Giving Back!
A great way to give thanks is to give back to the community.
As we go into the holiday season many people want to give back to the community. But, many people don’t know where to start. Here are the top 5 things you can do in your community to give back:
- Donate What you Can’t Use. Personally speaking, there are plenty of items in my house that haven’t been used, or that I don’t use any longer. Go through your closets, pantries, sheds, etc. to find some of those items that may be better off given to someone who needs them. As far as businesses go, restaurants always have extra food they can donate to shelters, and it also doesn’t hurt to give out pro-bono service work during downtime.
- Teach. Give a man a fish and he won’t go hungry for a day. Teach a man to fish and he won’t go hungry for life. You can take your skills and apply them to volunteer at many different organizations. One of my favorites is the Junior Achievement program. Here you teach children the importance of having job ready skills at the elementary school age.
- Fundraise as a Team. Get a group of co-workers, friends, or family together to fundraise for a cause. Choose a specific cause, and create a fun and creative way to raise money for it. Something simple like a raffle works well too.
- Participate in a Fundraising Event. Fundraising Events can be a lot of fun and create long lasting memories while raising awareness and getting donations. Choose an activity you like to do and I’m sure you can find an event for it. I personally love running in 5Ks, and Flash Mobs. These are great ways to have fun and give back at the same time!
- Volunteer. There are plenty of places around the community that need the extra help and would love to have you there! There are so many ways to volunteer and the commitment can be as little as a few hours or once a week. Many popular places looking for volunteers include homeless shelters, food pantries, nursing homes, hospitals, schools and after school programs.
Whatever your interest is, you can find a way to give back that will not only be rewarding but also fun! Giving back is a great way to kick off the holiday season.
