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We're often told around this time of year that it feels better to give than to receive, and that's especially true when the recipients of your generosity are those who have sacrificed the most for our country.

If you are a servicemember, you don't get to enjoy the kind of "Christmas bonuses" that many civilians see showing up in their paychecks during this season. Yet many military families badly need such a boost, especially when trying to purchase presents for their children on an already tight budget.

Fortunately, if you have a little money and kindness to spare, you can help make a difference in the lives of those who make year round sacrifices for all of us. Here are a few organizations that will help you have an impact:

Full Circle Home

Founded in 2007, Full Circle Home seeks to provide a link between deployed service members and their loved ones at home or on base. In a little over a decade, the organization has assisted over 21,000 troops in sending holiday gifts and love notes to their partners on the homefront. If you donate, you can help provide that connection between heroes serving overseas and their stateside significant others.

Pay Away the Layaway

Since 2011, Pay Away the Layaway has gone to cities across the country during both the back-to-school and holiday seasons to pay off the balances of families buying classroom supplies and Christmas gifts on layaway. Those interested in helping can become a "Layaway Angel" by making a donation to the nonprofit, or going directly to the layaway counter at their local Kmart, Walmart or Burlington Coat Factory and paying down a family's debt.

Right now, Military Benefits has partnered with Pay Away the Layaway to raise funds specifically for military families struggling to afford toys and other holiday gifts. You can donate here to help them meet their $5,000 goal.

"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.""The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."

Operation Christmas Spirit

Operation Help A Hero is an all-volunteer charity that seeks to support military units and families as they deal with difficulties related to the various stages of service, from preparing for separation, to deployment and the eventual transition back to the U.S.

Each year, the organization launches Operation Christmas Spirit, which has been showering military families with holiday gratitude for the last 16 years. There are many ways to help out, from hosting a toy drive to collecting gift cards to simply donating online and letting other volunteers do the holiday shopping.

If you'd like to get really involved, you can even "adopt" a military family and do their shopping for them. This late into the season, Operation Christmas Spirit encourages people to donate money instead, but if family adoption interests you, it's something to keep in mind for next year.

Operation Holiday Joy

The Armed Services YMCA is one of the best-rated charities in America, having been recognized by both Charity Navigator and Independent Charities of America. So you can be confident when the ASYMCA promises that 100 percent of your donation to their Operation Holiday Joy program will go directly to providing food and toys to deserving military families, as long as you check a box on your donation form requesting that they cover the processing costs.

For the last 14 years, Operation Holiday Joy has managed to raise more than $1.5 million, which has been used to purchase over 320,000 toys and in more than 25,000 baskets of food delivered to deserving military families on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

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