We all have the power to impact someone’s life. Community Involvement and being a person of service is just part of life for me. Connecting with the community brings a sense of accomplishment and pride. I feel like it’s my responsibility to give back.
Over the years I have participated in food and clothing drives and donated to the charitable cause during annual drives or times of immediate need. My focus on a more routine commitment to giving back came when I first moved to a new city. 10 years ago I left my home state of New York and moved to Atlanta, GA. Adjusting to life in a new city and being away from family and friends had me homesick with a lot of free time. One of the ways I coped was to get active in my community. Volunteering not only served as a stress reliever for me, it was a way for me to meet new people while also being of service.
Tweet ThisSupport businesses that give back or match contributions. In support of three causes – health, home, and hunger Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company is preparing for a $2 million donation via Band Together, their corporate giving campaign. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and Feeding America or Food Banks Canada are the non-profits benefiting from the campaign. You can get involved by helping Band together with Jewelers Mutual to help decide how to disperse the donation. All you have to do is submit your vote here for one of the causes*. (Campaign runs from July 11, 2016, at 11 am CT – July 31, 2016, at 11 pm CT. )
Community Involvement comes from the heart, but rewards are sweet too. During the three-week campaign, casting your vote counts as an entry to a weekly jewelry prize drawing from STACKED New York. Each week, one lucky winner will receive a set of 3 stacking bands ($450 retail value). You can vote daily to increase your chances of winning!
Getting involved in your community is easy. Here are a few of my other favorite ways to get involved.
Donate: Writing checks is nice, but there are ways to give beyond monetary donations.
-Clothes, food, books, electronics, appliances, furniture, school supplies are all things that many charitable organizations can benefit from receiving.
In the process of transitioning to a capsule wardrobe, I’ve been cleaning out my closets and preparing for a huge donation of clothes, shoes, and handbags.
-Donating blood is easy and always needed.
-Don’t forget about your service. One year I spent time teaching a Career Success class at a High School. Working with students is always an eye-opening and fun experience. Schools, Churches, Community Centers are places you can look for opportunities to share your knowledge on certain topics.
Volunteer your time: Getting out and spending time is my favorite way of giving back. My fiancé and I have a tradition of feeding the homeless and delivering meals to the sick and shut-in. We started doing this when we first started dating, and it just became our tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Being out in the community is also a great way to promote teamwork in office groups or spend time together as a family and teach children about giving back.
Selfies with some of the ladies at the Special Needs Center where I volunteer.
R.O.A.K.: Random acts of kindness count as community involvement in my book. Hold the door for someone, smile, help someone with their groceries, you get the idea. Being nice is continuous, you never know what people are dealing with, something seemingly small could have a profound impact on their day.
Support: Shop local. Get to know the people in your community and help the small businesses. Walk around stop into the small shops, check out the farmers market or produce stands. It’s a nice way to support while getting to know people.
At the end of the day, it just comes down to getting involved however you can. I have yet to hear someone say giving back didn’t make them feel good. Sound off, tell me ways you have gotten involved in your community.
