question, too. Are you finding it difficult to remember?
Here’s another question for you. Are you expecting to receive an end-of-year bonus this year? What do you plan to do with it? Perhaps you are thinking, “I worked hard so I’m going to reward myself with something special.” If you are looking to make yourself happy, you may want to re-think that decision.
Research conducted at the Harvard Business School suggests that giving at least a portion of that bonus to others will give you more joy than spending the money on yourself. In fact, giving to someone in need has a direct correlation to improving your own sense of happiness. (http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/spending-on-happiness)
You may also want to re-think your holiday gift giving traditions. How about suggesting to family and friends that you make a donation to a charity instead of – or in addition to – exchanging gifts with each other? Performing an act of selfless kindness is bound to be more memorable than that gift card or necktie, and the impact your donation has on a person-in-need can be life changing for them.
Senior Connection Center is one of many great local nonprofits that do good work throughout the year and we would greatly appreciate your donation in any amount this holiday season. What would we do with your donation? Well, our organization is creating an emergency fund to address the needs of seniors who contact our Elder Helpline and require immediate assistance that they cannot afford or arrange on their own. We are talking about funding such things as home-delivered meals for someone who has returned from a hospital stay and has no way to get food or prepare meals; or helping someone who can no longer drive by funding their rides to the doctor.
Even though our Elder Helpline specialists have access to an extensive data base of services to which we refer seniors and their caregivers every day, we constantly receive requests we just can’t find a way to fulfill in a timely manner for that person in need.
Your donation of $100, for instance, can fund a week’s worth of home-delivered lunches and dinners for that hungry senior who is recovering from surgery or several trips to the doctor for that person who can no longer drive.
Any gift of any amount is appreciated and giving is easy to do. Simply click on the Donate Now button on our website or give me a call at 813-676-5616 and we can discuss the best way for you to give. Thank you for thinking of Senior Connection Center as you make your gift-giving plans this holiday season.
May your holidays be filled with love and peace, ~~Patty Suarez
Senior Connection Center is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. REGISTRATION # CH17183. All proceeds benefit Senior connection center, Inc.