Best 3 Ways for Your Household to Give Back
It is officially December. And you know what that means? It is the start of my giving back series. Each day this month I will post either a way you can give back or profile organizations that give back. So check back every day to check out ways you can give back. Today I have a post about some ways you can get involved.
When it comes to giving back, there are two ways in which you can contribute. You can either give your time or your resources. Now, while only two things may seem as too restricting, you need to remember that these two are broad categories. For instance, there are many different items you can donate, ways in which you can volunteer and even one or two ways to put your arts and crafts DIY skills into action. With that in mind, here are top five ways in which your household can make a difference this season.
1. Volunteering
The first thing you need to understand is the fact that volunteering takes more than just time. It also takes effort and compassion. In most aspects, this is something like work, the biggest difference being the fact that you aren’t getting paid to do it, there’s no promotion and no corporate ladder to climb. Instead, you’re doing something completely altruistically, sacrificing your own stamina and free time in the process. This sets things on a completely different plane, which is why it’s crucial that you pick something that you’re passionate about.
The first question you need to answer is the one of whether you’re the big picture kind of person or if you’re someone who likes to act locally. For instance, some people find it incredibly satisfying to work hard for someone halfway across the globe, while there are those who only see a point in helping their own local community. Don’t get us wrong, both of these are completely fine, it only depends on where your stances are. For instance, you can volunteer at a local park, food pantry or library, while you can also contact a global organization like Habitat for Humanity and ask if there’s something to be done locally.
Other than this, it’s also important to choose what problem you feel the most eager to help solve. Remember, it’s not your job to solve all the problems of the modern age on your own and no one’s compelling you to do anything. Just pick a cause that you believe in and start working towards it. For instance, you can care for the elderly or go to the local animal rescue shelter. At the end of the day, picking the cause that you’re more passionate about will ensure that you’re more effective. In this way, everyone is better off.
2. Donating
The next go-to way of giving back lies in the act of donating. This comes in three tiers. First, you have organizations that take cash donations. This is the easiest way for most people to make a difference, yet, it’s also the way that gets the worst reputation, for all the scams and frauds out there. The second way is to donate essentials that are cheap in your region, yet, expensive or inaccessible for people in an area hit by a crisis. We’re talking about items like toilet paper, dental hygiene essentials, pads, tampons, and other hygiene-related items.
Other than this, you can also donate items that you own yet no longer use. Blankets, towels, old clothes and even furniture pieces can be donated. This latter can be particularly handy. For instance, let’s say that you’ve just started looking to buy a new TV stand, yet, your living room is so overcrowded that you can’t figure out where to place it. Instead of cramming the room even more or discarding the old furniture, you could just donate it and solve this situation in the most elegant and humane way possible.
The last thing you need to understand is the fact that essentials are not the only thing worth donating. Sure, water, food, and supplies may be a top priority, however, providing people in need with some arts and crafts supplies might also be a humane thing to do. For instance, donating construction paper, colored drawing chalk, clay, crayons (a new set, of course) or some fabric, may also make a difference to someone.
3. Put your organization skills to use
For those who have the most energy, enthusiasm and will to make a difference might put their organization skills to use. Due to the fact that this project might not be that urgent, you can start planning it months in advance. This will give you enough time to set goals, gather volunteers (you can even recruit members of your own family), prepare a budget and think about the logistics. Just remember that such a project is an expensive one, which is why you need to be realistic about your capacities to pursue this noble cause.
Conclusion
One last thing you need to understand is the fact that giving back feels good, which isn’t always a positive thing. You see, sometimes, you might start losing measure and even start giving more than you can afford to. This goes for both time and resources. You can’t afford to skip work in order to volunteer (unless there is an incredibly good reason to do so) and you can’t afford to push yourself too hard. Remember, going into the extreme might backfire and it’s better to give back gradually over the course of your entire life than to do so excessively once and feel reluctant to repeat it ever again.
