I am looking for different ways to help my community. I want to help people that are young and old, newly maried, never been married, college student, middle aged, rich, middle class, poor, everyone. And spur others to do the same. I am just looking for some inovative ideas. Thanks and God Bless!
2006-10-22 07:46:06 · 6 answers · asked by Nemonator 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Community Service
I applaud your community spirit -- that's terrific! Since communities have a diversity of needs and issues, you might want to narrow your focus a bit and decide what areas you're best suited to serve. Your own resources (time, money, health, responsibilities, etc.) are limited, so you probably can't be everything to everybody.
I'd begin by working with groups that already have assessed the community needs and are trying to meet those needs. Volunteer with the Salvation Army, the United Way, a local soup kitchen, or a homeless shelter. Find out what areas appeal to you and how you can make the most of your own particular talents and abilities.
Talk to the people in charge of the places that you volunteer, and then take their suggestions as the foundation of your own work, if that's how you choose to go. They can give you suggestions on establishing charitable organizations, fund raising, etc.
And last, but not least, READ. Read the history of your community, the daily newspapers, the lives of people like General Booth (Salvation Army founder) and Clara Barton, etc. That will provide you information, inspiration, and a vision of what your community really needs.
God bless you and your efforts to help others!
2006-10-22 07:56:36 · answer #1 · answered by Wolfeblayde 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The way that I started to help in my community was by volunteering @ my local animal shelter, because I love animals. I now work there fulltime.
What do you feel passionate about? What is close to your heart, or what hits you personally? Have you yourself, or have you known people who have been addicted to drugs, alcohol, have had medical problems, been in a fire or any disaster or tragedy? These may be areas that you could really be of help, because you have had personal experience with it or it has touched your life in some way. As someone else already mentioned the Salvation Army & other ideas like that are great places to start. Big Brothers, the "Y", your local fire dept, police station, newspaper, library, community action corp, meals on wheels, nursing homes, etc. (I don't know if they let people volunteer in some of these places, like the police dept, it's just something you might look into if that's where your interest is).
Look in your area phone book to get ideas. I, too think it is a great thing to do, to help your community without any sort of agenda except to help others. I think it helps us just as much, sometimes more. You can find your personal niche & maybe serve on the board of directors for a non-profit at some point. Help with fund raisers, do garage sales.
It also looks good on a resume if/when you are looking for a job.
2006-10-22 08:17:00 · answer #2 · answered by Mar C 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For the old: help them write letters to family and friends, read to them, many may want to read a bible or other meaningful book.
Make sure old people have three hot meals and drinks 7-days a week. (In NYC there is a Meals-on-Wheels program that delivers food to elderly that cannot leave their apartment). I was a literary tutor, it was very rewarding. I tutored the functionally illiterate, i.e, those that had no frame of reference on how to read. One student touched my heart, he said he wanted to read the signs at the airport when he was catching a flight.
Ask if they have a book or magazine they want you to read to them. For the poor: They also need to know how to read: You can start a tutoring program. The kids could get "homework help and whatever their challenges are in school.
If you have female friends that are good at sewing/mending, perhaps they can go to a nursing home with you, many old people need clothes mended. If you know anyone with a well-behaved, medium sized dog, ask management of the nursing home if you can bring in a dog so the residents can pet the dog (as in Pet Therapy), it does wonders for people to get doggie kisses and give the dog a belly rub.
(Make sure the dog is not too big and is non-threatening to the elderly and staff and that someone always keeps an eye on the dog, so he doen't hurt anyone.)
There are many other ideas, but, that's all I can think of now.
I've been volunteering since I was 10 years old! It does a heart good!
2006-10-22 08:06:15 · answer #3 · answered by newyorkgal71 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You could do a "special occasion" food drive. Where you select certain areas and put a brown bag in front of their door and a nice catchy note with it asking them to fill it with food for poor people and leaving it outside their door for pick up on a certain day between a certain hour. Then deliver them to a local agency who distributes food to needy people during seasons when the flow of food is low.
2006-10-22 10:23:58 · answer #4 · answered by elanabutcher 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Put yourself in the position they are in and think about what you would need, what would help you the most, what would comfort you and do that for a start, and once you start helping them and getting to them ask them what you could do to relieve them
2006-10-22 07:54:50 · answer #5 · answered by menguss 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You might be interested in our web page.
www.sfconnect.org
Maybe you could start something like this in your community. And remember...volunteering is sexy !
2006-10-22 10:50:39 · answer #6 · answered by kendra bryn 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