Giving Back Locally
As the holiday season approaches, we’re reminded that community isn’t just about where we live - it’s about how we show up for one another. Whether it’s providing warm meals, gifting toys to local children, or simply volunteering your time, there are countless ways to spread generosity right here in your own backyard.
If you live in one of our store cities (Midland, Lubbock or Fredericksburg, TX or Franklin,TN) and are looking for meaningful ways to give back this November and December, here are a few local organizations making a real impact - and how you can be part of it.
Midland, TX — Local Charities & Drives
1. West Texas Food Bank (Midland branch)
- What they do: The West Texas Food Bank distributes food to communities across 19 counties, including Midland West Texas Food Bank
- How to help this season: Volunteer at the food bank or at mobile distribution events, host or contribute to a food drive, or donate nonperishable items.
2. Gingerbread Lane (Buckner International – Midland)
- What they do: Gingerbread Lane is a joyful, hands-on holiday event where families build gingerbread houses together. Volunteers help set up, assist families during the creativity-filled competition, and support clean-up. Gingerbread Lane
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How to help this season: Sign up to volunteer through Buckner International — lend a hand with event setup, guide families as they build their gingerbread creations, and help with clean-up. Or if you can’t attend this event, you can still support their mission by donating directly to Buckner International.
3. Disciples Food Pantry at First Christian Church (Midland)
- What they do: The food pantry provides free food to Midland households once a month (served weekly on Wednesdays). fccmidland.org+1
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How to help this season: Volunteer to help serve food, sort donations, or increase donation collections of staple pantry items (canned goods, rice, beans, etc.).
Lubbock, TX — Local Charities & Holiday Giving Opportunities
1. South Plains Food Bank – U Can Share Food Drive (December 8-12)
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What they do: This is one of the largest holiday food drives in the region, collecting thousands of pounds of food to support families in need. https://www.spfb.org/u-can-share-2/
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How to help: Donate canned goods during the December drive or sign up to volunteer at collection sites or warehouse sorting events.
2. Toys for Tots – Lubbock Region
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What they do: Provides Christmas gifts to children in low-income families across Lubbock County. (lubbock-tx.toysfortots.org)
- How to help: Drop off a new, unwrapped toy at local collection sites throughout November and December or assist at distribution events.
3. Open Door (Lubbock)
- What they do: Open Door provides emergency shelter, warm meals, and essential support for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Lubbock — especially when the weather turns cold. https://opendoorlbk.org/
- How to help this season: You can donate warm clothing, blankets, hygiene items or monetary gifts. Or volunteer to serve meals, distribute winter essentials, or help with outreach. The need grows during winter months when more people seek shelter or assistance. https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=cbmntvs0zjhbaq
Fredericksburg, TX — Local Charities & Holiday Giving Opportunities
1. Hill Country Community Needs Council – Holiday Angels Program
- What they do: Supports children, seniors, and families with personalized Christmas wish lists, clothing, and essential items. Angel Program
- How to help: Sponsor an individual or family, donate winter essentials, or help with gift distribution.
2. Fredericksburg Food Pantry (Gillespie County, TX)
- What they do: The Fredericksburg Food Pantry provides free supplemental groceries to families in need across Gillespie County — serving hundreds of households each month.
- How to help this season: Donate non-perishable foods or household goods, contribute funds, or volunteer your time sorting and distributing groceries. Fredericksburg Food Pantry
3. Volunteers of America - Hope for the Holidays
- What they do: Volunteers of America Texas supports vulnerable Texans year-round - including homeless veterans, seniors, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their Hope for the Holidays campaign provides essential items, warm clothing, personal care kits, and heartfelt gifts to ensure these neighbors feel seen, supported, and remembered during the holiday season. https://www.voatx.org/hope-for-the-holidays/
- How to help this season: Make a monetary donation to help purchase essentials, or choose specific items from their holiday wish list to fulfill individual gift needs.
- Here’s the wish list for Evergreen Villa apts in Fredericksburg, TX https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1PJKX9T376V99?ref_=wl_share
Franklin, TN - Holiday Giving & Volunteer Opportunities
1. One Generation Away (Franklin, TN)
- What they do: One Generation Away rescues surplus food from grocery stores, farms, and restaurants and delivers it to individuals and families facing food insecurity — via mobile pantries and warehouse distributions. onegenaway.com
- How to help this season: Volunteer at one of their weekly Mobile Pantry events (usually Saturday mornings), help pack and distribute food, or donate through their website to support ongoing food rescues and holiday food drives.
