Charity is the foundation of humanity, it brings out our compassion and fulfill’s the need to make a difference. I would like to assume that if we were all millionairs, that we would donate a whole mess of money to causes and foundations. But don’t worry, just because you don’t have a larger than life salary doesn’t mean you can’t make a big difference!

Finding Your Cause(s)

The first thing you need to do is discover what you are passionate about. Whether it’s animal rescue, disaster relief, or helping the homeless, whatever you decide is a great choice! A cause out there needs your help, and whether you choose one thing or 10, every little bit helps.

Donating Money

Most charities will tell you that they need money before anything else. It helps pay the costs of running the foundation, and supplies needed to give whomever they are helping. And it doesn’t have to be a lot. If you could pledge to yourself to donate just $10 a month, you are making a change. Although you are not on the front line of making a difference, contributions are the backbone of charities, they cannot function on good will alone. These days it is so easy, you can donate through text that will go on your phone bill, or mail a check. It even feels good to dig out whatever change you can find at the stoplights when the firefighters are out! Check the website of the cause you want to give to to find out the best way to give money.

Volunteering

Juggling work, family, and other obligations can make it difficult to find time to volunteer. The good news is, there are dozens, if not hundreds of volunteer opportunities within mere miles of your home, so knowing you don’t necessarily have to take an hour to drive across town to volunteer will give you the peace of mind of knowing that the time you CAN give, will be used wisely. When you really think about it, 2 hours a week doesn’t seem too intimidating. Just don’t commit to more if you know it will make other important aspects of your life suffer. The last thing you want to do is make volunteering seem like a chore, when you should really be appreciating the difference you are making. And there are plenty of places that could use more help, for example a charity that makes and donates clothes to impoverished newborns might need help cutting fabric, or a local food bank might need help organizing donations. Help is always needed, in any amount of time.

Donating Items

Never underestimate the power of donating your unwanted items, such as clothes, shoes, and furniture. You know those pictures of people wearing soda bottles on string as flip-flops? I don’t think they would mind getting a pair of gently worn shoes. There are drop off donation bins in virtually ever grocery store parking lot. And donating food is as easy as buying a pre-packaged grocery bag at the store, or purchasing canned goods to give to places you frequent, be it work, church, or your child’s school. When it comes to furniture, all you need to do is set up an appointment with The Salvation Army and they will pick it up from your house!

Other Ways To Give Back

There are countless ways to help make the world a little bit better. Marathons and Walks are a great example. Those typically raise money for scientific research for things like cancer and diabetes (just to name a couple.) Check out Guide Live’s list of Dallas charity walks for local opportunities. And of course, feel free to do something completely on your own. Pass out meals or blankets to the homeless (always go in groups of 4 or more,) spend a sunday hosting a neighborhood garage sale and donate to a charity everyone agrees on. The opportunities are endless!