Want to Make a Difference? Ways To Give Back to Your Local Community
Written by Amanda Sawyer
Everyone wants to see their local community thrive. It is part of the human experience to work towards success in our homes. All of us have a sense of community, whether we live in a large city or a small town. We all want to carry pride in our hometown. While we all have this desire to help our communities, it can be hard to find ways to put action behind this desire. Below is a list of ideas for giving back to your community that can allow you to see growth in your hometown.
Shop Small
Shopping small is a quick and easy way to give back to your local community. Shopping local for items that you have to buy anyway puts money right back into your local economy. Looking for local options can be as easy as filling medicine at your local pharmacy, getting groceries at a local store, or getting gardening supplies at a local hardware store or nursery. There are lots of options to seek out local alternatives to your daily shopping and online ordering. When we need these items anyway, we are able to help support our neighbors by giving them our business. This is an effortless way to support your community.
Volunteering
Volunteering in your community is another great way to get out and get involved. There are many volunteer opportunities across the country, but volunteering directly in your community allows you to see the difference your work makes. If your community doesn’t have many volunteer opportunities, then don’t worry. Here are some easy ways to start some community service projects:
Projects like DIY manicures at a local nursing home, helping elderly neighbors with landscaping, or reading at the local library are simple ways to start volunteering. To get started you should contact the staff or family at the place where you are looking to volunteer and see if you need to submit any paperwork to be allowed in the facility. After you have officially signed up as a volunteer or set up a time to get started, you can begin aiding your community through acts of service.
Starting or Stocking a Local Food Pantry
Food insecurity is a major issue all over the world. According to the Food for Good website, food insecurity affects nearly two million people just in the United States. This number keeps growing as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting a local food pantry in your community is a way to keep giving back week after week. A food pantry is so important because it allows you and other volunteers to discreetly aid families in your community who are suffering from a lack of food. You can start a food pantry in your community by reaching out to churches, schools, and even Facebook friends asking for donations. After you have donations, check back with the schools and churches to see if they can help get the donations to families in need.
With the growing number of households facing food insecurity, the number of food pantries is also quickly growing. If your neighborhood already has a food pantry, don’t discard this idea. Reach out to the pantry volunteers and see if there are any items they are in need of. Some pantries also need volunteers to work at the pantry by organizing shelves, putting together food boxes, and even delivering to certain homes and pick-up points. Just because there isn’t a need to start a pantry doesn’t mean that there isn’t a need to work at the pantry.
These are just a few ways you can help. There are lots of ways to give back to our communities. Every town is different and every place has different needs. The great part about supporting your local community is that the experience is as unique as your hometown is. Together we can make a difference, and by getting involved in your town, you can make a difference. You will start to see change as soon as you step forward, and you will start to see others join you. The best way to see a difference is to be the difference.
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