25 Good Deeds Every Arab American Can Do This Holiday Season
BY: Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer
1. Donate a “hatta” or any warm clothing to those in need at Arab America’s empowerment networking event on December 13. Financial contributions are also welcome and can be made at YouCaring.
2. Organize a day for feeding the hungry at your church or mosque. If you’re unable to do so, find a soup kitchen to volunteer at for a day.
3. Support your local Arab American businesses by taking friends and family to eat at their restaurants and shop at their stores. Leave your server at the restaurant a generous tip for double the good deeds!
4. Donate new or gently used household items (kitchenware, furniture, bedding, towels, etc.) to your local refugee resettlement agency to help incoming Syrian, Iraqi, Yemeni and other refugee families.
5. Purchase “boutique” items and gifts from Palestine to help stimulate their economy, such as Terra Sancta wine and arak or Palbox, a Palestinian gift box.
6. Donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – the nation’s leading hospital in advancing treatments for children with cancer – which was established by Arab American actor and comedian, Danny Thomas.
7. Shovel the sidewalk and driveway of your neighbor.
8. Buy a bag of quality groceries and give them to your local food bank.
9. Send a dozen fresh flowers to someone you truly appreciate.
10. Make a traditional Arab dinner for your parents or grandparents.
11. For that person who has everything, make a donation in their name to an Arab American non-profit or charity, such as UNRWA-USA, ACCESS, or ANERA as opposed to buying a gift.
12. Bake an Arab dessert like ma’amoul, baklawa, or halawah and give them to a neighbor.
13. Call your grandparents to catch up and tell them that you love them.
14. Offer to clean the house of someone who’s going through a tough time in your family or is feeling ill.
15. Create a gift basket filled with your favorite Arab items: olive oil, za’atar, bizzer, coffee, teas, figs, dates, pistachios, dried fruits, etc. Send the basket to a loved one that has been away from home in a long time.
16. Collect unused toys at your church or mosque and donate them to your local toy drive, such as the Jalazone Holiday Drive happening in Chicago, Detroit, Houston, and the DC area.
17. Welcome guests into your home that are traveling to your area for the holidays.
18. Volunteer anywhere: a local shelter, a nursing home, a hospital, a school, a community event, etc.
19. Share a positive and empowering news story about Arab Americans to your social media pages. Inspire others to do the same.
20. Set up Sling TV’s Arabic channels for your grandparents. They might need your help with the technology and would love to get a visit from you!
21. In the Arab tradition, visit a person who recently lost a family member during the holidays and offer support in any way.
22. Do a good green deed: recycle all recyclables for a month, take shorter showers, plant a tree, buy a reusable water bottle, switch to energy efficient light bulbs, clean up your local park, use reusable bags, etc.
23. Write, email, or call your congressperson, telling them to defend your civil rights.
24. Take your child or grandchild to an ethnic or religious institution that is different than yours, such as a Native American museum or a Hindu temple.
25. Do a good deed for yourself and cut a bad habit, such as smoking, overeating, complaining, or gossiping.