How to donate without spending a penny – part 1

Come holiday season, giving is on many people’s minds. As an unemployed student, it’s hard enough to shop for family and friends. Giving to people you may never meet might just seem beyond you (and your wallet)…
But they need you!

No money? No worries! (And no excuses.)

Here’s a (wish)list of things you can give without really giving – while getting satisfaction and happiness 😀 :

1. Hair
   For girls (or guys!) with long hair: fight cancer by giving your ponytail to those in need of hair prosthetics! A Google search will give you many resources, but here’s a few websites I’ve found:
   Locks of Love
   Pantane Beautiful Lengths
   Angel Hair for Kids, supported by The Fringe Hair Company of Calgary
   Canadian Cancer Society‘s guide on hair donations
   For those with shorter hair: Locks of Love wants your hair, too! Or, you can join or start your own campaign or fundraiser and shave for awareness. (bald is the new black..?) 

   

    

2. Blood
   I’m not the expert here, having never donated blood myself.
   An eligible blood donor is between 17 to 61 years old and weighs at least 50 kg (110 lb). A few other specific medical requirements can be found on the above website.
   According to Canadian Blood Services, “Every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood. That someone could be a loved one, a friend, a co-worker – or even you.” 

   

    

3. Recyclables
   This is especially great for you lazy tree-huggers. Just call up your local Scout Group, or leave a bag labelled Scouts on your curb on a bottle drive date. (I find dates for my neighbourhood in the monthly community newsletter. You can also go here and type in your postal code.)
   Vecova also collects your empties to help and empower persons with disabilities (just call 403-267-1240). You can also drop ’em off at 20 Research Place NW or here.
   Instead of whole aluminum cans, the Ronald McDonald House collects pop tabs. The money received from recycling centres is then used to provide a place to stay for families that have traveled far from home so their child can received medical treatment. (Here‘s a list of locations. The first one is in Calgary. You can also find house-shaped cardboard collection containers in schools, community centres, and etc.)