5 Ways To Take Part In Giving Tuesday

Each year, the Maine Children's Home For Little Wanderers hosts a Christmas Program that helps give big smiles to children's faces and make the holidays a lot less stressful for parents. Each gift box contains 2 toys, 2 reading books, coloring books and crayons, a hat and mittens, a warm outfit, pajamas, and maybe even some stocking stuffers! They need the boxes to start shipping on December 9th, so donations are needed now. Information about how to donate can be found on their website.

The folks at the Good Shepherd Food Bank do such a great job of providing groceries to folks who are food-challenged. That term doesn't necessarily mean that they have no food, but could apply to people who are making tough choices about whether to heat their homes or buy groceries. Maine winters put a lot of people in similar positions, so any help to stock their cupboards is greatly appreciated. Today, on Giving Tuesday, TD Bank has offered a $10,000 matching grant to the food bank. So make your donation today at the Good Shepherd Food Bank website!

The Salvation Army does so much good work in our communities, and over the holidays they really kick it up a notch! The Salvation Army Angel Tree program provides gifts to children who might otherwise go without. Stop by their table in the Bangor Mall, pick out one or more 'Angel Cards,' purchase the desired gift listed on the card, and return it - unwrapped - to the Angel Tree table. It's that simple! And don't forget, you can drop cash donations into those Salvation Army Red Kettles as you're out doing your shopping. Learn more about the Red Kettle Program at the Salvation Army's website.

The Hands of Hope Thrift Store in Bangor hosts a Christmas program each year that helps local families provide gifts for their children. The thrift store is located next to Kmart on Hogan Road in Bangor. But the organization's Wish Trees are located in area businesses, including in the entrances to area Walmart stores. You can pick cards off the trees, purchase the gifts, and return them - unwrapped - to the bin that sits near the tree. Or, if you'd rather make a cash donation, stop by the Hands of Hope Thrift Store. For more information, contact the Hands of Hope by calling (207) 852-0520.

By donating to the United Way of Eastern Maine, folks can help a wide variety of charitable organizations, including those that serve the very old to the very young, and everyone in between. Businesses can become part of the Pantry Project, that will put donation shelves in the office so employees and customers can make food donations. And individuals can donate their time to paint and repair local businesses or staff informational booths for organizations like Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance. For more information on how you can help, log onto the United Way of Eastern Maine's website.