Giving back this holiday season

Thanksgiving has always been a day where families and friends come together to share a great meal and reflect on what they have to be thankful for. Even when things are most stressful, relaxing with your family and appreciating what you have is a great way to kick back.On top of all the stereotypical thanksgiving traditions that people participate in during November, a good way to celebrate the holidays is to give back to your community.A lot of people take thanksgiving as a way to not only appreciate what they are lucky to have, but to also help out those in their community that don’t have these things available to them. Lots of students at Samo are active in volunteering at local homeless shelters, churches and organizations that help out the less fortunate.Helpings Hands is a club at Samo that actively volunteers and gives back to the community year-round, but the thanksgiving season is especially busy. Club president Amalia Davis del Piccolo (’17) explains why people tend to volunteer more during thanksgiving.“At some point, people begin to realize how fortunate they are to have what they have,” Piccolo said. “There are so many homeless people in the L.A. County and so many families that struggle to get by. Sometimes it’s important, even if for one day a year, for some people to give a hand for someone that needs it.”There are easy ways for people to help out. Many churches conduct clothes and food drives, such as one held by St. Monica Catholic Church. Drives like this allow anyone to drop by and donate a sweater or some shoes that have been hiding in the back of their closet, and this small action can positively impact someone out there who is really cold but can’t afford the nice wool sweater you’re wearing.This Thanksgiving season, the are many opportunities to help out your community by giving back and lending a helping hand.