The holiday season gives us a great chance to show our children—and remind ourselves—what gratitude really looks like in action. It’s not just about saying “thank you,” but about living it: sharing our time, our talents, our hearts, our hands. In the busy weeks ahead, when we pull together meals, decorate the house, purchase gifts and celebrate, we can also choose to open our lives a little wider.
In the Sioux Falls Area, and beyond, there are so many opportunities for families to step in, give back and practice thankfulness in community. Here are 20 meaningful ways to do just that!
15 Ways to Give Back
Volunteer at a Community Meal Site
Volunteer to serve a meal at local organizations like The Banquet or The Union Gospel Mission in Sioux Falls.
Help at a Food Bank Site
Give your time at one of the local food bank sites! The holiday season can be hard on many families, especially this year. Donate your time to one of the local food banks.
Check out our guide to Sioux Falls Area Food Assistance Programs for where to serve, donate, or utilize.
Donate non-perishable food items or household staples.
This is a great option for those with younger kids! Head to the store to pick up some items to drop off at a local food pantry (see the link above). Many local agencies list what they need on their websites (canned goods, hygiene products, etc.).
Make Care Packages for someone homebound or isolated.
Put together a care package for someone who is homebound or isolated. Include things like socks, candy, or a book. Make sure to include a hand written note or coloring page!
Make it local: Ask around your child’s school or neighborhood for an elderly neighbor who might appreciate a care package and visit.
Host a small “service party” with friends: craft, wrap, or bake and donate together.
For example, bake cookies and deliver them to local first-responders, teachers or nursing-home residents.
The Helpline Center has great ideas of things that you can do from home that helps support an area need!
Adopt a family or child for holiday gifts.
Work with a local non-profit (many in the Sioux Falls area have “angel tree” or similar programs) and include your kids in the process of picking and wrapping.
Write and share thank-you cards for community helpers.
Encourage your children to write cards to local teachers, sanitation workers, bus drivers or first responders.It reinforces that giving back doesn’t always mean money—it can mean gratitude too.
Donate books or puzzles to a local shelter or senior-care facility.
Many senior living places love to receive new books, games, and puzzles for their residents. Take the time to play a game, too!
Give the gift of your presence and listening.
Sometimes simply spending time with someone who might be lonely—visiting a neighbor, writing letters to veterans or older adults—can be a powerful way to give back.
Make an ongoing commitment: choose one monthly “give back” for the next year.
Use the holiday season to launch a year-long mindset of service. Families can commit to one act each month. It turns holiday generosity into a lasting habit and helps children understand service is year-round, not just November.
Send Holiday Cards to Deployed Troops or Veterans.
Write cheerful, heartfelt notes to military members who can’t be home for the holidays. Organizations like A Million Thanks or Operation Gratitude collect and distribute cards nationwide.
Make Fleece Blankets for Shelters.
Buy a no-sew blanket kit or grab fleece fabric and tie the ends together. Donate them to a local animal shelter, children’s hospital, or homeless shelter. For those in the Sioux Falls Area, check out The Helpline Center for more information.
Give the Gift of Time to Your Neighbors.
Offer to rake leaves, shovel snow, or run errands for someone who could use a helping hand — elderly neighbors, new parents, or anyone going through a tough time.
Reduce, Reuse, and Donate.
Use the season to declutter and donate quality items instead of tossing them. Talk to your kids about how giving what we no longer need can help others and the environment.
Raise Funds for a Non-Profit
Your family can pick out an organization that they would like to support, like St. Jude’s or The Ronald McDonald House, and help raise funds to send. Find things to sell around your home, put together a bake sale, or even put together a neighborhood run!
Have a Very Merry and Thankful Holiday Season!
The heart of giving back is simple: we use what we have—time, kindness, presence—to bless someone else. When we walk that out in front of our children, we teach them that the holidays are not only for receiving but for reaching.
As you move through this season in Sioux Falls—whether you’re volunteering at a meal program, donating winter coats, delivering homemade goodies, or simply writing that thank-you note—you’re showing your child something deeply meaningful: community, compassion, gratitude in action. Let’s make this season about more than feasting and fun. Let’s make it about connection, giving, and heart.
