Giving back to your community can seem like a difficult thing to do but not all gestures need to be grand. Making a small difference is just as important as any large change.
Making a small difference in your community creates a positive impact, improves your personal well-being and helps strengthen your community. If you are unsure where to start, then here are 10 ways you can make a small difference in your community.
One small difference you can make in your community is to volunteer at your local RSPCA or animal shelter. Volunteering with animals can be as simple as hanging out with them; giving them scratches and pats. As well as being beneficial for the animals’ well-being, it also helps improve your own mental health: bonus!
Doing this makes a small difference to the furry residents of your community.
Donating blood is another way to make a small difference. Donating blood is easy, quick and (almost) painless. This is a small act that could potentially save a life, turning it into a very big gesture. And if that doesn’t have you convinced, you also get a free cookie!
Before you decide to donate blood check this article to see if you are eligible.
Mentor someone to make a small difference in your community by helping shape the leaders of tomorrow, change someone’s world and get some personal inspiration. You can do this independently or even join a volunteer organisation that focuses on mentoring such as AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience).
Shopping local makes a small difference in your community as it supports actual people and families rather than big corporations. This is also a good way to keep money within the community. Shopping locally helps build communities by giving space for community groups and social aspects of the community.
Visiting a local retirement village is a good way of making a small difference to some important people in your community. The elderly are often overlooked or forgotten about and visiting an old person’s home to chat and have a cup of tea with the residents can make the world of difference to them.
Some of the residents will have gone a long time without a visitor, so you can really brighten their day!
Another easy way to make a small difference in your community is to donate your old clothes to a local op shop. By doing this you are helping those who in need of clothing by passing on your clothes that you no longer wear. Additionally, most op shops are also charities so by donating clothes for people to buy you are helping bring in more money for them to donate to their charity.
Keeping your community clean is an important way to make a small difference and help the environment. Keeping a rubbish bag in our handbag, pocket, or backpack is an easy way to pick up rubbish when you are walking around.
Anonymous acts of kindness is a wonderful way to make a small difference in your community. Being kind to strangers can improve their day and often they will then pass that kindness on, meaning your small difference has a massive ripple effect.
Small acts of kindness might include leaving your parking ticket in the machine, holding the door for someone, leaving kind letters in mailboxes and giving flowers to strangers.
Another way to volunteer and make a small difference is to serve in a food bank. Food banks are always needing more people to help them serve food to people who are in need. Serving food to those in need helps give them a hot meal and can improve both your day and theirs.
The final way to make a small difference in your community is by making sanitary kits for women in need. These sanitary kits can include pads, tampons, wet wipes and deodorant. The best way to make sure these get to those who really need them is by donating them to your local homeless shelter.
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