How to Give Back to the Community
Identify causes that you care about., Find an organization., Rate the organization., Look at what your community needs., Think local or think global.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify causes that you care about.
If you are interested in supporting your community in a specific way, you can tailor your volunteering and charitable giving based on causes.
Usually, charitable organizations have a mission that is related to one particular cause.
If you feel called to support an organization based on their mission, this is a good place to start.
Other organizations, like community centers, do not have a specific cause that they are working towards.
They tend to be interested in generally supporting and benefiting the members of the community.
Whether you choose an organization that is dedicated to a specific cause or not, this is a good way to start thinking about your charitable actions. -
Step 2: Find an organization.
Now that you have identified causes that you are interested in supporting, you can begin to search for organizations.
Search with organizations that are aligned with the causes that you care about.
For example, you could search “Domestic violence organizations” with your zip code or city and see if there are charities in your area that you can support.
Ask friends and family about what organizations they support.
They may be supporting an organization that you hadn’t come across in your search that you connect with.
Visit organization’s websites.
The majority of charities will have a web presence and most will list what sort of support they need (ex. clothing donations, food donations, monetary). , Some charities are better, more reputable, and help more people than others.
You should take some time to make sure that this organization will distribute your donations to the people who need them.Before you donate your time, resources, and money to an organization it is important to consider its reputation and how effective it is.
Use a charity search to look for reviews and ratings of the different organizations that you are considering supporting.Smaller and local organizations may not be searchable.
You should ask around your community and social network to see if anyone has had any negative experiences with that organization. , As you look at ways to give back, you will learn more about the needs of your community and how already established organizations or programs support those needs.
You may notice that there is a gap in the services offered in your area, or that organizations aren't reaching certain groups or areas.
Start an organization or program.
You may be passionate about promoting literacy and helping kids love to read, and notice that your local school district doesn't offer any after-school programs dedicated to reading.
You could start a program that promotes causes that you care about.
If you decide that you'd like to start an organization or program in your area, it may be helpful to partner with an established organization or community center in your area.
That way, you can tap into their resources and expand their programming.
Look for other people that share your interests and form a group that dedicates their time to working towards that cause.
Organize with others to start a club, program, event or organization that you believe will give back to your community.
You can use this as an opportunity to educate others about the cause, to raise funds, and to raise awareness. , Giving back to the community can also mean giving back to the global community, or you could decide to keep your donations closer to home.
You may identify national or international organizations that align with the causes that you care about.
If you live in an area that a global organization works in, your support for that organization would also indirectly support your own community.
You can also limit your search for an organization to your town or county and keep your focus local. -
Step 3: Rate the organization.
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Step 4: Look at what your community needs.
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Step 5: Think local or think global.
Detailed Guide
If you are interested in supporting your community in a specific way, you can tailor your volunteering and charitable giving based on causes.
Usually, charitable organizations have a mission that is related to one particular cause.
If you feel called to support an organization based on their mission, this is a good place to start.
Other organizations, like community centers, do not have a specific cause that they are working towards.
They tend to be interested in generally supporting and benefiting the members of the community.
Whether you choose an organization that is dedicated to a specific cause or not, this is a good way to start thinking about your charitable actions.
Now that you have identified causes that you are interested in supporting, you can begin to search for organizations.
Search with organizations that are aligned with the causes that you care about.
For example, you could search “Domestic violence organizations” with your zip code or city and see if there are charities in your area that you can support.
Ask friends and family about what organizations they support.
They may be supporting an organization that you hadn’t come across in your search that you connect with.
Visit organization’s websites.
The majority of charities will have a web presence and most will list what sort of support they need (ex. clothing donations, food donations, monetary). , Some charities are better, more reputable, and help more people than others.
You should take some time to make sure that this organization will distribute your donations to the people who need them.Before you donate your time, resources, and money to an organization it is important to consider its reputation and how effective it is.
Use a charity search to look for reviews and ratings of the different organizations that you are considering supporting.Smaller and local organizations may not be searchable.
You should ask around your community and social network to see if anyone has had any negative experiences with that organization. , As you look at ways to give back, you will learn more about the needs of your community and how already established organizations or programs support those needs.
You may notice that there is a gap in the services offered in your area, or that organizations aren't reaching certain groups or areas.
Start an organization or program.
You may be passionate about promoting literacy and helping kids love to read, and notice that your local school district doesn't offer any after-school programs dedicated to reading.
You could start a program that promotes causes that you care about.
If you decide that you'd like to start an organization or program in your area, it may be helpful to partner with an established organization or community center in your area.
That way, you can tap into their resources and expand their programming.
Look for other people that share your interests and form a group that dedicates their time to working towards that cause.
Organize with others to start a club, program, event or organization that you believe will give back to your community.
You can use this as an opportunity to educate others about the cause, to raise funds, and to raise awareness. , Giving back to the community can also mean giving back to the global community, or you could decide to keep your donations closer to home.
You may identify national or international organizations that align with the causes that you care about.
If you live in an area that a global organization works in, your support for that organization would also indirectly support your own community.
You can also limit your search for an organization to your town or county and keep your focus local.
About the Author
Aaron Ward
Creates helpful guides on creative arts to inspire and educate readers.
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