How to Help Your Community & Why You Should Do It

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How to Help Your Community

Building a strong community requires civic engagement from those who live within the community. When everyone in an area works together and is committed to making the community a nice place to live, it will be a much better place for everyone.

As a member of a community, you can do your part to make a real difference. Helping your community can be something as simple as making sure you are nice to your neighbors each day or something as complex as organizing fundraising efforts and improving public spaces.

Tips for Helping Your Community

There are a lot of different things you can do to help your community depending upon the level of commitment that you want to make in terms of time or money. For example, some of the different things you can do include the following:

1.   Work at your local school or library: Most schools and libraries look for volunteers in the town. You can volunteer your time tutoring kids, stacking shelves, organizing fundraisers or working at a local book sale.

2.   Never litter and organize a public clean up: Making a commitment to never litter is one of the easiest ways you can help your community. Organizing efforts to clean up public spaces have an immediate impact on improving the environmental health and aesthetics of your community.

3.   Volunteer your time: Look online for lists of charitable organizations, nonprofits and community organizations within your area. Search for a cause that you believe in and donate time. It is mutually beneficial. You will feel better in addition to providing a need to others.

4.   Coach a youth sports team: Becoming involved in local youth leagues is a great way to connect with kids in your area who are looking for a leader. Sports provide physical and mental benefits for kids, and you can share your knowledge and skills in sporting events while giving back to your community.

5.   Organize a food drive: There are people in every community that are struggling. Host a food drive to collect canned goods and other nonperishable food items. You can donate the items to a food bank or a local church organization that makes food available to the hungry.

6.   Start a community garden: Community gardens can beautify public spaces and can provide food for local residents that is fresh and locally grown. If there are public spaces available in your community that would benefit from a garden, contact the city to secure the necessary permissions and organize a shared garden space.

7.   Consider running for local office: Joining your city council, becoming a member of your school board or otherwise running for public office can be one of the single best ways to impact your community. If you are elected, you can make important decisions that shape the lives of everyone living in your area. If you are not interested in running for office yourself, you can volunteer for a candidate you believe in.

Communities are successful when everyone contributes to a healthy and safe lifestyle. Everyone gains when time is invested in the place you call home.

“I shall pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do, let me do it now; Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” – by Stephen Grellet

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