Just because Christmas is over, that does not mean we may stop giving our money, time and talents to help others for the next 11 months or so.

No doubt many folks gave their money, time and talents to The Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, Eagle’s Wings and other charities that are associated with the Christmas season. The end of the Christmas season does not automatically bring an end to the season of want — for that season never ends.

Hunger is with some people throughout the year. Others struggle, especially in winter, to find the money needed to help them stay warm.

As for the fight against hunger, Eagle’s Wings, the food pantry based in Washington, can always use donations of money, food and volunteers’ time. Drive by Eagle’s Wings on those Tuesdays when food is being distributed or prospective clients are being interviewed and one will see long lines. Those long lines are evidence of people needing help. Those lines have gotten longer in the past two or three years because of the impacts of the Great Recession, including high unemployment rates in the area.

Donations to Eagle’s Wings will have an immediate impact on the war against hunger in the area.

Some folks, especially the elderly on limited incomes, find it difficult to come up with the money needed to pay for heating oil, electricity and/or gas (natural or propane) to keep them warm during winter’s cold days.

Washington Electric Utilities has a program under which a customer may “round up” his or her electric bill to the nearest dollar amount, with that “round up” amount going into an energy-assistance fund to help the less fortunate among us.

Other electric utilities such as Tideland Electric Membership Corp. have similar programs.

Christmas 2011 has come and gone, but there will be plenty of opportunities for us to help those in need the remainder of this year and in 2012.