Accessible Ways To Make A Difference In Your Community

Posted on Jul 30 2019 - 3:30pm by Editorial Staff

Today’s society is one where people can often feel overwhelmed by the amount of injustice in the world. Many of them feel compelled to do whatever they can to improve the state of things. If you can relate, the good news is that it’s easier than you may think to have a positive impact at the community level or more broadly. Here are some valuable suggestions that you can put into action soon. 

Consider Volunteering at a Soup Kitchen

No matter where you live, the community likely has people who depend on soup kitchens for nourishment. With that in mind, you can strongly consider getting involved by volunteering at a soup kitchen. 

If that sounds appealing to you, there are some tips to help you succeed. For example, wear closed-toe, comfortable shoes. And, if you have long hair, tie it back and be prepared to use a hairnet. Remember that you are not in charge of the soup kitchen, and you’ll have the best experience if you show up with a humble attitude. Speaking of showing up, always be on time, and try to be a few minutes early if possible.

Find the Causes That Matter Most to You 

You’ll likely get the most out of making a difference if you focus on the things you find most important. Maybe your heart goes out to stray animals, or perhaps you want to help people who have experienced domestic abuse. 

It’s ideal if you can take the time to make a list of your most meaningful causes. It’s essential to do that if you have a lot of options for giving back, and you’re having a hard time choosing which ones to get aligned with in your spare time. 

Maybe you only have an hour or two a week to give back to others. If so, that’s okay. When you can spend it pouring your time, talents, and money into the causes that speak most strongly to you, the overall efforts will be maximally rewarding. 

Figure Out If You Can Give a Portion of Your Income to Charity

Research shows that numerous things impact how much money people give to charity. One of them is being encouraged by a friend, and another influential aspect is if charities make it easy for donors to give. That’s a primary reason why you’ll often see disaster relief charities urging people to donate via text messages. 

But, the amount of money you give is not necessarily as important as donating it without feeling stressed or obligated. Set aside an hour or so to determine how much of your income could potentially go to the charities that you designate. Even if you only give $5 a month or contribute a one-time donation after using some of your birthday money to do so, those things should help you feel that you’re making a difference.

Help Raise Awareness on Social Media

Social media platforms can be extremely polarizing places. Additionally, they have a broad mix of content. Some people post pictures of what they eat for dinner, while others use the space to showcase their pets. Relying on social media for those purposes is not wrong, but you may think it’s more worthwhile to post awareness of causes on social media.

If you do a bit of research, it will probably become evident that there are community events that don’t have a widespread audience. Maybe you heard about a charity auction for cancer research or a theatre production being performed where a quarter of the ticket proceeds go to supporting foster kids.

Once you hear about those things, your social media platform can help spread the word about them. It’s ideal if you’re planning on attending the events and can directly ask social media friends to come with you. Even if you can’t attend, post something on social media that talks about how much you wish you could be there and would love it people you know could go in your place. 

Use Your Existing Connections to Enjoy a Broader Reach

Investigate your connections at work, school, and elsewhere to see if they could help you get a broader reach in the charitable sector. For example, Pam Baer has a long history of aligning with worthy causes, and she even mentions herself as a “community advocate” in her Twitter bio. Additionally, Baer’s husband Larry is the Chief Executive Officer of the New York Giants, and Pam utilized that connection to work a charitable cause associated with the team.

One of the easiest things you could do to make the most of the connections you already have is to see whether there are charitable opportunities at work. Maybe you can lead a team to clean up litter along the main roadway or organize a toiletry drive for homeless people. If people at work trust you and get along with you, use the relationships built with them to highlight charitable efforts. These five suggestions should show you that it’s not difficult to make your community a better place. Having the willingness to help means that you’re off to an excellent start. 

About the Author

Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.