Single parents carry a lot, and the holidays can make it heavier. If you know a single-parent family, or want to help families you have never met, here are five simple ways to make a difference.
1. Offer your time. Babysitting for an afternoon so a parent can shop, rest or work can be one of the most valuable gifts you give. Time is often what single parents have the least of.
2. Share a meal. Invite a single-parent family to your holiday table, or drop off a home-cooked dish. A shared meal says “you are not alone” better than words can.
3. Help with the kids’ holiday. Offer to take the kids to make or buy a small gift for their parent. Kids in single-parent homes often need another adult to help with this, and it means a lot to both the child and the parent.
4. Give to your local food bank. Food banks see more need during the holidays. Donating food, money or volunteer time to a local food bank helps many families at once.
5. Support thejdfoundationforkids.org. Our foundation was created by JustDivorced.com to help single-parent families with food and shelter at Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can give through our Donate page. You can also help by sharing our website with friends, or with a single parent who might need help.
Small acts of kindness add up. This season, a little help from you could make the holidays brighter for a family that needs it.