It is everyone’s favorite time of year…the holiday season! This year make an effort to give back in ways you have not before. Here are three caring ways to make an impact on your life and the lives of others that can bring joy all year long.

This holiday season, give an animal a forever home. You can gift yourself or someone else with a new furry friend you adopted instead of buying. Camden Communities are pet-friendly and most allow up to three pets in the apartment home. A great place to get started with adopting is ASPCA. This organization tirelessly works to protect cats and dogs. The ASPCA’s website is user-friendly and can show you pets available for adoption near you.

Photo Courtesy Of Camden Shady Grove

Make homemade holiday cards with your friends and family and drop them off to hometown heroes. Your Welcome Center staff at your Camden community can let you know where the closest fire station, hospital, and police station are. A decorative card giving thanks and appreciation is sure to brighten the day of many hometown heroes here in Houston. These first responders have to work most days, including holidays, and miss out on so many precious moments with their families. A great engagement idea would be to go on your MyCamden Portal and invite another resident to join you in the Community Workspace to create these cards to give in thoughtfulness to the heroes of Houston.

Photo Courtesy Of Camden Cypress Creek

The holiday season is the perfect time of year to give back by downsizing your apartment closets and donating select items to non-profit companies near you. A great place to start is Goodwill. There are Goodwill stores across many Houston areas such as Cypress, Midtown, and Downtown. Camden residents will donate any closet clutter with ease while also giving back this holiday season. If you cannot make it to stores to donate in person, there are many non-profits that will also pick up from your Camden community. A few of those companies ready and willing to make it to your Camden community are PickUpMyDonation.com, AMVETS National Service Foundation, and The Arc. These companies work all over the US in cities such as Nashville, Dallas, and Atlanta Donating items in your closet is a great way to create more space in your apartment for a fresh start to the new year and an amazing way to give back as it could help so many of those in need.

Photo Courtesy Of Camden Vanderbilt

The end of the year is not only holiday season but a time to reflect on the year you have had. This is a great time to take in the new and give back with your versed items. For more ways to be charitable in Houston, check out this blog on Camden Cares!