Contributing to Others

It is extremely important to help out the less fortunate in our world in any way that we can, so long as it really helps them to do better for themselves (as opposed to simply giving a hand out and causing a person to get increasingly dependent on it). There is no better example of doing this for long term growth than in the case of poor children. In the case of a child, they did not choose to be born into a condition of poverty- that was primarily the doing of their parents. When you donate to a child, you can help them in a very large number of different ways.

For one thing, you can help them to get proper care by donating to organizations like Kars for Kids, which can allow their parents to work enough to provide better things for them. You can also help them to get a high quality education, which can help them to become professionals and leave poverty far behind them. Not to mention the fact that without enough money to provide for the child’s basic needs, their emotional needs simply cannot be fulfilled because their parents are just too busy to do so. This kind of situation tends to result in children who grow up to not understand the full power that emotions play in a person’s life.

But what can you do if you want to help out needy children, and really give them the kind of chance that they were not born with? One great way you can help out these kids is through donating your vehicle to Kars for Kids, which is a charitable organization that helps needy children through providing them with the sorts of daily care, educational opportunities and the fellowship of other kids that they need, in order to grow up properly. Poverty may never be eliminated, but it can at least be marginalized and hunted down to the point of near extinction. That’s a worthwhile goal.

Ways to Show Volunteers Their Work is Appriciated

Many people volunteer because it is a great way to give back to the community. However, even though these people volunteer in effort to give back to the community it never hurts to give those that volunteer a little acknowledgment. There are many ways that you can acknowledge volunteer who give their time and energy to the local community. Here’s a look at some of the ways that you can show volunteers that they are appreciated.

Letters. Letters are a great way to show appreciation for the work of volunteers do. The letters can usually come from those of the volunteers worked closely with. Many volunteers appreciate hearing how helpful those they work with found them. It also never hurts to hear how much your overall volunteering is appreciated.

Handmade gifts. Small handmade gifts are a great way to show appreciation for those that spent their time volunteering. Handmade gifts can include a card, drawing or other craft. Many volunteers appreciate a well thought out handmade gift.

Day off. It might seem weird but giving the volunteers at day off and allowing those that the volunteers help to do the work can often be viewed as an appreciation gift. For example, those that work in a soup kitchen can have themselves served by those that frequent the soup kitchen often. This is a way to show that their work is appreciated and give them a little extra relaxation time.

Appreciation gifts for those that volunteer do not have to be elaborate. If the gift comes from the heart then it’ll be worth it in the long run. The goal of the appreciation gift is to show the volunteer that their time and energy is appreciated and that all they do does not go unnoticed.

Youth Halfway Homes are Where the Real Rehab Happens

When it comes to at-risk youth who are prone to drug and alcohol abuse, how many people know what happens after rehab? The greatest mistake and most common assumption that people make about children and teenagers recovering from a substance addiction is that once rehab is over, everything is fine. However, after months or years spent in the fog of substance abuse, followed by a cold-turkey style rehabilitation, a quick shove back into the real world is often a recipe for relapse.

This is why the role of a halfway house is incredibly important in the process of substance abuse recovery for children and teenagers. Services, like those provided by MichaelsHouse.com, are well aware of the difficulties recovering youth face when transitioning back to a functional life in the real world. A halfway house is designed to ease that transition by offering counseling, support, career and recreational services to help recovering youth learn or re-learn important life skills while simultaneously being involved in a supportive, understanding community.

For many recovering youth, a halfway house is where the real rehabilitation happens. At halfway homes, you are often required to seek work, live on a schedule, and keep accountable with the home counselors. Halfway house services are designed to help youth get back on their feet of their own accord. It helps them with completing the important parts of their education, or prepares them for a role in the career world by giving them the skills they need.

One of the many reasons kids turn to drugs and alcohol is because of loneliness, and one of the best dynamics offered by halfway homes is helping youth get plugged in with a community. This is not a remote community either, but an immediate one who understands the difficulties of recovery and how to get through it. Halfway homes are points of reconciliation for thousands of recovering youth.

Taking Care of the Environment

Volunteer efforts to help the environment are becoming more widespread due to pollution, carbon dioxide emissions, and global warming. There are some simple steps you can take to organize an effort in your community.

