It is at the height of the Holiday season, and even as some of us are warm and safe in our homes with a belly full of food, there are those who are not so fortunate. There are many needy souls in poorer countries, but one doesn’t have to look too far to see people struggling with the times and falling short of a decent standard of living.
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The kindhearted generosity of many individuals bound up together can produce some miraculously grand results, and this is the fuel that drives non-government organizations such as the Red Cross and Habitat For Humanity in their corresponding vocations.
The “little people” can make a lot of difference; what more the large juridical persons we have crafted, the corporations? With so much wealth and potential to help imbued in these entities, we should steer them towards doing good for mankind.
There are many ways these companies can contribute to ease the suffering of people in need, and they need not require a large financial investment. Sometimes, straight out cash donations can be less effective in that the funds are dispersed and are overall less effective in providing help. That is why some particularly “big” gifts should be considered by companies with big hearts and a budget surplus:
Storage Containers
There are literally thousands of these large transport containers that are constantly being decommissioned and left out to rust. These huge steel boxes make for some of the most durable and practical housing units with just a coat of paint and some thermal insulation to prevent them from becoming ovens under the sun, or ice boxes in the winter.
Logistics and transport companies probably already have some of these containers to spare, and donating some to be the basis of shelters can make a lot of people’s lives a bit more tolerable. It will require some government help or a particularly generous patron with some land to spare to put these storage container dwellings on.
Cargo Pallets
You’d be surprised how multi-useful these things are, aside from their primary use for keeping cargo in place and facilitating them being moved around by forklifts. There are many kinds suited for various types and weights of cargo, but most of these can easily be repurposed to make various forms of furniture, a great match to the storage container houses!
As with the storage containers, there will be many discarded and partially broken pallets that can, with some basic carpentry and ingenuity, be converted to beds, tables, couches, and other basic furniture.
Used Trucks
Often times, a community could really use the capability of moving many things and people around. This is particularly needed in places that have been visited by a natural disaster. Trucks and other vehicles can really help in these situations, moving people and their valued property out of harm’s way, or move them back in after things have calmed down.
Motor vehicle donations might seem a little steep, but with some corporations, there are usually some old and unused vehicles in the motor pool that needs a little bit of repair and parts replacement to get running. If none are available, one can always browse around auction and sales sites like NextTruck for very affordable second-hand trucks.
I hope we never stop tiring of being generous and helpful, and Happy Holidays to everyone!
Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and contributes to a group blog, Word Baristas.
