Helping your community can sound like a daunting task but here are a few easy, fun ways to give back locally without breaking the bank:
- Fall Cleaning: Clear out your closet, garage or storage space! Donate those unworn pants and sweaters, or any furniture collecting dust. There are people out there in need of basic supplies that may be laying around your home unused.
- Tutor a Child: You don't have to be a math whiz to help a elementary school student through addition and subtraction. You also don't need to have a formal literature degree to help a middle schooler read William Shakespeare. Most of the time kids just a need an extra hour or two after class with an adult to help better understand a subject.
- Clean Up or Beautify Your Area: If you are near the water, help clean up the water. If you're near the mountains, clean up the mountains. Where ever you are, there's a place nearby that needs litter removed. On the popular survival shows, they always say even in the most remote areas (Antartica, island chain, etc.) there is always refuse to clean up! Whether it's an ocean, a shoreline, a lake, a waterway or a park, you'll help people enjoy the natural beauty a little more when its cleaner.
- Donate Your Art: You don't have to be an artist to paint local high school theater displays, or sew costumes or bring paint supplies to underprivileged children. For those who do have an artist streak, you can paint a mural, teach a paint class or make crafts for the underprivileged, the sick, the needy or our vets.
- Donate to an Effective, Holiday-Specific Charity: Donating to popular charities feels great but most have heard the rumor that only a small portion of the proceeds go to the actual cause after administration costs. A way to combat that this holiday season is to give to proven charities like Angel Tree & Toys for Tots. Donating an unwrapped toy is a surefire way to brighten a kids holiday directly as well as local, county based charities. Whichever way you decide, do some research and make sure your donation goes straight to the cause!
- Hospital Visit in a Costume: This is more centered around children but I'm sure anyone in the hospital would love a reason to smile. In the fall there are a few choices for costumes. In Sept, you can dress as a football player, in October, dress as a monster, In November, you can dress as a pilgrim or turkey and lastly, In December, you can dress as Santa, an elf or a reindeer. We encourage you to break out of your comfort zone, not take life too seriously and go make someone in need laugh for a couple hours.
- Adopt a Pet/Volunteer a Pet: A very easy way to help your local animal shelter is by taking one of their cute, friendly critters home with you. If you have a full house already, for instance 2 labs and 4 cats (yes, we have a small zoo), you can always put these guys to good use. You can volunteer your pet to go to elderly homes, hospitals, schools, etc. Make sure your animal has up-to-date records and are very friendly!
- Volunteer at the Animal Shelter, Rehab Centers, Nature Preserves or Local Parks: Even if you have no experience as a zookeeper, most of these places need basic volunteer hours during the holidays. Even donating a couple hours a week could help during a season when people are traveling to their families.
- Letters and Cards: A common theme here is helping those in need. A birthday card to an underprivileged child, a get well card to a random person in the hospital or a get home safe letter to a soldier are a few ways to bring an immense amount of joy to those who need. Spending an hour creating a unique, heartfelt gift would instantly change someones holiday.
- Start an Event: This fall and holiday season, there are numerous opportunities to give back by starting an event. Some popular ones would be a food drive during Thanksgiving, caroling during the winter or creating an auction with local businesses donating the items.
Whether you volunteer cleaning, creating, painting, conversing or dressed up as Frankenstein, you are strengthening your community one small, fun activity at a time!