EDITORIAL

The Advocate-Messenger

The holiday season is a great time to find ways to give back to those in need.

An opportunity to make your donation go even further is upon us once again.

The annual GoodGiving Challenge starts today, and there are several local charities participating.

These charities range from the arts, support for deaf adults, child development, court advocacy and financial assistance for those in need from our community.

Charities from Boyle County participating include CASA of the Bluegrass, Family Services Association of Boyle County, Art Center of the Bluegrass and Kentucky ADAPT.

This is the ninth year for the challenge that connects nonprofits in Kentucky with donors through an online platform.

The Challenge will run from 9 a.m. Dec. 3 through 11:59 p.m., Monday, Dec. 9.

The challenge is a partnership between Blue Grass Community Foundation and Smiley Pete Publishing and has raised $10 million for local charities since its inception in 2011.

Every day during the challenge, there will be challenges and opportunities to win prizes for nonprofits when making a donation — secure contributions via credit card or ACH checking — at BGgives.org, according to a news release.

That means your donation could be matched with more funds throughout the challenge, sometimes helping to double what the nonprofit earns throughout the week.

You can take a look at all the local nonprofits and the more than 100 others from central Kentucky that are participating in the challenge at bggives.org.

If you’re looking for a way to help others this holiday season, the GoodGiving Challenge is a good way to do that.

About a third of charitable giving happens in December, as people look for ways to brighten the lives of others around the holiday seasons, but please remember the need is not limited to the holidays.

People are in need year-round and small acts of kindness can make a big difference throughout the year.

While an influx of giving at the holidays certainly helps charities, most still fall short of the amount they need or would like to raise to meet the needs of those in our community. By donating even a small amount regularly throughout the year, you can help these charities keep up with expenses year-round. Additionally, you’ll likely be able to donate more if you do so in small increments monthly or out of each paycheck, rather than waiting to make a large donation at the end of the year when you’ll be buying Christmas gifts and spending money on holidays.

And donations do not have to be limited to money — donate clothing you no longer need, food you will not be eating and whatever extra time you have as a volunteer for a charity of your choice.

This is a great time to give, but also consider those in need year-round. Those of us who are more fortunate can have a huge impact in the lives of others who are not.