In the spirit of the holiday season, consider giving a gift from the heart; spend time making a personal connection through the donation of time, sharing or serving of food, hospitality, skills or services. In remembering the true sense of the season and by giving from within, you are lifting humanity.

This is a priority for many within the community. The staff of Dallas Theater Center assisted the North Texas Food Bank in sorting more than 6,300 pounds of meat and 10,714 pounds of dry food and goods, as well as boxing more than 8,300 meals. The NTFB advises they are still in dire need of additional foods and services, requiring 300,000 meals a day to feed hungry people in North Texas.

Toys for Tots, a national charity, is accepting new, unwrapped toys and distributing them as Christmas gifts to economically disadvantaged children in the community. Donations are accepted online or at various locations in the metroplex until December 18.

Other ways to include serving the homeless at a soup kitchen; volunteering at a shelter, nursing home or hospital; joining a conservation group to help the environment; and inquire within churches, temples, mosques or other place of worship about their unique needs.

Regardless of whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or something else, this is the time to challenge yourself, promote goodness and improve the life of those around you. Make it a memorable holiday season: instead of obsessing about presents and stressing about money, join your community in making a real difference. Embrace the vision of lifting humanity with the greatest gift of all, the gift of giving back.

Shannon Alexander is the CFO and founder of eCubed Coaching For more information, visit can visit ECubedCoaching.com.