10 Simple Ways To Give Back

Thanks to Walgreens for sponsoring my writing. Help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote.

One of my major passions is volunteering.

I have been blessed to have been involved with some seriously cool volunteer opportunities…from disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina to building a house with Habitat for Humanity in a small village in Romania to jumping in a partially frozen river for Special Olympics in winter, dressed like this:

I think this photo seals the deal — I will do most anything for a good cause.

I am always brainstorming fun ways to give back since it makes my heart full to help others. Here are a few simple (and fun) ways to give back to your community:

Adopt a pet from a local shelter. Skip out on the fancy breeders and open your home to a homeless pet.

Help our schools. Many teachers reach into their own pockets halfway through the school year to make up for supplies needed. Help out a classroom by donating items. Or, if you excel at a specific subject, tutor a student in need of extra help.

Join a one-day cause. There are thousands of walks, runs and bike races that help to raise much-needed funds for a non-profit. Pick your favorite form of exercise and do it for the greater good.

Put your talent to use. Can you sew? Do you cook? Can you build things? Whatever your passion or talent, there is an organization looking to put your skills to use.

Visit the elderly. Visit a nursing home or assisted living facility and talk with the elderly – it’s amazing what you can learn from those more experienced souls.

Send a card to our nation’s military. So simple yet so deserved. It can be a thankless job, so a simple card with encouraging words can make a difference to those who serve our country.

Give blood. I know, this is a very, very scary one. But, you could potentially save 3 lives. That’s amazing. And if you have a more rare blood type like me (B-), it’s even more critical.

Coupon for a cause. Use coupons to get items at little or no cost. Chances are you do not need 10 tubes of toothpaste. Keep some, but donate the rest to an area homeless or domestic violence shelter.

Recycle. Mother Earth can be considered our community too, right? Treat her right!

Volunteer at a soup kitchen. This is one of my favorite ways to give back because it’s so much fun! Make the food, serve it to those in need, help clean up – all in a few hours.

If you need any recommendations for local or national organizations, please let me know — I’m happy to help. And for my local readers, stay tuned for tomorrow’s post highlighting 5 fab ways to give back in Detroit.

Don’t forget to help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

What are your favorite ways to give back?