When you live in a community, you want to do what you can to make life easier for everyone. Here are five things, big and small, that you can do for your community.
Volunteer
If you want to make your community better, try volunteering at local places. The best hospitals have volunteers who help make it a better place. By volunteering at your hospital, you give the doctors and nurses the time to focus on caring for patients. You can handle more menial tasks or just check with a patient to see how he or she is doing, which can go a long way.
Your community will appreciate the time and effort you give to the local hospital, and you can volunteer anywhere that is taking people. You might want to spend time at the food pantry or homeless shelter. You might volunteer to tutor a child after school. Look for any way to give back to your community with your time and energy, and you’ll make a huge difference.
Support Your Church
Your church plays a huge role in the community. It provides a place for people to go for help and comfort. Most, if not all, churches engage with the local community and volunteer. Some provide shelter or food to those in need. Some engage in service projects for making the neighborhood a better place to live.
By supporting your church, you support your community. You might donate church supplies or offer to bring coffee for after the service. Talk with your pastor or minister about ways you can help make the church a hub for the community. Even just inviting your neighbors to a service might make a difference.
Organize a Clean-Up
The state of your community is crucial. You may want to organize a neighborhood clean-up to remove trash from the streets or fix up the local park. Find volunteers to help you complete a project in the community, and you’ll notice a huge change. People are less likely to litter if they feel a sense of ownership for where they live, so you’ll notice a decline in waste on the ground.
Clean neighborhoods are also safer and more friendly. Your community members will feel proud of where they live and encouraged to do more good for the neighborhood.
Coach a Sport
Another way to use your time well is to coach a sport. You might want to coach your child’s little league team or you might feel more comfortable working with high school athletes. Whether you’re a skilled athlete or not, coaching a sport is a great benefit to your community.
Kids of all ages benefit from working with teammates, and as a coach, you’re the model of what a successful and kind adult looks like. Be a role model for your community and teach the neighborhood children how to work hard, play fair, and collaborate. It’s not about winning games, it’s really about learning how to be better people. Use your time to help create better adults.
Teach a Class
If you have a skill, why not teach it? You can start a class at the community center or offer to go into local schools. You might be an incredible sewer. Teaching this skill to others will help them become more self-sufficient and could even inspire someone to open a local clothing store, which brings money back into the community.
Maybe you’re an incredible cook. Teach a weekly cooking class for free and show people how they can make healthy meals at home, making your neighbors happier and healthier. Teaching any skill to your community members will revitalize the neighborhood and make a difference.
Evaluate your skills and see where you might be a good fit in the community. You can make a difference no matter the time, energy, or money you have to give.
