No matter where you live, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved with and provide aid to your local community. At first, it may seem like you have to find an organization worthy of your help and whose volunteer hours will accommodate your busy schedule. However, it is important to remember that you don’t have to be affiliated with a specific charity in order to do some good in your hometown.
Here are a few ways you can volunteer locally (and on your own time):
Volunteer at an animal shelter
Animal shelters are always in need of volunteers, both during the week and on weekends. Ask to walk dogs, play with cats, or any other tasks that don’t require any in-depth training. If you find your local shelter already has a full staff, find out if they have an Amazon Wish List or other list of food and other products they are in need of, then purchase as many items as you can. This contribution would benefit the shelters and its residents just as much as your time would!
Help the elderly
Everybody has — or knows somebody who has — an elderly neighbor who is in need of someone to perform tasks they no longer can, such as raking leaves, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, and so on. Help out the senior citizens in your neighborhood by handling these tasks for them without their asking. It will come as a nice surprise!
Clean up your community
Get your family and/or a group of friends together to clean up a local park, roadway, or other area that is in desperate need of maintenance. This could include picking up trash, planting flowers or trees, pulling weeds, and more. Not only will you enhance the appearance of the area, but you can also teach your children a thing or two about being active in their community!
Help your local military families and/or veterans
This could be done in a number of ways, ranging from picking their children up from school, to driving them to doctor appointments, to preparing and delivering a weekly meal to their doorstep. No matter what you choose to do, it is sure to be appreciated!
Still searching for a way to help? Visit createthegood.org to find volunteer opportunities near you!