Contributing To The Global Village

Be empowered to lend your unique skills to charitable endeavors. Putting your spin on the conventional methods of charitable campaigning might start a new trend that revives and strengthens your community in ways you only imagined before taking action. If you feel your skills or talents are too bizarre or unique to be appreciated, think again. Your rare specialty just might be the thing to bring everyone together. It's really important in these tough times to look for ways to help our neighbors. Here are a few simple mainstream ideas to incite you.

There are beyond a baker's dozen of cool ideas to try to warm the hearts of those less fortunate. Church bazaar's and bake sales are a few ways to fund a good cause. Don't be afraid to take an approach that's not mainstream such as selling homemade jam or stuffed animals from gently worn clothing to raise money for the local school trip. It's really important in these tough times to use all of our unique skills to help our neighbors. Here are a few ideas to incite you.

Request that your employer sponsor a day of giving. A monetary drive can be organized where all employee donations are matched by the company. Participation can also be extended to organizations who are affiliated with your employer to maximize the impact. Hanging banners throughout the workspace is a good way to motivate internally and externally. Neighboring businesses may give through your example.

Sporting teams can invite spectators to donate during a marathon, meet or game. Athletes can encourage sponsors to pay per mile, point or victory. Even the losing team can be a winner if they collect money for their participation or items for donation. Schools, athletic associations or just a group of athletically inclined friends can make a difference. For instance, cyclist friends can fill their backpacks and bike their way to a donation site. Posting on social media and spreading the word can get others to follow your lead.

New home owners can remember the homeless by asking their guests to bring items to their housewarming party. Suggest that they bring socks, undergarments and thermal underwear In addition to the usual items like cans of food and toiletries. Plan crafting activities like knitting blankets, scarves, mittens and caps to give to a shelter.

Teens are hooked on a popular project that cuts down on recycling material and puts it to good use by helping people who are in need. They are crocheting sleeping mats for homeless people made of recycled plastic shopping bags. The plastic bags must first be turned into yarn or "parn". Lay the bags out and fold each three times. Next, cut off the handles and the bottoms of each bag. Then, cut each bag into three parts equally. Take the circular strips and form loop knots to make a chain. Roll the chain into a ball of plastic yarn. This lightweight, portable, durable, weatherproof and eco-friendly material is ideal as the mats will be used indoors and outdoors all year. It takes about 50 hours to make one mat. A nice touch is to place donated personal hygiene products inside the pocket of each mat.

Coming up with a plan and wondering if it will make a difference can be daunting. There is nothing wrong with the conventional methods of charitable campaigning. Be empowered to try something new by lending your unique skills to charitable endeavors. Putting your spin on it might start a new trend that revives and strengthens your community in ways you only imagined before taking action.

It's easy to find organizations where you can give back in your community. Just contact any church in your area or do a google search for local shelters. The following websites offer direction:

How have you used your gifts to change the course of someone's life?