Hi everyone! For anyone that doesn't know me, my name is Sheridan and my favorite thing to do is give gifts!! That being said, it's officially the start of my favorite time of year -- a time of giving! This year in addition to reposting a bunch of charities to donate to this holiday season, I thought I'd also start a GoFundMe to benefit three charitable causes that I adore so much.

The first is the Walmart/Salvation Army Angel Tree. This initiative allows donors to choose a child to purchase clothes + gifts for that their families may not be able to cover this year. These items can range from basic toiletries to toys that we all likely wanted at those ages as well (think Barbies, LEGOS, plushies, race tracks, etc.). Donors are able to purchase items either at the host Walmart store or from other stores so long as they bring the items back to the host store for drop-off.

The second cause I'd like to use these funds for is the Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive. If you've been into a Barnes & Noble recently, at the counter they have baskets of books that buyers can buy and donate right on the spot. I'd love to just walk into the store and buy out the basket! In addition to toys and clothes, I really do believe that children should be encouraged to read as well.

The third and most recently added is USPS Operation Santa! It operates very similarly to the Angel Tree where donors can "adopt" a child or a family and fulfill their wishes. Oftentimes, parents write or help their children write letters to Santa. USPS then filters through the letters and posts them on their website for donors to choose from. I've already chosen a letter and we'll all be "adopting" Steven and Giselle from Texas for the holidays! They've asked for things like warm clothing, winter coats, shoes, etc. So we'll make that happen plus toys for them of course!

I have participated in both of these initiatives myself over the past few years and it was always such a great experience to be able to gift give to someone you don't know over the holidays. You truly never know what anyone's circumstances are so when given the opportunity, why not spread kindness? This time, I thought it'd be fun to involve my friends, family, loved ones, coworkers, acquaintances, and the like! Let's all be kind together :)

My goal with the $500 raised is to split the profits in half to be able to spread the wealth across both causes. Goes without saying but of course 100% of anything raised will be funneled into either one of these causes. With $250, I'd be able to fulfill about two Angel Tree wishes and with the other $250 I'd be able to donate around 15 or so books depending on price! If I'm able to raise anything above the $500, I will just split the remaining equally among both as well!

I will be posting about this fundraiser on my Instagram so that donors can follow along the journey and see where their donations are going! I'll be posting all receipts and pics of the items purchased as well for transparency purposes only. Feel free to follow along!

@sher_nicolette

Thank you for reading and if you aren't able to donate, sharing with friends and family is more than I can ask for! :) Happy Holidays!!