Summary:
How can you, an average citizen, contribute to the greater good? You might not have much money, free time or experience, but you can still do something to make your community a better place. This 1,100-word article is full of ideas and advice.

Details or Sample:

Many of us want to help make our communities better places, but not all of us have the time or money that would be required to make huge, world-changing contributions. We can’t all donate a million bucks to a cause or devote our lives to cancer research, but we can all do smaller things: actions that do not require much time or money, but can help somebody else in a time of need.

Our communities don’t have to be in the middle of a natural disaster to need help, either. Even in everyday life, somebody out there can use what we have to offer.

These things can be done alone, but you can also get a church or other organization involved with you. The more people who help, the bigger the results. If people aren’t enthusiastic, remind them that every little thing we can do for one another can make a difference. Remember: if you help one person, he or she will go on to help one or more other people. Those people will branch out and help others, and eventually the pea-sized snowball is a rolling avalanche.

-Donate blood. If you meet the qualifications and do not mind needles, you can give blood on a regular basis. You even get a free tee-shirt in most cases, so what’s to lose? You can donate on your lunch break or a day off. You can look in your local newspaper for information on mobile collection units that will be in your area soon. If would-be donors can’t find someone to watch the children, you can organize a group of friends to take turns baby-sitting while one or two people go to donate at once.

-Get a haircut. If your four-foot-long hair is really starting to bother you, it might be time to take off most of it. You can get a short, stylish haircut that keeps you cool and makes a difference. Several non-profit foundations will take your hair, turn it into a wig, and donate it to people who don’t have any (usually as a result of cancer treatments). Many organizations have Web sites, or you can contact local salons or barber shops for information.

-Look out for your neighbors. You do not have to be a religious person to believe that loving neighbors is the right thing to do. This is especially true if there are elderly residents in your area: people who could often use a hand with little things around the house. There are quite a few things that you and other neighbors can do to help: here are a few suggestions to get you started.

When mowing your lawn, look around to see if anybody else’s grass could use a quick job. Be sure to ask before you start riding around on their lawns; otherwise you might get a visit from Officer Friendly.

If you’re going to the grocery store, check to see if an elderly neighbor could use a ride. Or, ask if there is anything that you can pick up for them while you’re out anyway. If nothing else, the kind gesture will mean something to them.

Keep an eye on what’s happening in the neighborhood. Even if your community is not a tightly-knit group, you will still be able to spot unusual events or people. If nothing else, you can contact your neighborhood watch coordinators for tips and numbers to call if you see something suspicious happening.

Sometimes a quick visit with a shut-in or lonely person is the bright spot in both his or her day and your own. Saying hello and asking about the other person’s day takes only a few moments. We have plenty of time for television, the Internet, movies, sports events and shopping, so there is no reason that we can’t take five minutes to say hello to somebody who might be desperate for human interaction.

-Keep in touch. Old friends, relatives, and anybody else you know might enjoy a greeting card or a telephone call. If you’re really pressed for time, a quick e-mail to let them know that they’re on your mind and still a part of your life can make a difference.

-If you suddenly find that you have a little free time, take the opportunity to volunteer for a one-time project. City Hall often has information about volunteer opportunities, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to find something that you can do for two or three days, or as long as you have the free time that’s suddenly appeared on your schedule. You can help build a house, clean up an old city playground, help a non-profit organization do their bookkeeping or take inventory, volunteer as a driver for people who cannot get themselves around, or a number of other one-time things.

Tip: if City Hall can’t help you, contact local churches or civic clubs for opportunities. There is almost always something going on, so you should not have to look too far or hard to find the right job.

-Use part of your lunch break to help out. You might think that you don’t have time to do anything, but you can find a few spare minutes if you really try. What if you took half of your lunch break to read to three- and four-year-olds at the public library across the street from your office? What if you used part of your lunch hour to write letters or make phone calls for a charitable cause? If you get creative and think positively, you can come up with plenty of fast (but very helpful) things to do – and you’ll find the time to work them into your schedule.

-Don’t wait for the holidays. People who need help in December are still around in July, and probably still need assistance. The new widower up the street is still lonely after the holiday season ends.

-Don’t look away from problems that you can help. This does not mean that you should necessarily lay a hundred-dollar bill on a panhandler, but what if you see a young woman in a parking lot, stranded, with three children in the car? You might not be able to fix the car, but can you stop at a payphone or use your cell to call for help? In many cases, the answer is yes. You won’t necessarily put your safety or life at risk, but you will help someone who is obviously in need.

Remember that you do not have to be an expert, or even very experienced, to help somebody else. Charities and individual people are not looking for twenty years’ of experience when they desperately need somebody to make telephone calls or collect items for a yard sale. They want – and need – people like you: sympathetic men and women who want to help however they can.

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