Ways to Give Back This Fall

If you are looking for ways to give back to your community, I thank you in advance. Though there are many restrictions on what we can do at the moment, especially when it comes to working with other people, there are still thousands of ways, big or small, we can give back and make an impact on other people's lives! 

As the weather is getting colder, there are even more opportunities to give back and help people in your community. Here are multiple ways you can help those in your community through volunteer, donations, or something a bit more personal, 

* may be impacted or unavailable due to COVID-19 guidelines (from September 2020)

Volunteer:

- * Soup kitchens A great option for anyone who wants to help those in need and want to be more hands on, especially during fall as the weather begins to drop!

- * Homeless shelters: Whether you want to drop off supplies anonymously, or want to sit down and talk with people, this is an option that allows anyone to help out in any way they can.

- * Churches Most churches hold events like food drives, toy drives, and mission trips! If those are ways God has put on your heart to give back, contact local churches in the area and see what volunteer events and opportunities they have coming up!

- Food Banks: An opportunity for people who want to give back anonymously, financially, or by giving their time and physically being there! 

- Delivering groceries: Especially during this current pandemic, many are unable to go out to get groceries. Though they can request for them to be delivered by the grocery store, it can take weeks before getting a time slot. You could volunteer your time and pick up people's groceries who are unable to go out themselves and drop them off at their door!

Donate:

- For those in need: Donate supplies, like food to a local food bank, toys to a children's hospital or toy drive, money, or your time to any foundation or charity that value the same qualities you do!

- For those in poverty: Find a foundation that goes overseas, helping people in the world's most impoverished areas, and donate financially (or donate your time when mission trips are able to be organized again)!

- For those in hospital: Contact a hospital that helps those who you want to help and ask if you can go in to volunteer, drop off goods, or give back financially to their families or to help with their medical costs! 

- For children: Donate toys, art supplies and books (and sometimes event tickets) to a local children's hospital. Some allow volunteers to come in and work with the children as well, so you can certainly ask if this is permitted too!

- For injustices: Research about an injustice that speaks dear to your heart and find ways to get involved, whether it is through a financial donation or a volunteer opportunity!

- For COVID-19: Give back during the hard times of this pandemic and donate masks, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies to hospitals, homeless shelters, and other foundations in need!

- For animals: Donate online to an organization helping endangered species, or donate (or volunteer) to an animal shelter that need extra help!

- For the environment: Research and find organizations that are helping with current environmental issues and donate to help with their current environmental projects!

Get Personal:

- * Invite your neighbours over for a meal: Though COVID-19 may not permit inviting them into your home to serve them a meal, you could always prepare a meal for your neighbour, deliver it to their door and get to know those in your community better!

- * Offer to babysit for free: If there are any parents working from home, or have children completing online school this year, offer to babysit as the parents are working!

- Donate clothing and toys to a second hand store near by: Donate any clothing and toys that are not of use and drop it off at your local Salvation Army or thrift store! You never know who might love the thing you no longer need!

- Support local farms and markets: Keep your community running and shop locally! Get your produce from a local farmers market or pick up some treats at a local bakery!

- * Donate blood: If old enough or able to, donate blood and help those who are in need of it! 

- Help seniors in your community: As mentioned above, offer to pick up and drop off their groceries or rake up their leaves (or whatever type of weather fall may bring) for free! Maybe they just want some company, which you could then offer to sit and chat and get to know them more (socially distanced in the driveway is always an option too!) 

- * Share your pets: If you have a well trained dog or cat that loves attention but is a calm and friendly animal, get your pet certified and offer to bring them into senior homes, schools or hospitals as a therapy animal!

- Give your support and past experience: Offer your time, in person or online, to help those who are going through something you have already experienced! Whether it's a mental health struggle, like anxiety or depression, overcoming an addiction, a disability diagnosis, or maybe it's a medical diagnosis, like cancer or diabetes. Share your past experience with someone who is presently overcoming that struggle and be the help to someone like the help you had, or wish you had, from someone during your struggle!

- Offer free tutoring: As school is starting up again, online and in class, offer to tutor a student in a course or subject you know a lot about or did well in! This can go as young as helping children to read, to university students struggling in a mandatory course, to teaching a senior a new skill! The options are truly endless!

- Write a letter: If you know someone who could use an encouraging word, write them a letter and get it delivered to their home! If there is no one you know personally who could use this, write a letter to a Veteran or a Front Line worker and express your gratitude for their service!

- Host a Bible Study: If you know some people who need a prayer or could use a message from The Word of God, host a Bible Study and ask about topics they would like to discuss! You never know who may need a little extra boost in their faith or who you may help by spending an hour of your day with them in The Word of The Lord!

- Become a Big Brother or Big Sister: Though the pandemic may change the requirements of these programs, sign up to mentor the youth and becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister! Countries affiliated with this program include!

• Australia
• Austria
• Bermuda
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Cayman Islands
• Ireland
• Israel
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Poland
• Russia
• South Korea
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United States of America

(see if your area, or how your country, offers this program on the Big Brothers Big Sisters International (or Canada) website!)

These are just a few of the many ways you can help out in your community! It's a blessing to be able to help others! I hope these examples spark some creative ideas or are accessible to you in your community! If these ideas are for you, I thank you for your generosity and have fun! God bless! 💛🤝