Mom’s Vibe
By Marci Lutsky
No sooner had I taken down our Halloween decorations and our mailbox was overflowing with holiday catalogues. My twins managed to get hold of the Target catalog and each child, in separate colors, circled everything they wanted. And I mean everything. We get hit with a bit of a double whammy as their birthday is right before Thanksgiving. I always try to impress upon my kids the need to give back and at this time of year when they are so focused on making their wish lists, it seems even more important. Here are some ways that we give back to others as a family which I hope has a lasting impact on my children.
A few weeks ago my daughter announced at dinner that she was starting something called the Arctic Project. She went on to explain that she was setting up a jar in the kitchen and each time someone left a room for more than 10 seconds without turning out the light, they would need to add 25 cents to the jar. As a family we would agree on where to donate the money. Once we reached $15 we would make our donation. We had recently dropped off some blankets and dog food to the Humane Society of Ocean City and after visiting with the dogs and cats, my kids were committed to making our Arctic Project donation there. We went as a family to drop off the donation in the donation kiosk they have set up in the lobby. I was extremely proud of my daughter for coming up with the idea and felt good about where we were making the donation. For more information about the Humane Society, visit http://humanesocietyac.org.
Another easy yet meaningful way to give back this holiday season is to fill a bag for Jewish Family Services in Margate. As part of the JFS Turkey Drive, volunteers are asked to fill a bag with side dish items like string beans, cranberry sauce and stuffing. Many of the items I had in my pantry and the rest I picked up at the supermarket. The kids and I dropped off our filled bag in Margate. Jewish Family Services always has need for volunteers, sometimes on weekends or holidays when kids are available. For more information, reach out to Vanessa Smith at vsmith@jfsatlantic.org.
If you shop at ShopRite, chances are you have been reminded at checkout to claim your free holiday item which includes a frozen turkey. As we don’t eat meat, I always donate ours to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, located in Egg Harbor Township. For the past few years I have put the word out on social media that if people are not going to use their free turkey, I would collect them at my house and drop them all off together. The kids and I make a trip the food bank a week before Thanksgiving to drop sometimes up to 20 turkeys. The kids have a good understanding that what we are doing helps feed people. For more information about the Community Food bank of New Jersey, visit https://www.cfbnj.org.
As the holidays approach, it’s important to teach children that it’s not all about getting, but giving too. We are always on the lookout for new opportunities for the kids to get involved in volunteering. I would love to hear from you about how you teach your children about giving back. It’s such an important lesson!
Marci Lutsky is a local mom of eight year-old twins and can be reached at veggingattheshore@gmail.com.
Marci Lutsky is a food blogger at Vegging at the Shore, www.veggingattheshore.com and can be reached at veggingattheshore@gmail.com.
