Getting Involved in Your Community

Getting involved in your community is very beneficial, not just for those you help out but also for your own wellbeing. The sense of connection you get by organizing or participating in an activity in your community can make you feel fantastic and energized. Humans need that social connection after all.

There are many ways you can get involved in your community, and while most people agree that getting involved is a good thing, most don’t even know where to start.

So here are a few ideas to inspire you to go out there and make a difference!

Become a Tutor

Tutoring kids can have a profound and long-lasting impact on their lives, which will definitely come back to you as you share a little in their own success. To start tutoring it is best to call your local school so they can direct you on how and when you can get involved.

Community Meetings

Attending community meetings may sound less entertaining than watching paint dry, but in reality once you actually go to one and participate you will probably find that your sense of belonging to your community will grow as you meet the people who actually live in the community and become familiar with the issues that affect your neighborhood.

Clean up

Joining a clean-up project puts you right in the middle of the transformative energy flowing through your community. This is not just about picking up trash around playgrounds, parks, and ponds, it is also about installing new basketball hoops and nets, starting a community garden, fixing a broken swing, etc. The best place to start is your local parks department, give them a call and they should be able to direct you to any existing or potential projects.

Volunteer

There are many ways to volunteer your time and skills towards helping those in need within your community. You could work a few hours at a food bank cooking and serving meals or washing dishes. Other options are spending time with the elderly at your local nursing home, volunteering as a dog walker for the animal shelter.

Become a Coach
Coaching little leagues, whether baseball, soccer, football, basketball, etc., can be a very rewarding activity for both you and your team.

Donate

Although donating money is always welcome by local organizations, there are many other resources that they are looking for and you might be able to provide. Local thrift shops and Goodwill are always looking for used clothes in good condition, your local library will gladly accept your books, local homeless shelters could use bed linens and toiletries, and animal shelters will be thrilled to receive food for the animals.

Organize your own events and clubs

If you notice that your community is lacking an event or club that you have previously enjoyed somewhere else, then why not go ahead and organize it yourself. No matter how niche it may seem, chances are that you will find quite a few people who are interested in the same activity you are. It could be anything from a book club, a rugby team, a beer enthusiasts club, an open mic night, etc. The added benefit is that you will get to meet like-minded people and have a great time doing what you like.