Our view: Your donation to a worthy cause could make someone thankful for you
We hope you had a joyous and fulfilling Thanksgiving shared with loved ones, complete with a feast that will last you through the weekend.
If so, count yourself among the fortunate ones. Too many of us don't have the wherewithal to have a feast - or family and friends with which to share it.
There are plenty of opportunities, however, for people without much means or reasons to celebrate to be thankful - for you.
The Daily Herald for three years now has worked with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation to raise money for local charitable organizations.
Neighbors in Need this holiday season will be raising money for five organizations: The Chicago Dental Society Foundation, whose clinic in Wheaton serves people from Cook, DuPage and Lake counties; District 214 Cares; Lazarus House homeless shelter in St. Charles; the Northern Illinois Food Bank; and WINGS, which provides domestic violence services and housing.
"Hunger, homelessness and health care inequity exist right in our backyard," said Eileen Brown, the Daily Herald's vice president of sales and marketing. "In partnering with the McCormick Foundation, we can help shine a spotlight on a few of the nonprofits that are helping to combat these issues, as well as offering them financial support through the generosity of our readers."
We sought applications this year, and dozens of organizations responded.
It's a way the Daily Herald and McCormick can provide outreach in the suburbs.
For each dollar readers donate, the McCormick Foundation contributes 50 cents, meaning charities receive $1.50 for every $1 donated.
We invite you to make your pledge today at dailyherald.com/neighbors.
If none of these are your cup of tea, there are myriad other excellent organizations that help in ways large and small.
Once you're done with Black Friday today, Small Business Saturday the next day and Cyber Monday two days after that, you have Giving Tuesday.
If you'd like to do some good in the world, the website charitynavigator.com provides wonderful inspiration, whether you would like to help out people in war-torn parts of the world, people in your town in need of food and shelter and animals, among other things.
It provides an analysis of which charities spend the most per dollar donated on the subjects of your charity, not the people who run them.
Don't give til it hurts but til it feels good. Make someone thankful for you.