How do you choose a charity? A common interest like animals, children, certain diseases that have touched your life, a noble cause following tragedy like tornado, hurricane, or extended compromise like war, or perhaps a specific celebrity endorsement? There are over 1 million charities registered in the US as of 2013 and that's just the US. One million. One thing that I'd like to encourage you to do is to examine the financial records of a charity you either want to contribute to or already do. Charities have to provide full disclosure so those records are readily available online. It's important that a charity is responsible with their financial contributions and that they manage their overhead, administrative, and marketing costs with genuine responsibility. If they are spending more on "business" costs than they are actually using to support their cause you may want to investigate another charity option with a similar focus. Please reach out if I can help in any way! Take An Extra Bag to help out a worth charity!

72 - the number of days until Thanksgiving!
99 - the number of days until Christmas!
1- the number of people it takes to make a difference in someone's life. Get those gears spinning to collaborate with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors about how you can reach out to those less fortunate. 
**non-perishable food items collection event
**gently used clothing drive
**holiday toy drive (don't forget items that teens could enjoy)
**gift card collections (donate gift cards to a local charity to offset costs)
**diapers and formula for a baby drive
**winter coat drive
**personal hygiene items (often shelters have shower programs)

what else can you think of? is there something specific to your part of the world? talk it out. better yet, talk it out with kids. Kids have amazingly thoughtful minds and clever ideas about who needs what. Take An Extra Bag and start planning to change a life today.

Please share this post to help those struggling to feed their children or grandchildren or dependents in one fashion or another. Resources exist and people desperately want to help care for our worlds children but perhaps they don't know how. No Kid Hungry is an awesome organization and they can make an enormous difference for kids and families across our nation. Please please share!! https://www.nokidhungry.org/