Do you give back in some way or do you hope to?

Giving of your time, talent, passions and resources is wildly important. As Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get and we make a life by what we give." And, as 6 moms, we are hoping to instill this love for our neighbors as we raise our children to be good humans. As Emilee noted, "I believe we are all called to give back, but in this phase of life, building the next generation of givers is crucial to our future society." But, sometimes we see need in the world and we don't know how to help, which organziations to support, where we can make a lasting impact and how we can model how crucial this is for our children. With that, we each share thoughts and ideas for giving back. We share how this has been a part of our families and how we hope to do more. As Ashley shares, "There’s something grounding about service. It’s a reminder that we’re all connected and that small acts of kindness really do matter. My hope is to continue finding ways to give back, both with my family and on my own, in meaningful, hands-on ways."

Emilee, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

With everything going on in the world, giving is more important than ever before. Yes, we give to our church and we give to various organizations, but to us, giving is also a life lesson we want to instill in our kids. Why? Because it instills empathy and gratitude and we personally believe these to be very important traits as they get older. Giving and SEEING the need is crucial for growing into a loving and empathetic adult.

How do we teach this? By showing them what giving looks like. Since they don’t see our monthly or annual monetary contributions, we try and show them in other ways. When we plan day outings for downtown Chicago, my husband brings an allotted amount of cash to give to homeless people as we pass. One time my husband didn’t bring cash and my son was so concerned we didn’t give cash to someone he took out his own money to give them.

When we see people in the intersections asking for money, we give it if we have it on hand, but sometimes we will hand them unopened water or snacks we have in our car. The kids SEE this. We don’t always have money or food on hand and my kids feel sad when we can’t help. Once, they were so sad about not giving a homeless man something, we drove to a nearby drive-thru and bought food to give to a homeless man. Are we making a difference in that homeless person’s life? Maybe. Am I making a difference in my child’s? Absolutely.

At Christmas my kids love to pick giving ornaments off the Christmas tree and pick out coats or toys to donate. Last fall a friend asked for warm clothing and winter gear for children in need. My kids helped me gather clothes and organize it to donate.

I believe we are all called to give back, but in this phase of life, building the next generation of givers is crucial to our future society.

Ali, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

Each year, we support a family during the holidays, and this tradition has become even more meaningful as our kids get older. Involving them in choosing gifts and explaining why giving back matters always sparks the most wonderful, thoughtful conversations.

We’ve also had the opportunity to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children, where our kids helped pack meals for families in need. Seeing the impact of their efforts firsthand opened their eyes to how even small actions can make a big difference.

Closer to home, we believe in helping right within our community — sometimes that looks like providing meals, and other times it’s offering experiences or simple acts of kindness. It’s a reminder that even within our little bubble, there are always ways to show up for others.

There’s always room to do more, and I’m excited to learn from others so that our family’s list of ways to give continues to grow.

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root & Founder of Spilling Goodness

Helping when you can help, showing up for your neighbors near and far and caring about a cause that impacts the world are all things I try to live by and model for my children. While we have tried to give back consistently, I would love to give back in more impactful ways. Years ago, my daughter and I volunteered for A. R. F. (Animal Rescue Foundation) and as it happened, we had to bring her younger brothers with us - while they were enthusiastic, their help wasn't all that "helpful." When I told my daughter that we would have to find another way to help, tears rolled down her cheeks as she said, "But, Mom, I want to help ALL the kitties." While we adopted two cats of our own, this honest reaction to want to help as much as possible is something I feel deeply. With that, here are a few ideas:

• Ronald McDonald House: I will call our local Ronald McDonald "Room" at the nearby hospital and see what they need when I know I'm going to Costco. We've also dropped off new board games and little toys that they can share with any kids or siblings.

• Special Spaces: This is a local organization that creates dream bedrooms for kids going through cancer treatments - I would love to help them next year.

• Adopt a family: We will be adopting a family this holiday season with my daughter's Girl Scout troop.

• Charitable Giving: Every birthday and Christmas, we each choose a charity near and dear to our hearts for a financial contribution. We discuss causes and each kiddo picks a charity that they care about. This all started when we set up a Charitable Giving Account at the advise of our tax advisor - this fund grows tax-free and you can send donations directly from the fund. If you give frequently, it may be worth looking into.

Jen, Bespoke Travel Designer from @GlobalonDemandTravel

Each year during the holidays, our family has a tradition of giving back. Our kids choose a cause that’s meaningful to them, research the organization, and decide how much they’d like to contribute. We then match their donation to double the impact of their gift.

Over the years, they’ve chosen a wide range of causes — from supporting shelters for families escaping domestic violence, to donating gifts to children’s hospitals, to sending care packages and surprises to soldiers stationed overseas. It’s become one of our favorite family traditions, reminding us all that the spirit of the holidays is about kindness, empathy, and helping others.

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

I’ve worked for non-profit organizations most of my career. I know how reliant these organizations are on donors to sustain their programs. Some need volunteers, and others need financial contributions. While I love being hands-on, I’m grateful to be in a financial position where I can donate consistently to organizations that are important to me.

In 2024, I joined a non-profit in Illinois in order to put my time and talents to work!

In 2025, I sponsored a local girls’ softball team through my business. Girls' and women’s sports are

having a HUGE moment. I want young girls to see their community supporting their goals! I plan to do it again in 2026 and hopefully expand to more teams.

Loaves & Fishes has family volunteer nights as well as adult and teen volunteer opportunities. Their food pantry has seen a significant increase in traffic in the past few years, requiring more donations and more volunteers. Being able to give families in need the dignity and respect they need to help their families is an honor. I’ve done it solo and with my kids and both were impactful.

Ashley, Millennial Mom Nutrition Coach from @AshleyBreaksTheCycle

Giving back is something that’s become increasingly important to me, both as an individual and as a mom. Recently, my family and I volunteered with End Hunger New England, helping prepare meals for families in need. It was such a rewarding experience for all of us, especially for our kids to see firsthand what community support looks like. We’ve already signed up for another volunteer day in November, and I’m really looking forward to making it a regular family tradition.

I’m also an active member of Al-Anon, a community that has played a huge role in my personal growth and healing. Over the years, I’ve served as both secretary and treasurer, and those roles have been my way of giving back to a group that has given me so much.

There’s something grounding about service. It’s a reminder that we’re all connected and that small acts of kindness really do matter. My hope is to continue finding ways to give back, both with my family and on my own, in meaningful, hands-on ways.

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How do you give back or do you hope to?