2. GraceWorks Ministries — The Manger Christmas Program
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What they do: GraceWorks Ministries provides food, clothing, and financial assistance to Williamson County families, and during the holidays they run “The Manger,” a program that allows parents to shop affordably or freely for Christmas gifts for their children.
- How to help: Donate toys, gift cards, hygiene items, or serve as a volunteer to assist shoppers. You can also become a sponsor, volunteer, make a cash donation or shop from the wish list https://www.graceworkstn.org/events/manger/
3. Be a Gift Wrapper for the Children’s Hospital
Champs Holiday House needs volunteers to wrap presents! Sign up link is below!
4. Check out Hands on Nashville for more opportunities to volunteer the next few weeks! https://handson.unitedwaygreaternashville.org/calendar
Simple Acts of Kindness You Can Do Anywhere
We know many of you reading aren't local to our store cities! Below are some fun, relatively inexpensive simple acts of kindness you can do this holiday season.
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Pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru.
A small surprise — especially during the busy holiday season — can completely turn someone’s day around. -
Leave generous tips for service workers.
Servers, baristas, and delivery drivers are slammed this time of year. A little extra goes a long way. -
Drop off treats or thank-you notes to local first responders.
Firefighters, police officers, and EMTs often work straight through the holidays. A box of cookies or handwritten note means more than you’d think. -
Donate winter gear directly to community closets or shelters.
Coats, gloves, hats, and socks are always in high need. Many places accept gently used items. -
Bring goodies to your workplace or your child’s school.
Small snacks or a festive treat can lift the mood for teachers and coworkers. -
Offer to help a neighbor.
Take out trash bins, bring in packages, rake leaves — simple gestures make communities stronger. -
Send a kind text to someone you haven’t connected with in a while.
The holidays can be lonely for many. A quick message can make someone feel remembered and loved.
We Love Giveaways!
Comment below a charity or organization you know is doing incredible work or an act of kindness someone has done for you that you'll never forget! Winner will receive $300 worth of surprise Flying Cow goodies. Giveaway ends 12/11/25 - Winner will be chosen 12/12/25 - CHECK YOUR EMAILS TO SEE IF YOU'VE WON!!!
Comments
Marian said:
There’s a pizza shop in our town called Greek Town pizza and every year for the holidays the set up food drives for families in need. We’ve been donating food and necessities to them as a way to help others in our community.
Our home flooded years ago and people in our community came to help clean and provide meals. It’s something I’ll never forget. All the helping hands.
December 07, 2025
Riley Ramsay said:
In college I volunteered at Meals on Wheels in Lubbock, TX. The organization provides meals to seniors and others in need. I met so many wonderful individuals in the community while delivering meals and every staff member there was so incredibly passionate about the work. They truly pour their hearts into making sure these individuals are never overlooked.
December 07, 2025
Laura Mateus said:
Thistle Farms in Nashville, TN
December 07, 2025
DeeDee Starkey said:
Love these products. I send to everyone! They are amazing, the smells are WOW!
December 07, 2025
Kamran Martin said:
I live in Tomball, TX and Moses’ Closef is a clothing and toy closet for families who foster in our area!! If there is a quick placement families don’t have to worry about getting supplies and can come shop their closet for free!!
December 06, 2025
Chelsea said:
My church in Franklin, TN, has an incredible food pantry that serves families and partners with other awesome local non-profits. It’s so encouraging to see people work together to serve others sacrificially.
December 06, 2025
Chelsea said:
My church has a food pantry in Franklin, TN, that is serving families and partnering with other non-profits in beautiful ways.
December 06, 2025
Brea K said:
Texas Cares: a cat rescue where I adopted two of our fur-babies from!
December 06, 2025
Jesica R. said:
Our church is partnering with another local church to do a ministry called Boxes of Love to provide needs for meals/items for Christmas to families in our community. Thank you for sharing all of these ideas. I love that this is something you’ve poured so much intention and time into.
December 06, 2025
Sonya said:
My university had a huge food drive during the government shut down when SNAP benefits were cut, and it was amazing to see how much the community came together to provide for so many!
December 06, 2025
Brooke Birdsong said:
Wounded Warrior Project- they are doing the Lords work for our injured vets and their families.
https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org
December 06, 2025
Brooke Birdsong said:
Wounded Warrior Project- they are doing the Lords work for our injured vets and their families.
https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org
December 06, 2025
Kaaren M said:
We have been volunteering with His Uniqu3 Blessings Ministry in McKinney, helping provide bi-weekly meals, snacks, and hydration to our unhoused brothers and sisters. It has been an eye-opening, convicting, and wonderful blessing.
