The holidays are once again upon us and, given the times we are facing, we thought it would be a good idea to promote actions and events that give back to the community. We’re not saying you can’t be out there pounding the pavement alongside your fellow holiday shoppers for the gifts you’d want to give or receive; by all means, have at it! But do yourself, your sense of karma and holiday cheer a solid and think about donating your time, your energy or some much-needed gifts and sundries to a good cause. Or, at the very least, patronize a party or two this season that supports the community.
So here are a few suggestions on how you can get all “God bless us every one!” this holiday season.
LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County hosts its Holiday Pride Drive Donation Packing Party 6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Congregation B’Nai Jacob, 101 Manavon St. in Phoenixville. Organizers are collecting items for the homeless shelters of Chester County, including family- and travel-size toiletries, hand and body soap and lotion, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, baby products, lip balm, tissues, paper towels, toilet paper, winter gear, hand-warmer packs, individually packaged snacks and gift cards in $10-$25 denominations for pharmacies, grocery stores, and big-box stores.
Donations are being accepted until Dec. 4. The next day, volunteers will prep all of the donations into packages for the various shelters. Food and drink will be served to those attending the packaging event. For more information, visit www.lgbteachesco.org/holiday-pride-drive/drop-off-locations/.
Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger-relief organization, is partnering with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia for its second food drive of the season with the orchestra performing Rossini, Gounod and “stories for piano and orchestra,” 2:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St. The performance will serve as a donation site to collect non-perishable food for the hungry in the region. For more information, visit www.philabundance.org/chamberorchestra/.
Valanni and Stoli host a Toys For Tots Extravaganza 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Dec. 8, 1229 Spruce St. Bring an unwrapped gift that will go to children in need and you will get into the party with music provided by DJ Carl Michaels, entertainment by Cyooni Dharling, Michale Duffy, Dantasia and more, as well as a special performance by Maddelynn Hatter.
Pathways to Housing PA hosts its Breakfast to End Homelessness 8-10 a.m. Dec. 9 at Loews Philadelphia Hotel, 1200 Market St. To sponsor a table, RSVP or for more information, visit https://pathwaystohousingpa.org/breakfast-end-homelessness.
Winslow Animal Hospital hosts Pet Photos with Santa 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 10, 640 Sicklerville Road, Sicklerville, N.J. Celebrate the holidays by having your pet’s photo taken with Santa. Donations will be taken to support local animal shelters. For more information, visit www.winslowanimalhospital.com.
LGBT Qmunity Center of Montgomery County hosts Holly-Gay Bingo 5:30-11 p.m. Dec. 10 at Westover Country Club, 401 S. Schuylkill Ave., Norristown. Proceeds go to the LGBT Qmunity Center of Montgomery County.
Philly Kicking Cancer is celebrating its second-annual Ugly Sweater Holiday Party Fundraiser 7-9 p.m. Dec. 10 at O’Neals Pub, 611 S. Third St. Wear your ugliest and most outrageous holiday sweater and your $20 donation gets you two hours of open bar and the chance to win raffle items or a 50/50. All proceeds go to cancer research. For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/site/phillykickingcancer/Home.
Break out your bowling shoes for Santa Bowls for Soles 6 p.m. Dec. 10 at The Big Event Entertainment Experience, 1536 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, N.J. Tickets are $20 and include two hours of unlimited bowling, shoe rental and limited food and beverages. Also, each ticket enters you into a raffle to win one of several small prizes. Proceeds will be used to purchase footwear, clothing and toys for underprivileged children. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-bowls-for-soles-tickets-29141415759.
Kingdom Kidd hosts a Toy Drive and Giveaway 3 p.m. Dec. 11 at Imhotep Institute Charter High School, 6201 N. 21st St. The event features free food, refreshments, entertainment and a celebrity basketball game. All are welcome. Bring your kids and an unwrapped toy for local kids in need.
AIDS Fund presents Jingle Bell Rock GayBINGO 7-9:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St. The games will be hosted by the infamous Bingo Verifying Divas, a wild bunch of drag queens who entertain the crowd with their wacky humor and always-outrageous costumes. Proceeds benefit AIDS Fund.
The Attic Youth Center, Philadelphia’s LGBT youth agency, is hosting a Hat, Scarf and Glove Drive through Dec. 23. Individuals, groups or companies can donate new adult-sized hats, scarves and gloves for youth ages 14-23. Contact [email protected] for more information.
The Home for Hope is the first and only homeless shelter in Pennsylvania specifically for LGBT individuals. The shelter receives no public funding and its monthly operating costs are covered by private donations and whatever the residents and shelter management themselves can contribute. You can help Home for Hope by contributing to its GoFundMe page: www.gofundme.com/Lgbtqhomeforhope. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/Lgbtqhomeforhope/.
For more than a decade, nonprofit To Write Love On Her Arms has sought to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and teach those struggling that they are not alone. The organization was founded following the popularity of a story written by New York Times best-selling author Jamie Tworkowski, who later began selling T-shirts to offset the cost of treatment for those who were struggling. In addition to T-shirts, the organization now offers iPhone cases, beanies, tote bags, stickers, notebooks and more. All sales continue to go towards funding treatment and recovery. For more information on TWLOHA, visit www.twloha.com or its online store at www.store.twloha.com.
Get out there and give this holiday season and hopefully you’ll have some warm and fuzzy feelings to put under your tree to go with all of those gifts.