Holiday cheer is often spread through giving gifts, but some feel people get so caught up in buying presents they forget the true meaning of the holidays.
To keep the spirit of giving alive during the holiday season, Baton Rouge charities are proving a little can go a long way.
The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank has a program that encourages donations to provide meals for families in need during the holidays, according to Vice President of Food Procurement Amy Sellers.
The organization thanks donors with small gifts, like a stuffed animal for donations of $25, Sellers said. Donors can also receive a token reminiscent of the holiday meal they are providing to a family — Pierre Pig or Thibodeaux Turkey, which are dressed in chef hats and aprons. Sellers said many donors give the toy to their children or grandchildren, but they may also donate it to be placed in a care basket.
“You can always get a little smile out of [the kids],” Sellers said.
Sellers said some in need find it difficult to come in and seek assistance, and the organization tries to make the experience as pleasant as possible.
She said the Pierre Pig tradition was started in 2004 as an effort to bring the community together during the holidays.
“It’s a fun and easy way to start collecting hams and turkeys,” Sellers said.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge also has two operating programs that give back to the community.
Through one program, local residents or organizations can sponsor a family and provide them with everyday essential items they are unable to obtain, such as clothing, household goods and toys for children, said Communications Coordinator Carol Spruell.
“It’s a way to really bring the meaning of Christmas by fulfilling the need of the community,” Spruell said.
The community’s response has been so strong that Spruell said there are currently no more available families to sponsor, but new families are being added to the list. Applicable families are screened to ensure help goes where it is really needed.
Spruell said some families in need of provisions are refugees from Myanmar, Iraq and African countries including Eritrea. She said these people often come directly from camps from countries affected by war or persecution.
The second program collects donations to help finance local families’ increased utility bills during the winter months. Spruell said this program is largely done for senior citizens with fixed incomes, and donations have been dwindling in the past few years.
Meghan Malbrough, cardiopulmonary science sophomore, isn’t sure to which charity she’ll donate this holiday season but said she usually gives to the Salvation Army. She said she thinks giving back to the community is important because everyone deserves their fair share.
“I do it out of kindness,” Malbrough said.
 
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Contact Haylie Navarre at [email protected]