05/07/2020
Beyond bucks: 10 ways to make a difference
Updated: Apr 23
1. Volunteer
Volunteering your time and skills to a local organization is a great way to give back to your community. Whether its a school, food bank, youth group, senior’s home, or animal shelter, church group there are so many wonderful of local organizations that would benefit with help from a volunteer. A quick search online will help find local opportunities. Or, contact organizations you’re interested in helping.
2. Donate Blood
With one donation you can save many lives, yet just one patient could require multiple donors. Every donation makes a difference in someone’s life, and what greater gift could you? Google Local Blood drive events and I am sure you will find one coming up.
3. Become a Mentor
Become a mentor to someone who would benefit from your skills, knowledge, and experience. Maybe there’s someone in your social circles or profession you would like to help along the way. If not organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters , SCORE Mentors in Charleston or Be A Mentor in North Charleston are there to help you connect you with people in our area who could use a helping hand.
4. Organize a Charitable Event
Find a cause you’re passionate about and organize an event or fundraiser on its behalf. Maybe you raise money for at risk children, or collect food donations for a community pantry or collect personal items for Victims of Domestic Abuse as they often have to leave with nothing. If you want to help but you’re stuck for ideas reach out to organizations like ours to help make an impact. www.givingahelpinghand.org
5. Shop Local
Shopping local invests in your community. Spending money locally supports the local economy and your neighbors — by keeping money in your neighborhood, where it can be reinvested again through other shops and services. It’s a cycle that keeps on giving. More so then ever this has been important with the Corona Virus. Many Low Country businesses are relaying on our community to patron their small business.
6. Adopt a Neighbor
You don’t have to go far to make an impact on someone's life. Whether the older man or women who lives alone, a single parent or a family of a deployed military member who live in your neighborhood or on your street who could use a hand. Maybe you could help with yard work, pick up groceries at the store, wash their car. It might not even matter what you do as long as you show you care.
7. Attend Community Meetings
Community meetings are a great place to meet people from your neighborhood while developing a deeper familiarity with your community. It’s also a great way to build feelings of belonging and ownership of the place you call home. It really is a great way to be heard, vote and help make decisions for change in the low country.
8. Organize a Clean Up
Organize a clean up in an area in the Low country. You do not need much to get a start on this. It's as easy as getting a box of garbage bags, recycling bags ,rubber gloves, protection, like safety glasses depending on what you decide to clean up. Rally together a group of friends, family or volunteers, and find a location that needs some love. We have a lot of places in the low country in need of a little help. It starts with an idea to make a difference.
9. Join a Community Garden
Not only do community gardens beautify the community, they often provide produce and other goods to local neighborhoods. Whether you are experienced in gardening or just beginning to testing the waters with growing vegetables it can be very rewarding . It's hard work and with a community garden there are many hands helping to grow a great harvest. You won’t just be growing fruit and vegetables, but friendships and community along the way! Katie's Krops is a great example of a non profit that grew to help Low Country families by growing crops which in turn she and her organization has feed hundreds of people for free. If you think you want to grow vegetables at home here is her website www.katieskrops.com They will send you seeds to help the growing efforts in the Low Country.
10. Help Build an Affordable Home
Habitat of humanity is an organization that builds safe and affordable housing in more than 70 countries around the world. Houses are built, or renovated, over a number of weeks with massive help from local business donations of materials plus a large amount of volunteers to help build the homes. This is truly a great way to giving back. We have several Habitat of Humanity stores in the Low Country. By shopping there you also help raise funds that will go into building more homes. For more information for their up coming events or ways to help go to www.habitat.org
