We would all like to think of ourselves as charitable people, but sometimes our schedules don’t permit us to think laterally about how we can make a difference. The good news is that there are a number of ways to be more charitable in your daily life. You don’t even need to carve a few hours out of the week if you can’t make it happen, as incremental support and actions are better than nothing at all. If you are waiting for some inspiration and ideas, here is how you can be more charitable in your life.
Align with your chosen charities
You may not have chosen to pursue any charitable acts because you have not yet identified the best charities to donate to who are championing your values and beliefs. You can start by looking within your community, and seeing what groups and missions resonate with you. Perhaps it’s LGBTIQ+ groups, refugee causes or even the homeless population – think deeply about how and who you want to align with and then start honing in on the group of your choice. Even amplifying their messages on social media can go a long way.
Consider a regular donation
We are not all in a position to donate money, but there is a misconception that charity donations have to be large sums of money. You can be contributing to a charity donation daily, weekly or monthly and it could even be as small as a $5 donation. Charities work to procure consistent donors, so make contact with the charity of your choice and ask if they are willing to accept whatever you can afford. These donations add up over time and are worth being proud of.
Your time is the ultimate asset
Contrary to what you might believe, your time is more important than money in a lot of instances as charities need bodies on the ground and working for the cause. You might be lucky to score a couple of hours a week at a charity close to your home, or perhaps you are on a seasonal list and put in some hours over Christmas or other periods. In fact, if you find yourself on the phone, or face to face with someone requesting a financial donation – ask them if they have a need for more hands. There are so many charities that you could be contributing to daily through meal preparation, meal distribution, on the phones, hanging posters – and thousands of other charity tasks.
Other ways to give
We haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the many ways you can be supporting charities daily. Do you have any furniture that you no longer need, clothes that don’t fit, or even canned or long-life food that you won’t get to? All of these items (and many other speciality products) can be donated to hundreds of national or global charities. It’s incredible to think that by simply decluttering your home you are actually making someone’s future a little brighter.
Random acts of kindness
If you are unfamiliar with what a random act of kindness is, it’s an incredible phenomenon which is growing in popularity all over the world. The idea is that you do an unprompted act of kindness (big or small) that will benefit someone unknown to you. This might be pre-paying for someone’s coffee who looks like they need it when you order your own, leaving some change in the vending machine, or it could even be leaving a nice message for someone on a neighbourhood sign. Start thinking about how you can bring some kindness to someone’s day.
We hope this has inspired you to look for the many ways you can be working with charities, in whatever capacity is realistic for you. Set the intention to identify what causes you are most passionate about and seek out how you can support these worthy causes.