There’s no denying that giving back to our community helps us grow as human beings. Doing something nice for someone or a group of people can truly make us feel happy and fulfilled without expecting anything in return.
If you are grateful for your neighbours, your friends, your local businesses and charities, and all the little things that make your life better, it’s time to look for ways to give back to the community so you can express your gratitude in a meaningful way.
1. Make someone’s day with little gestures
Giving back to your community doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money, and it doesn’t have to be complicated or take hours of your time. As you go about your daily routine, you could simply do kind things for everyone you meet.
Hold the door open for the person walking behind you. Buy a coffee for someone waiting in line with you. Give an honest compliment to a coworker. Be a good listener for a friend going through a challenging situation. Or simply smile at those you meet. A small gesture can truly make someone’s day.
2. Shop locally to support small businesses
The easiest way to support the economic stability of your community is to support your local small businesses instead of buying from large store chains or online stores.
Shopping locally might be a bit more expensive, depending on what you are shopping for, but the money you spend will support and encourage small business owners who have invested a lot of their time and money to make their dreams come true.
You will help boost your local economy while making hardworking entrepreneurs happy.
3. Contribute to an endowment fund
You can give back to your community by contributing to an endowment fund. Endowment funds are investment funds that are designed to benefit nonprofit organizations. The beneficiary of an endowment fund could be, for example, a university, a church, or a museum.
To contribute, all you have to do is donate money to the endowment fund of your choice. The fund’s capital will remain untouched, and the beneficiary will use the interest it generates. Places like the United Church can help you manage and allocate the endowment fund based on your specified instructions.
This can be a great way to support a nonprofit organization you believe in and to ensure that they will have the funds they need to operate in the future.
4. Look for opportunities to volunteer in your community
Volunteering is a wonderful way to give back to the community. When you realize firsthand how just a few hours of your time can make a big difference for people in need, you will always be on the lookout for opportunities to volunteer.
And remember that volunteering is not just about helping feed the hungry at a soup kitchen. You could join a team that organizes local events, take care of dogs and cats at an animal shelter, visit patients at the hospital, support after-school activities for young students, or do whatever you can to help people and organizations in need.
5. Spend some time with seniors
Spending some quality time with seniors and providing them with the assistance they need is another great way to give back to the community. You could visit a nursing home, play cards with the residents, or simply chat and listen to their stories.
And don’t forget seniors who live alone and have no family to check on them. Whether it’s a neighbour or someone you have met through an organization that helps out the elderly, you can certainly help by shopping for groceries, mowing their lawn, shovelling their driveway, preparing a few comforting meals for them, or assisting them with their household chores.
6. Organize a community clean up
Do you sometimes wish someone would pick up the trash in your local parks or on the side of the roads? Why not do it yourself?
You could gather your friends, your neighbours, your coworkers, or a group of volunteers and organize a community clean-up event. Spending even just a few hours cleaning up a small area of your neighbourhood will feel very rewarding and show how much you care about your community and the environment.
7. Donate to different charities
If you are too busy to volunteer at a local shelter or to clean up your neighbourhood, you can give back by donating money to different charities that serve your community.
It’s also possible to donate old winter coats and mittens, clothes, children’s toys, nonperishable goods, cleaning supplies, and other household items.
You surely have a lot of things you don’t want or don’t need anymore in your closets, and donating these items to charity could make a huge difference for people in need in your community.
