As the school year begins, I am thinking not just of the golden evenings between school days, but of the need for help around us.  My students come from a variety of backgrounds, and some are in need of basic clothing, food, and a roof over their heads.  Our country is in the midst of storms and power outages, and though my little world is quite stable, that’s not the case for others.  My daughter asks about the people in Texas, Florida and the ‘Islands’ and if they are home yet.  These tough questions from a four year old bring it home: I have much, so I can give back.  We chose to donate to the Houston Food Bank but there are so many other charities and organizations to choose from.

Birthdays, celebrations and holidays begin to loom over my head, as the resident gift-giver for our family.  I began to look into not only making our own gifts, but also companies who gave back. Thanks to Buzzfeed, I found a great beginning article on charitable companies and how they help.  It’s a beginning!  So my awareness for this time: how can I give back?  How can you?