Spread awareness about reusing and recycling by holding a “green” fashion show at your local high school. Shop thrift stores and rummage through family members’ attics to find vintage outfits and jewelry, and then give them new life. Instead of buying new clothes for prom, make this year’s theme a “green prom” and show off your vintage-chic garments.

Adopt a highway. You’ve seen the signs, and you’ve probably seen the litter that hasn’t been picked up even though an organization has adopted the roadway. Form a litter-cleanup group or make a motion for your club to adopt a highway, but remember—adopting one is no good unless you regularly clean up the trash. Have a get-together at least once a month to walk the roadside and pick up the garbage.

Start a recycling program at your workplace, school, or apartment complex. Carefully research local recycling companies and ask questions to make sure they recycle properly. Spread the word around the office about the new recycling policy and designate a group of people to periodically check to make sure waste is making it into the proper bins.

Organize a community-wide planting event. This is fun in the spring when the weather warms and everyone turns out to plant flowers and pull weeds. You can designate a certain area each spring, such as a community center, daycare center, school, or government building. You may even consider starting a community garden. See if anyone is willing to donate a plot of land to be cultivated and ask for seed donations. Individuals or families can pay a set fee to use the garden, and that revenue can be reinvested into the garden. This type of project will benefit the entire community for years to come.

Volunteer to Help with Finances and Budgets

You have made the decision to start volunteering. Great! Now you need to figure out exactly what you want to volunteer for, and where. When thinking about volunteer opportunities, most people think about the soup kitchens or animal shelters. There are many more options for volunteering, and some of them may be things that you hadn’t thought about, but are great at.

For example, if you are good with finances, you may find that volunteering to help people figure out a budget can be very rewarding. Many people today do not know or understand how to put a good budget together, let alone how to stick to it. This is something that you can help with. You may even be able to offer other financial advice, as well. Before you start offering financial advice, though, it would be a good idea to check with the regulations of your city and state on this. Depending on the advice you are giving, you may need special certification.

At the very least, though, you may be able to help families figure out ways to cut back on their spending and save some money.For example, teaching someone about how to refinance auto loans is something that can help a lot of people . Many people don’t even consider this option when trying to save money on their monthly bills. In fact, some may not even know that the option exists, or that it is so easy to do. If you know a good amount about refinancing, this is something that can be very beneficial to many people.

Offering your services as a volunteer to help people with finances and budgeting is something that won’t work for everyone. If you enjoy working with numbers and have a good budget yourself, it is something that you may want to consider trying.

Community Gardening: History and Current Trends

Community gardens have grown in popularity over the last decade, as people have become more aware of the value of eating organic local food. Furthermore, fruit and vegetables have grown more expensive due to global warming and other climate changes. Community gardens generally provide fresh produce as well as flowers, and they are a lovely sight in a an urban neighborhood.

Community gardens were popular during both World Wars, as they provided food that didn’t require transportation. The Victory Gardens Program was set up during World War II, because the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared that fresh vegetable lead to person well-being and overall health. During that time, the Victory Gardens Program, with about 20 million gardens, provided almost half of the vegetables consumed in the United States. During the Great Depression, approximately 5,000 gardens were set up in New York to support poor and unemployed persons.

Today, community gardens are often owned by non-profit organizations or town or city governments. Unlike communal gardens or parks, they are not always open to the public. Community gardens have different membership models, which vary from plot to plot. Generally, the members care for the garden, either by tending their own personal plot or working with others in a communal way. New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States all use the term “community garden,” whereas in Europe they are called “allotment gardens.”

In North America, a non-profit foundation called American Community Gardening Association focuses on increasing the number of gardens in the United States and Canada. The organization believes that community gardens benefit neighborhoods by encouraging community interaction, providing healthy produce, saving families money, providing opportunities for exercise, and therapeutic time spent in greenery. Also, the ACGA declares that community gardens provide the opportunity to educate people about gardening techniques and nutrition.

The USDA claims that approximately 15% of food today is grown in urban areas, in backyards, on apartment balconies and in community gardens. Community gardens can improve nutrition for a neighborhood, particularly for low-income persons.