The vostel.de Advent Calendar for Good Deeds | #HappyGivingSeason
The end of the year is the time for giving. And since giving makes you even happier than receiving gifts, we will open a surprise from our Advent calendar for good deeds with you on each of the coming Sundays.
This year, each door hides a special volunteering task with which you can make other people (and animals) very happy. We wish you a great end of the year and a good start into the new one!
Your Team from vostel.de
FIRST ADVENT
SUNDAY, 27. NOVEMBER 2022
Build a Bird Feeder
As soon as the days get colder, our birds are on the lookout for food from morning to night in order to absorb as much energy as possible and thus get through the winter in good shape. Due to changes in climate and environmental conditions, wild birds increasingly have difficulty finding enough food for themselves and their young throughout the year. With the feeding of wild birds you help native species to come well-fed through the different seasons and at the same time have the opportunity to observe the small fliers from close range.
This is the material you need
- 2x plant saucer
- 1x inner plant pot
- 3x thick ribbons á 30-40cm
- Birdseed (loose)
Here is how it works (Video is in German)
SECOND ADVENT
SUNDAY, 04. DECEMBER 2022
The cold and dark season can be a very lonely time for seniors in old people’s and nursing homes. With a few heartfelt words, poems or drawings, you can make them very happy and give them the feeling that they are not forgotten. You can send a letter directly to the AWO residential and nursing home in Kamp, for example. The director, Ellen Arndt, knows all about it and is looking forward to distributing the letters to the residents.
Alternatively, you can write to Care & Travel or youngcaritas, who will then distribute the letters to various homes for the elderly. To give you an idea of what you can write and design, you can find a little inspiration and the addresses of the homes here:
This is what you need:
- Writing paper
- Envelope
- Pens
- possibly Handicraft materials
- 0,85 – 1,55 Cent for postage (depending on the size of the letter)
Here is how it works
THIRD ADVENT
SUNDAY, 11. DECEMBER 2022
Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to enjoy presents at Christmas time. Because many people in need lack the necessary money for additional expenses. For homeless people, this even starts with clothing, which in many cases they get from clothing stores run by the homeless aid organisations. Recently, the willingness to donate has unfortunately declined sharply, which is why many organisations of homeless aid are in urgent need of new donations in kind with the beginning of the cold season.
With the third Advent gift, we therefore want to encourage you to rummage through your flat and look for things that you can donate. Whether it’s clothes, toys, books or household appliances: Clothing shops for the homeless as well as social department stores for people in need are very happy to receive your donations!
To help you know how to donate things in a meaningful way, which places you can take them to and what other little tips there are, we have prepared a short article for you. In addition, you can find requests for donations in kind from our partner organisations in our vostel.de donation tool (you need to be logged in).
We hope you enjoy rummaging around and donating items!
FOURTH ADVENT
SUNDAY, 18. DECEMBER 2022
Take a walk with a shelter dog
You may have thought about adopting a dog from a shelter, but are reluctant to do so because you don’t know if you really have enough time for it, if your flat is big enough or if you are really made for a life with a dog?
How about regular walks (e.g. after work) with a four-legged friend from the shelter instead, i.e. a kind of dog sponsorship? This way you can bring a four-legged friend into your life without a long-term commitment and give a dog a lot of joy.
Many animal shelters now offer this possibility and are happy about the support and the additional attention for their dogs. Just find a shelter near you and find out if they allow this. The easiest way to find one is to search online. For an overview of what you should consider when adopting a dog, see the link in the button below (in German).
No time for regular walks? Then animal shelters are always happy to receive donations of food or money. In addition, you can also get involved in the referral of shelter animals via vostel.de.
Your vostel.de team wishes you lots of fun with your Advent calendar for good deeds!
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