Community service is not only about returning the favor to your community and the country in general. There are lots of advantages which include exposure and organizational skills which anyone can benefit from giving your time and talent. For kids and teenagers, this is an extremely productive way of using their free time. They will not only accomplish a lot, they will also learn to empathize and be concerned for other people in the process. Probably, the biggest advantage people will get when they volunteer is the contentment of including their service in their lives and by making a difference in both their societies and country. The by-products of service include pride and satisfaction.
When you decide for a community service project, try to determine the activities that seem interesting to you. Do you like to collect funds for the medical research, gather food and clothing for the deprived families save the environment or help animals? It is best to contribute time and services to a particular subject you feel you are interested about. Here is an extensive range of community service ideas which will help you in making that choice.
Assisting the Elderly
There are plenty of tasks which a person can do in helping the elderly. The alternatives range from volunteering in mowing the lawn or shoveling the snow for an old person who lives nearby or pick up groceries and medications for them. One way of determining the people who are in need of help would be to ask the center for the local senior citizens or a worship venue for a list of people in need of assistance. Doing a very simple thing such as going for a walk with an elderly can have a great difference to them. One can use his proficiency in computers and teach an elderly how to use the computer as well as the Internet. Elderly always need assistance when it comes to cleaning gutters, washing windows and raking leaves. Any of these tasks can be done by the young ones. You can also deliver meals to the elderly who are homebound.
Activities to be done in the Nursing Home
One good way of serving your community and country will be to visit the local nursing home. You can go alone and bring along your friends with you. Before you pay a visit, think of games which will be organized for the elderly. You can also take a good book with you to read for them. But a little conversation with them will be adequate. An enjoyable plan would be to organize an afternoon dance at the nursing home in your locality. You may even adopt a grandfriend from the nursing home and communicate to them through letters or visit them on a regular basis.
Homeless Shelters and Soup Kitchens
You can contribute food or supplies to the homeless shelter or soup kitchen in your locality. Nonetheless, the best form of support which you can give is by volunteering your time. You can assist in cooking the meals or in serving food. Making of “I Care” kits with shampoo, toothbrushes and combs is another thing which you can do for the homeless people.
Help Animals
The local Humane Society is an amazing place to volunteer your time or resources, for individuals who are fascinated with animals. You can contribute food for the pet as well as old blankets. You may even adopt a pet from one of the shelters. Usually, these animals are starving for care and love and can benefit from whatever you will contribute.
Helping Children who are in Need
Tutoring a student who needs help in learning English or other subjects is a helpful thing you can do for the children. Try setting up a buddy system for the children with special needs in your locality. A larger project which relatives and close friends can help out is providing backpacks and other school supplies to the deprived kids in the area. Alternately, you can also organize a teddy bear for fire victims, foster children and more. A list of children in need can be collected from worship venues or from social service organizations in your locality.
Charity Carnival
This is an idea which group of friends and a family can contribute. You may arrange for a charity carnival in your backyard loaded with refreshments, carnival games and prizes. After a while, you can donate all the proceeds to the charity organization of your choice. Ask your friends from the neighborhood, worship venue, child’s school or workplace to put up flyers that state for whom the funds will be for.
Christmas Gift Drive
Christmas is a fantastic time in bringing cheer to a deprived family. One good way of obtaining that would be to arrange a gift drive in providing poor families with gifts for Christmas Day. Try asking others within your neighborhood, play group, church or school to participate.
Support Democracy
It is the responsibility of every democratic citizen to vote. This is a practice that needs to be promoted in each community. You can begin by asking people to register in order to vote. You may also offer to pass out the material for election or you can volunteer at a polling booth during the Election Day. But you have to communicate with the local authorities in order to offer your services. Finally, you can bring a friend with you to the polling booth to vote.
Other ideas are:
• Paint a mural over a graffiti if you have been permitted to do so.
• Raise funds for Braille books and read books or the newspaper on tape for people who are visually impaired.
• Clean up waste along beaches, rivers or in parks.
• Volunteer to teach at Sunday school
• Volunteer to become a peer counselor
• Send a letter to a soldier assigned overseas or to a US veteran of war
• Take part in the marathon for your favorite charity.
• Be a candy striper at the local hospital
• Be a teacher at a literacy center for adults
• Collect clothing from the neighbors and give them to the local shelter.
• Be a part of the next Special Olympics event in your locality.
You will discover that when you volunteer, you will receive more than what you have given. What you receive could be insubstantial, but this will change your life and the humankind around you. So, look for a program in your area and then sign up. If not, you can start you own outreach.