The InVisionary

December is traditionally known for winter weather, holiday greetings, and the season of giving. With holidays such as Kwanza, Hanukkah, Christmas, and more that are celebrated throughout the month, December has been deemed “the month of giving,” stemming from the spirit of the holidays that include giving gifts to family and close friends.  
 
According to National Today, the concept of giving gifts came to life around the 15th century with connections to the Christmas holiday, that eventually made way for the myth of Santa Claus—encouraging acts of service and good deeds during the month of December to earn a “clean slate.” Giving throughout December is still reflected today, as many people make donations to organizations, charities, and non-profits at the end of the year.
 
Along with sharing the history of the month of giving, National Today also touches on ways to give—such as hosting a charity event, volunteering, or donating items like clothing and books—as well as the importance of giving. Giving and acts of service not only contribute to changing the lives of others and help reduce poverty, but the act of giving can also have positive benefits on our mental well-being.
 

Giving Tuesday

In alignment with the theme of giving, the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving holiday is commemorated globally as Giving Tuesday—this year falling on December 3rd. Giving Tuesday was founded by the 92nd Street Y in New York City in 2012 as a partnership with the United Nations Foundation, with a goal to inspire large companies to participate in giving.
 
GivingTuesday has since evolved into a nonprofit organization behind the mission of the powerful movement aimed to inspire people around the world to give to others and show generosity. Whether it be through acts of kindness, acts of service, volunteering, or donations, the ways to give on Giving Tuesday are endless; but most importantly, aid in working toward building a better world for everyone as we help those in need. The GivingTuesday official website even offers resources, inspiration, and campaign materials for those looking to participate.
 

Giving and Mental Health

Similarly to acts of kindness, giving and helping others can have a positive impact on our mental-wellbeing, and support finding meaning in our lives.
 
“Giving to others creates purpose and meaning in our lives and allows us to connect with others through the experience of being human,” Licensed Clinical Social Worker with InVision Behavioral Health, Lauren Burling, said. “It is why we often see people request donations in lieu of flowers to honor someone’s memory, as contributing to a meaningful cause is a wonderful way to honor the things a person held or holds dearest to them. Sometimes it is not the thing that we give to someone that matters, so much as the meaning that the act of giving holds for us.”
 
In an article by Cleveland Clinic, readers learn that giving can result in more than just a smile; it can also cause a chemical response within our brains. Giving can promote the production of “feel good” chemicals within our bodies, such as serotonin (mood regulation), dopamine (also known as the “happy” hormone), and oxytocin (connection with others). The article notes that giving is also associated with lowering blood pressure and supporting heart health, longer lifespan, stress reduction, and boosted self-esteem.
 
Additionally, an article from the American Psychological Association states that studies “have demonstrated that spending money on someone other than yourself promotes happiness. That’s because when we behave generously—be it donating money to charity or giving a loved one something they really want for a holiday—it creates more interaction between the parts of the brain associated with processing social information and feeling pleasure.”
 

Giving to InVision Foundation

InVision Foundation is the philanthropic branch of InVision Human Services that works to raise money in support of person-driven services for the people supported by our organization. Through the Foundation's various programs—such as the See Beyond Fund, Personal Enrichment Grants, Meaningful Lives Grants, and Greatest Needs Grants—funds donated to the Foundation are used to provide the people we support with opportunities they may not be able to access otherwise due to financial barriers.
 
Whether it be supporting vacations, day trips, hobbies and interests, medical needs, home renovations, care packages, independent living, Community Supports activities, or entertainment, the Foundation steps in to provide the people we support at InVision with experiences that help shape what they find meaningful within their lives.
 
Each year during the month of December, InVision Foundation also applies to participate in the Giving Tree through the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber to ensure the people we support receive gifts, as not all of the people we support have family around to provide such gifts for them. The people we support submit their wishes to be fulfilled by the Giving Tree and have something to look forward to opening in celebration of the holidays. For any gifts not fulfilled by the Giving Tree program, InVision Foundation steps in to purchase to ensure each person who submits a wish receives a gift.  
 
InVision Foundation is incredibly grateful for all our individual, vendor, Foundation, corporate, and government donors. The continued support from our donors allows us to provide consistent and meaningful opportunities to the people we support through the funding of our programs. A huge thank you to our 2024 corporate donors!
 

• PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE)
• Arconic Foundation
• Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust
• United Way of Washington County
• A.J. and Sigismunda Palumbo Charitable Trust
• Jendeco Construction and the Peter C. Dozzi Family Foundation
• PDC Pharmacy
• Henderson Brothers, Inc.
• AssuredPartners of Pennsylvania

Giving this December

Now that we have touched on the history, benefits, and the impact giving has for InVision as an organization, it’s time to plan out ways we can give this year. While not everyone is in a position to give financially, giving in ways that are not linked to monetary value are equally as important. As such, we’ve outlined a list of ways to give this December, and throughout the year:
 

• Acts of service
• Volunteering
• Donating items we no longer need or use
• Practicing kindness
• Saying, “thank you”
• Complimenting others
• Spending quality time with others
• Being emotionally available
• Making others laugh
• Hand-made cards
• Hand-written letters
• Making others feel seen, heard, and valued

How will you give to others during the month of giving this year?
 
For more information and ways to donate to InVision Foundation, please visit the Foundation page on our website.