“When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep.” This famous quote from Bing Crosby reminds everyone to remember to be thankful for what they have. While it is important to count your blessings and be thankful for what you have, it is also important to think of others who are less fortunate. There are many ways to share fortune and give back to your local community. Below is a list of five excellent ways to give back to your community and give you a few more reasons to count your blessings.
1. Clean up your community.
Go for a walk through your neighborhood with a garbage bag and pair of rubber gloves. In a matter of minutes, you will be able to clear the litter from your neighborhood, local parks, beaches, or hiking trails. If you have a few extra plants or flowers in your garden, replant them throughout the community to share with others. Your neighborhood will be improved, and nature will thank you.
2. Donate old items.
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is a motto of many local organizations. Clothing banks or the local Goodwill store will take clothing that no longer fits or that you no longer like, and libraries and schools accept books for their own libraries, book drives, and book sales. Food banks accept canned goods and non-perishable items; if there is a sale at the grocery store or you are cleaning out your pantry, the food will not go to waste at a local food bank. Toys for Tots and local toy drives are essential during the holiday season. You can donate a new toy and help to bring joy to a child in need. There are many possibilities, and the specifics will vary depending on your community.
3. Help a local school.
Schools always have events and daily happenings that need assistance. From volunteering to helping tutor a student, to being a teacher’s assistant in the classroom, the teacher will appreciate your help and the extra set of hands. Many schools have parent-teacher-organizations that plan school events and fundraisers, and these organizations appreciate any support and assistance from handing out flyers to selling cotton candy at the holiday bazaar. Schools are a great place to donate time and assistance.
4. Visit a nursing home.
If you have some free time, bring joy to the elderly. Read a book, play card or board games, or talk about the topics in the news. Your acts of kindness will make the day for the elderly man or woman you spend time with, and you will probably make a few new friends simultaneously.
5. Give to charity.
With busy schedules that lack time, a simple way to give back to others is through electronic giving. Egiving.com is a wonderful site that helps bring Christian ministry funding to the next level through recurrent debits you can set up from your checking account or credit card; your gifts then automatically flow into a ministry’s bank account at the frequency they choose. All they have to do first is contact Egiving.com to set up an online giving page (with minimal fees attached). Egiving helps simplify fundraising for churches, missions, schools, pregnancy centers, and works of mercy. Every little bit helps these charitable organizations survive, and giving to them can improve your life as well.
However you choose to give back to your community, whether you’re giving to charity through Egiving or by volunteering your time with a more hands-on experience, understand that you are making a difference. It only takes a small amount of time to make a big impact.