Spreading the Holiday Spirit... What is happening in your neck of the woods to spread holiday cheer to those less fortunate?We have a large population of homeless here and especially in the winter when it very cold in Northern US. Our feeding centers and overnight centers are overflowing so many hundreds of the over a thousand homeless men, women, children and their pets sleep in the woods. According to our surveys over 30% are veterans of our military who have emotional or physical problems and have fallen on very hard times. There are several groups of volunteers who collect clothing, foods, tarps, tents and water and drop it at the small tent cities that dot the area. We have a several feedings a week and one big one from the organization, "Food Not Bombs".
For Christmas we have a cool sock collection. We ask people to buy 3 pairs of boot socks and roll up one sock and place it in the bottom of the other. The fill the stocking with a bar of soap, tube of tooth paste, tooth brushes, razors, candy bars, peanut butter, bouillon cubes, a bandana, beanie cap or whatever you imagination brings forth. Then we encourage all to bring their 3 stockings to an annual Christmas Party at a downtown park or we arrange pick up. Everyone has a great time especially the homeless who are all nearly forgotten by many.
I know that many of our sly sisters and brothers are busy donating their time to similar efforts. So I was wondering what's happening in your neighborhoods? 
