You value your community, but you may not have much time to volunteer. That’s fine. Many people are in your boat, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do something to improve your community. Every little bit helps, and no amount of aid is insignificant. At the end of the day, whether you’re donating just a little bit of your time, money, or expertise, it’s still better than nothing. If you value your community and want to make an impact, then check out these three easy ways that a busy person can help.
Donate
Charities and nonprofit organizations need money to operate, and most of their funds come from donations. You don’t need to donate hundreds or thousands of dollars to make an impact. Whether you want to help a local animal shelter or contribute to disaster relief, every dollar makes an impact. Moreover, you don’t even need to donate money at all. Many charities accept clothes, non-perishable food items, and other goods, so you can make a difference by downsizing your wardrobe and clearing out the pantry.
Volunteer or Participate Occasionally
Volunteering can seem like a huge time commitment. You may believe that if you want to volunteer, then you’ll have to commit a certain number of hours per month or week, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Many organizations need whatever help is available, so they won’t fault you for only being able to come for a few hours here and there. An afternoon at a soup kitchen on a day off is much better than doing nothing at all. In 2016, the average value of a volunteer hour was a bit over 24 dollars, so even a couple of hours of your time can be extremely valuable to a nonprofit organization.
Raise Awareness
If nobody knows about a particular cause, then it will be difficult for organizers to raise adequate capital and resources to address it. Because of this, it’s super important to make issues visible and raise awareness. You may not have the time to spend an afternoon on a charitable project, but you probably have enough time to buy merchandise or share a social media post.