By spending less money on gifts – or taking the road less traveled and skipping gift-giving this year – you could save plenty of money and time to make a difference for those who really need some holiday spirit right now. Whether you choose to donate your own time or money, every action would make a difference to the numerous causes operating online and out in the community.

The first group you could potentially help out is right in your backyard: the Lake County community. It can be easy to be stuck in the “Libertyville bubble,” as some may believe our community to be closed off from others, causing people to be unaware of outside issues, including the surrounding areas struggling for the shelter and food that we take for granted at times.

The PADs shelter in North Chicago accepts volunteers Oct. 1 through April 30 annually and donations year-round by mail or online at padslakecounty.org. PADs is the only emergency shelter for the homeless in Lake County, and by volunteering, you would be able to make and serve meals to families and individuals who have nowhere else to go.

Holiday cheer could also be spread to the Lake County Haven, a house that provides shelter for 10 people at a time and serves to transition women and children from homelessness and toward independent living. Located in Libertyville, the shelter allows for many forms of volunteer work. On Sundays from 1-3 p.m., volunteers are needed to go grocery shopping and return the items to the shelter (the Lake County Haven would provide the grocery list and gift cards).

On Saturdays and Sundays, you could help take inventory of food items in the shelter and formulate a grocery list. Meals and bags of produce are also always being accepted – any night at 5 p.m. for hot meals and Wednesdays at 5 p.m. are the produce drop-off days.  

Countries less fortunate than the United States, as well as victims of recent terrorist attacks, are more potential causes you could give to.

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian non-profit organization that serves to feed malnourished children in 70 countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. At the Libertyville site, you hand-pack food formulated for malnourished children for FMSC to send to their partners around the world to operate orphanages, schools, and clinics. You could grab a group of friends and make a reservation over winter break to help out this cause.

Recent ISIS bombings in France and Lebanon left the countries devastated. Many have taken to social media to post their sentiments or change their profile picture to the French flag on Facebook, however they may not know of the countless charities running to benefit not only France, but Lebanon as well. The Lebanon page on savethechildren.org would allow you to provide for the needs of children and adolescents from recent events by donating directly to the program’s services. Friends Fondation de France is an American organization at nycharities.org that would give donations to their program GIVE FOR FRANCE, which supports programs dedicated to the needs of victims and families of victims of the Nov. 13 attack.

The ongoing Syrian conflict has caused four million Syrians to leave their home to seek asylum in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. The UN Refugee Agency accepts donations online at donate.unhcr.org to provide basic and necessary humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees so they can afford medicine, food, stoves and fuel for heating, insulation for tents, thermal blankets, and warm clothing.

UNICEF is also accepting donations at unicefusa.org for the 7.5 million children affected by the Syrian conflict. UNICEF provides food, water, education, warm clothing, and blankets for Syrians in the country and refugees in the surrounding countries.

Although all of these organizations are supporting necessary causes, there are many more out there that may interest you as well. Also, if you are unwilling or unable to give away money, volunteering at the homeless shelters with your time would leave a sentiment of the same value on those you are serving.