Take the Daily Giving Challenge

Fill a box or basket for those in need.

Fight poverty a few minutes each day with this unique challenge. Use this printable as

  • a countdown to the New Year,

  • a giving twist on your Advent countdown, or

  • a tool to add meaning to any month!

This project takes a bit of effort to set up but requires only minutes a day as a family once you get started. 

Possible Recipients

  • Your local food pantry (where people in your community can access food donations if they need to).

  • The local shelter for families experiencing homelessness

  • A nearby organization that supports young parents who need support

Find local resources by calling 2-1-1 (the human services hotline) if it’s available in your area.

What You'll Need

*It’s always okay to swap items or adapt your challenge to the needs of your local organization. Use the challenge checklist to reflect and remind you to keep up your daily act of giving.

Instructions

This project takes a bit of planning to set up but requires only minutes a day as a family once you get started. 

  1. First, choose the organization you plan to support. 

  2. Call or check their website to be sure they can accept your donations and ask if they have any specific needs.

  3. Ask about any recommendations or drop-off times.

  4. Purchase the items for your countdown. 

  5. Make time each day to add the countdown item to your basket and talk about the conversation starter on the printable. NOTE: You don’t necessarily have to go in order!  

Reflection Questions

Enjoy the reflection questions on your preferred printable! When your project is complete, use these questions to think about your project overall:

  • Close your eyes and imagine if you were the person receiving this basket. How would you feel about the gift? How do you think you might feel about needing this help? 

  • Can you think of a time when you needed help? How did it feel when someone gave you a hand?

  • What else can our family do to help others through the organization we’ve just supported?

Resources

  • The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau
    A talented seamstress makes beautiful quilts for the poor and the homeless. When the king who has everything decides he must have one of her creations, she tells him he must give away everything; then she will give him a quilt. In the process of shedding his many possessions, the king finds true happiness. No summary can do justice to the mesmerizing, fairy-tale quality of this beautiful story.

  • Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting
    A simple story of a boy and his father who live in an airport terminal as they struggle to earn money to rent an apartment. Ages 4 and up. 

  • The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage
    This Newbery Honor book makes it clear that family and friends are greater treasures than any objects. The story introduces us to Armand, a  homeless, solitary man. He discovers a family with children living under a bridge. He cherishes what they bring to his life, yet knows he must work to find them a better home.  

Take it Further

  • Recruit help! Ask friends and neighbors to support your donation drive. Leave a basket out on your doorstep and invite them to drop off items from your list. Write thank-you notes to those who donate.

  • Make it a group project by inviting everyone in your scout’s troop or on your athletic team -- for example -- to participate. Volunteer to drop off everyone’s completed basket at the end of the countdown.

  • Kits can be fun! You may want to create hygiene kits for refugees with Church World Service or back-to-school kits for students in your area.

  • Keep learning about those who need help in your community by getting more engaged. Pick up a shift to serve a meal at a local soup kitchen or shelter or volunteer to help restock the food pantry.

Still looking?

Find more ways to fight poverty and share kindness with these unique projects.

 Back to Pick a Project...

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The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.