As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, there’s no better feeling than that of giving back—and Houston sure knows how to give in a special way. If you’re looking to give back this November, here are some great ways to do it:
1. The St. Jude Give Thanks. Walk. gives Houstonians the opportunity to give back to children in need. Coordinated with 65 cities across the country, the Give Thanks Walk benefits the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a hospital specifically researching, preventing and treating numerous diseases that affect children. The most glowing recommendation for St. Jude, however, is in their policy of never turning away a child for any reason. Thanks to walks like this one, thousands of families each year never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, housing, or food, or travel. If this is your calling this Thanksgiving, the Jude Give Thanks Walk is on November 22nd—registration is $20 for each person over the age of 12 to participate, $10 for walkers ages 6-12, and free for children under 6. Everyone is encouraged to find sponsors for their walk and raise money for this amazing cause!
2. Boys & Girls Country of Houston, not to be confused with the Boys & Girls Club, is a pretty amazing charity that you’ve probably never heard of. It all started in 1971 as a not-for-profit charity—and a Christian philosophy of helping children from families in crisis. Children are taken in (currently Houston has the capacity to help 48 boys and 40 girls, ages 5-18, at any given time) by adults who live on their campus with these children in cottages. Kids are educated and 20 resident students who have graduated high school each year are provided for by the College and Career Program. But, these kids have big dreams and can’t rely on federal or state grants for support—contributions come from businesses, groups, churches, foundations and people like you support them. Each year Boys & Girls Country hosts a gala for donations—usually with a celebrity host—and if you get to wild over at Costco, they’re always open to taking bulk items, gifts, shampoo, goats, surplus equipment… and you can even volunteer to help—or even put them in your will! If this sounds like your kind of creative charitable activity, check out their website!
3. Via Colori is a street painting festival this November 22nd (10 am – 6 pm) and 23rd (10 am – 5 pm) benefiting The Center for Hearing and Speech. There will be 3D Art Section, 3 stages of live music, chalk games, Via Bambini (a chalk section for the kiddos), Appredista (chalk section for high schoolers), a “Mood Lounge” (please go and tell me what this is!), an IKEA scavenger hunt, 250 artists from both the US and from Mexico, an interactive 3D mural, photography, a beer garden hosted by Blue Moon and Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, kids crafts, Houston Rockets Road Jam (which probably has more to do with dancing than it does with traffic), face painting, and the ‘Listen Now, Hear Later’ experience. You can pitch in by being a sponsor, an artist or a volunteer—or just by attending! The festival is free but the experience helps “children with hearing loss hear and speak for themselves.”
It doesn’t matter how you choose to give this season, but one thing is for sure, giving is one fun thing you can do all year around!
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