giving doesn't have to be a major feat. yes, some people make grand gestures, but there are countless small acts that make a BIG difference. some of us want to do something but we just don't know where to start. you'd be surprised to learn how easily you can incorporate giving into your everyday activities. i thought i'd spoil you and make a list of 10 things you can do right now, like today, to make a difference. this list is ranked according to time, effort or financial sacrifice required (with #1 requiring the least effort).
1. Read
a good place to start might be to stay informed. get to know what the issues are, or get inspired by someone who's already doing something to change the world. here are two books that i'm reading now:
2. Tweet
yes, Tweet. If you have a Twitter account, you can donate 1 tweet a day to a cause you care about. justcoz.org allows you to find causes that you're passionate about and donate 1 tweet a day to raise awareness to all your followers. they do the actual tweeting, so you don't have to do anything.
Done! You did something.
3. Facebook
market surveys are a drag sometimes, but what if for every survey you filled out you converted the time spent into money for a cause you believed in? AND you get to share it on Facebook and let all your friends know that you helped change the world.
join social vibe, find a charity you like and get busy earning activity points. then share on Facebook and get your whole network involved.
4. Go online
yes, you can change the world by sitting on your couch and surfing the web. let's face it, you were planning to do that tonight anyway, so why not make it meaningful? these are some of my favourite websites that offer some pretty neat "microvolunteering" opportunities that you can do online. They are usually one-off, short projects that you can do to help a nonprofit organization (like create a marketing plan, design a website etc.) you can do one, or you can do many. my guess is you'll love the feeling of helping and you'll do many :)
- catchafire
- sparked
- time bank (UK based/focused)
- UN online
- help from home
go on, put your skills and knowledge to use!
5. Get out of the house
because sitting on your couch surfing the web everyday is not too healthy. you know you need to get more active, so get out of the house and find an organization that could use your help. To me, the best place to start (if you're in the US) is volunteermatch.com. You can find tons of opportunities to volunteer your time by city, state, cause etc. (volunteer match also offers virtual opportunities as well)if you're not in the US, your city is bound to have some of these:
- orphanages - go tutor once a week or make crafts, play sports etc.
- hospitals - go and visit the sick, take some healthy treats, or just chat with someone
- homes for the aged - chat, build relationships, read or do an activity
- soup kitchens - make or serve a warm meal for your city's homeless/hungry
6. Shop
unless you're living off the grid, shopping is a major activity in your life. it's time to start paying attention to your labels. who made your products? are they certified fair trade? are they organic?
- start looking for products that give percentages of sales to certain causes like Product RED
- find amazing deals AND give to charities on socialgoodies.com. they're kinda like Groupon, but for good. each day you can buy heavily discounted items, with 20% of your purchase price going towards one of their charities
- buy fair-trade products made from artisans with significant barriers to the labour market like Ten Thousand Villages
- or buy from social enterprises
shop responsibly!
7. Lend
i can't stress enough the value that a small loan can make for someone with little or no access to job opportunities. that's why i LOVE Kiva.org, the world's first online microlending platform. a loan of just US$25 can help someone start or develop a small business. AND you get it back! but consider lending that same $25 over and over. it'll be the best $25 you ever spent.give a microloan today at Kiva.org
8. Give
if you are in a position to part with some cash, consider making a donation to a cause you care about. there are many out there, so choose wisely! my suggestion is that you look for organizations that empower people through job creation, rather than handouts. handouts can be useful in a time of emergency or relief aid, but if you're going to give money, make sure it's a gift that's sustainable.
if you prefer to give a little every day, check out Philanthroper.com. they highlight different nonprofits each day and accept donations of $1 maximum! so, instead of giving $100 to one charity, consider giving $1 to 100 charities.
if you prefer to give a little every day, check out Philanthroper.com. they highlight different nonprofits each day and accept donations of $1 maximum! so, instead of giving $100 to one charity, consider giving $1 to 100 charities.
9. Fundraise
maybe you're the kind of person who was always the ringleader. you have thousands of Facebook friends, you set trends, and you only have to tell people to so something once and they'll do it. starting your own online fundraiser is for you. Crowdrise uses the power of crowd funding to enable you to raise money online for a charity that you care about. You can even create a project team (ie, your fabulous friends) to join in the feel-good fun.
10. Take a trip
if you are planning to take a big trip to another part of the world, why not make it a trip that makes a difference by being a "voluntourist"? voluntourism allows you to travel to some of the world's most exciting locations, but, instead of spending your whole trip working on a sun tan, you spend your time volunteering at a local charity. i have my own misgivings about voluntourism tour operators, but that's your choice. there are many to choose from. but i suggest you make it a D-I-Y affair and do your own research ahead of time of possible charities to work with and contact them directly.
here are two sites to get you started:
so there you have it. 10 things you can do right now to make a difference. please comment if there are things you think i should add to this list, or my upcoming list of 20 things.
also, i'm dying to hear back from you if you've started any of these activities!
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