Year after year, we’re so thankful for how our donor community goes the extra mile to support the women and their children at Nellie’s during the holiday season. The holidays can be a very challenging time for our families, but with your help, we can work together to make the season a little bit more magical. Here are three ways you can support the families at Nellie’s this year:

Donate gift cards: Gift cards are an amazing present for families in the Nellie’s community who are facing food insecurity, or for women who have recently left our shelter and need help settling into their new home. Typically, these families are headed by a single mom doing everything she can to give her kids what they need. Grocery gift cards can help a mom stock their fridge with essentials, or make a nice holiday dinner. Gift cards for stores like Wal-Mart can also help her buy groceries, along with necessities like clothes, diapers, and toiletries. Dollarama or Tim Hortons gift cards are also really appreciated by our families.

Donate cash: Your monetary donations help us continue to provide shelter, dignity, and hope to women and children leaving violence, poverty and homelessness. Here are some ways your gift can help us today:

• $35 will help us pay for a taxi to transport a woman and her children away from a violent and life-threatening situation
• $75 will pay for one day’s stay at the shelter, including food
• $150 will provide counselling and support services for a woman and her children for one month, giving them a chance at a brighter tomorrow

Give a gift of securities: One of the most financially sound ways to support Nellie’s this holiday season is with a gift of securities (stocks, bonds, or mutual funds). By donating publicly traded securities, you eliminate the capital gains tax that you would have to pay if you instead sold the securities and then donated the proceeds. You’ll also receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation. Even in a down market, gifts of securities are still a great option — donating appreciated stock can still be an impactful and cost-effective way to meet philanthropic goals, while also adjusting your investment portfolio to manage risk. Consult your financial advisor if you’d like to consider this donation option.

No matter how you choose to donate to Nellie’s this holiday season, you’ll help us spread joy and support to families when they need it the most. Thank you for your generous support, and happy holidays!

For more information on donating to Nellie’s, please visit our Donate page or email fundraising@nellies.org.