December 06, 2025
Amanda said:
Our church participates in Operation Christmas Child each year and usually has an angel tree for a local organization. This year they still did Operation Christmas Child but instead of an angel tree for a single organization they picked several different ones and made little Christmas shapes (like gingerbread men, lights, etc) with a wish/need on each one. It was so rewarding to pick up multiple cards of the needs and an amazing opportunity to purchase the things to hopefully make a little difference in someone’s life!!
December 06, 2025
Cristal Medina said:
In the early years of my marriage, my husband unexpectedly lost his job during the holidays. To make ends meet, he began selling tamales while we had a toddler at home. During that time, a group of moms in our community quietly started leaving things on our front porch—food baskets, gift cards, toys. Their generosity moved me to tears. They saw a need, and without being asked, they stepped in to help.
December 06, 2025
Deanna said:
I’ve always loved The Gabriel Project supported by my parish in San Antonio. The Gabriel Project assists women during unexpected or unplanned pregnancies. Many of us know that our worlds can do a 180 when expecting children and this project helps with emotional, spiritual and material support. Providing items for baby and mom, connect women to housing assistance, prenatal care, parenting support or adoption information depending on the situation. Most importantly, it’s free— the new expectant mother need not carry the financial burden.
December 06, 2025
Keri Vaught said:
Midland, TX is one of the most philanthropic communities I’ve ever seen. Personally I’ve served the following:
1. Recording Library – on your own time you can record yourself reading all kinds of material and storing it for our blind community so they can read the latest hot novel or most recent publication of Texas Monthly.
2. Midland BPW (Business professional women) – women helping women in the professional world and supporting different local nonprofits each month. Also provides flexible scholarships to nontraditional women (over 25) going back to school.
3. High Sky Children’s Ranch – several programs and counseling and resources to help our at risk families and children in foster care. You can adopt, foster, serve through supplying needs, etc. (literally TONS of ways to serve)
4. Mission Agape – provides food to the food insecure children in MISD for weekends when they cannot eat at school and also helps with school supply drives and other needs. You can volunteer with a group by taking an evening and preparing the meal boxes and/or delivering the meals to the local schools or through donations.
5. The fields edge allows you to help serve our local community that struggles with housing – it’s a tiny home community that serves the chronic homeless population by giving them a safe place to stay while they complete programs/services to get back on their feet. You can serve by volunteering at the community with a variety of tasks or even just going with a group and having a meal with the community (provided by your group of course)
There’s literally SO many. Safe Place, Centers for children, Senior Life of Midland, Aphasia center, Habitat for Humanity, Buckner, Boys and Girls club….. I know I’m missing a lot!
December 06, 2025
Jodie said:
Midland High Students in Philanthropy – a group of high school students who volunteer each week at local charities. They help out wherever is needed by that organization. When they don’t have a place that needs their help, they spend time you the Life Skills students doing activities with them. They are a great group of kids.
December 06, 2025
Tresa said:
SAFE Austin – Austin , TX
https://www.safeaustin.org/
SAFE Austin is a brave and brilliant non profit organization helping survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence. They are amazing, bravely caring for folks and families in a big way❤️
Also, shoutout to Canine Companions!
https://canine.org/
They are a national organization that trains and matches service dogs to adults, children and disabled veterans in need, at no cost to the recipient ❤️ Big hearts helping so many!
December 06, 2025
Stephanie said:
Jimmy Dorrell in Waco TX founded Mission Waco and helps in various ways throughout the community and beyond. While living in Waco his acts of kindness impacted our family and opened our eyes to the needs of others around us
December 06, 2025
Halye Cunningham said:
Tate’s Place in Big Spring, TX is doing amazing things for communities in West Texas. So thankful for the work that they do!
December 06, 2025
Lauren said:
Sacred Selections does amazing work raising money to help Christian families afford adoption!
December 06, 2025
Codi said:
Gift Idaho project inc.
December 06, 2025
Leah Jackson said:
Shepherds Heart Food Pantry in Waco Tx!
December 06, 2025
Sarah James said:
When I was going through chemotherapy, my dad’s best friend came over once a week and mowed our lawn for us. He would just quietly show up and mow and leave – and he did it for months. It was a huge help to us and I’ll never forget it.
December 05, 2025