Christmas is rapidly approaching and while it’s easy to get caught up in what we may be receiving, we shouldn’t forget about the beauty of giving.  If you are looking for ways to give back this Holiday season, look no further.

The first way you can make a difference is by visiting a local VONS grocery store and purchasing a $7 pre-filled bag of food to donate at the register. Then, place the bag in the red food barrels located in the front of the store. While $7 may not seem like much, it goes a long way and helps feed a hungry family.

Another way of donating is online at sandiegofoodbank.org. According to their website, for every $1 donation the San Diego Food Bank is able to provide five meals to families in need.

You can also make a difference by logging on to fooddriveonline.org/sandiegofoodbank and donating food online through the food bank’s virtual food drive.

The website takes you into a virtual store where you have the option to chose from various meal options and items you would like to donate. Simply run your selections over the virtual scanner, place it in your bag and check out. The site even allows you to see how many meals you provided, based on your donation.

According to the San Diego Food Bank website, “nearly 467,000 people in San Diego County live in poverty and will face the threat of hunger this holiday season.”

You can help make a difference by doing any of the above. This holiday season, don’t lose sight of the importance of helping others. Giving is far better than receiving.