We are saturated with sales and wishlists during the holidays, opportunities to be generous. It’s the standard time to give to our loved ones and strangers in need. Donations of gifts for less fortunate children pour in, and soup kitchens have more volunteers.

When the holidays end and the gifts are given, stores end their sales, and life returns to normal. As the bustle resumes, we become so distracted by our responsibilities that soup kitchens vanish from our minds.

You can continue to make a difference in the lives of the needy by donating after the holidays. Here are three reasons why you should do it.

Heartier Dinners
Many people donate leftovers from their holiday meals to the needy. After those days end, the turkey dinners stop coming, and the least fortunate must resort to standard meals.

Continue to donate hearty food after the holidays end. This will ensure that dinnertime remains something the recipients look forward to. It’s sure to keep them strong in body and spirit.

Dignified Wardrobes
We all have drawers of clothes we don’t use. They might be shirts that have become worn out or baby clothes no longer needed. Instead of holding onto these, donate them to a new mother so that she can dress her child.

Consider that the summer months require different types of clothing. Blankets and sweaters are given; in the summer, lighter shirts and flip-flops are needed. Alternatively, you can give bottles of laundry detergent so that recipients can wash the clothes they already have.

Organize Social Events
Though social events are not tangible like food and clothing, they lift the spirits of the least fortunate. You can help keep their mental health balanced by inviting them to social events where they won’t be treated differently from others.

Organize visits to water parks or bowling alleys. Create environments in which these people can make memories without being reminded of their financial differences.

Giving during the holidays is important, but generosity might make a greater impact in the months that follow. This is the spirit of giving: It does not vanish like a Christmas sale.