“Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” —Albert Schweitzer

The holidays are a great time to pause, reflect and recharge. It’s also a great time to give back to those who are less fortunate.

We recently joined our partner Giveback Homes on an unforgettable build trip to Nicaragua to help build a home for the Garcia family — who, like many, are living in inadequate housing. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity, we worked alongside several Giveback Homes members, as well as Lion & Orb and Concierge Auctions to give the family of eight a safe and stable place to call home. You can view pictures from the trip here.

In the spirit of giving, we wanted to share five easy ways you can give back this holiday season:

1. Collect used coats, clothes or toys at your office to donate. Donating your gently-used coats is a great way to clean out your closet while giving back. Our Sacramento offices are currently gathering coats and toys to donate to One Warm Coat for local needy families.
2. Give to a charitable organization in your client’s name. Consider personalizing your donation by choosing a cause close to your client’s heart: animal shelters for pet owners, a children’s hospital for families, third world entrepreneurs for business moguls, etc. Giveback Homes also has both local and international build projects you can donate to on behalf of your client.
3. Get active while giving back. Consider signing up for a charity race to raise money for a good cause. A local Jingle 5k Walk/Run asked for participants to bring an unwrapped toy to be donated to local families in need. You could even invite your clients, family and friends to join you!
4. Host a benefit event. Hosting a benefit event such as a dinner, office party or happy hour is a great way to get others in your community (i.e., co-workers, family and friends, clients) involved too. You could ask guests to bring an item to contribute, host a silent auction or donate all proceeds from the event to a local cause.
5. Volunteer your time. Donating items or writing a check is great, but giving your time can sometimes be the most rewarding and greatest gift of all. Visiting a nursing home, volunteering at a soup kitchen or helping Wreaths Across America with wreath-laying ceremonies are all things that require only a bit of your time.

If you’re interested in giving beyond the holidays, check out this blog post to see how you can integrate social giving into your business all year long.

Want to join the Giveback Homes movement? Sign-up today, and enter REX as your Building Code to receive the special Pro Member plan rate of $25/month.