The best of the community always seems to come out this time of the year.
As the holiday season approaches, organizations are gearing up efforts to help the less fortunate.
There are a number of ways to lend a hand to those in need.
Last year, one local businesses owner anonymously bought Christmas for a young man he read about, providing a special Christmas for the boy. No doubt that will have an impact on the young man for years to come, knowing there are kind, compassionate individuals that care.
The more practical way for most of us to be benevolent is giving to one of the local charities.
One of the most successful programs the last few years has been Ignite's "Boxes of Love," which has provided food, essential items and toys to families in need for the past several years. Organizers expect to reach some 800-850 families this year.
Ignite brings together churches and businesses to provide needed resources that encourage community involvement and participation in worthy projects.
The "Boxes of Love" has been its biggest cause over the years.
Ignite has partnered with Feed the Children the last couple of years to stretch its dollars and provide more aid for those having difficulty making ends meet. The charity has benefited from the generosity of local businesses.
Companies like Nucor have gotten involved in the effort, supporting "Boxes of Love" by donating both money and time. Nucor has been the quintessential corporate citizen over the years, once donating $1 million to the Great River Promise. The company's latest substantial donation, a $40,000 gift, helped set up the Blytheville Water Bill Assistance program, which will help impoverished individuals with their water bills next year.
For the past several years, employees of the steel-maker, recently recognized as ARCF's Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation, have given generous gifts to Ignite. Jeff Kennon's team has put together a Christmas float each year, and all its sponsor money goes to the Ignite program. Employees bring toys and make donations. And that's just one company. There are a number of other organizations and individuals supporting the cause as well.
Southern Bancorp is a prime example. The local bank has a toy drive in association with Ignite, lasting through Dec. 16.
Those items make Christmas a little brighter for those down on their luck.
Another worthy cause is the annual Farmers Bank foster children's toy drive. The local bank will once again be collecting toys for the foster children in Mississippi County and also for The Haven, beginning the day after Thanksgiving. It needs toys and items for ages infants to teenagers that can be dropped off at any of the branches.
Meanwhile, Southern Bancorp and the local Sears have both undertaken canned food drives for the holiday season. Farmers Bank recently held a coat drive, while Southern Bancorp has a coat drive that runs through January.
Yet another project this year is Operation Christmas Child, whose collection site is First Baptist Church.
Local volunteers have been filling empty shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, hygiene items and notes of encouragement for needy kids overseas. Blytheville families are participating in what has been called the world's largest Christmas project of its kind -- an effort that has hand-delivered 86 million gifts to kids worldwide since 1993, according to project officials.
As one can see, local businesses and individuals show their willingness to be charitable, especially this time of the year.
There are a variety of ways to be altruistic this holiday season.
To me, this is the season of giving and thinking of others. Whether its donating toys, food, hygiene items or time, we can all make a difference someway.
Actually, research has shown helping others benefits both the giver and receiver.
As Acts 20:35 says: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com