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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CAU chapter.

Helping others in the community can be very satisfying and help you make new friends. You can help in many ways, and every action counts, whether you can give money, time, or skills. This also keeps you more involved in your community. Here are a few great ways to help your community, each of which will benefit you and the people you support in its way. 

Volunteering

Helping others by helping is one of the easiest things anyone can do. Schools, shelters, hospitals, and other local groups often depend on workers to keep their operations going. Not only does volunteering help these groups, but it also lets you get involved in your neighborhood and meet new people. People often and desperately need help, especially when money is tight, so they volunteer at food banks and soup kitchens. These groups need your help making meals and giving them to hungry people. Giving a few hours a week helps make sure that people in your community who are vulnerable can get healthy meals. Volunteering can also benefit you because it helps you understand community problems better and gives you the happiness of directly helping people who need it. 

Donating

Donating money or goods is a great way to make a difference. Items like books, furniture, and clothes that have only been worn a few times can be donated. These items are donated to many shelters, community centers, and charities. They are then given to people in need or sold to raise money for essential programs. Donating winter clothes like coats, scarves, and gloves to local shelters during the warmer months can make a big difference. Donated clothes are often given to people and families who are having a hard time paying their bills by groups like Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or smaller, more local organizations. Donations to nonprofits with a good reputation are also appreciated because they help the groups offer more services and reach more people. Many groups let you give one-time or regularly, so you can pick an amount that works for you. 

Mentoring

One more meaningful way to give back is to share your knowledge and experience by being a mentor or tutor. For kids and teens, having a guide can change their lives by helping them with schoolwork, planning their future careers, and growing. Many places have mentoring programs that let you make a real difference in other people’s lives. For instance, schools, community centers, and groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters have programs where adults can help out by being teachers to kids. Mentors help mentees set goals and work toward achieving them by giving them emotional support, academic help, and job advice. Helping someone reach their full potential is also possible by teaching kids or adults things like reading, math, or language skills. Adult learners can do better in school, feel more confident, and get better job chances with this help. 

Community Events

Participating in or planning events for your community is a great way to give back and unite people. Community clean-ups, charity runs, and local fairs bring people together and give them a way to raise money or notice for important causes. If you are very good at organizing things, plan an event yourself. If you still need to, look for events that already happen and see what you can do to help. Many towns and cities have clean-up days once a year when people come together to pick up trash in different places. It’s essential to have these events to keep public spaces clean and raise knowledge about the environment. Cleaning up your neighborhood makes it look better and helps protect the ecosystem in the area. You could also participate in or plan a charity run or bake sale. The money raised could go to a local cause like a shelter or school program. 

Getting together with family, friends, and neighbors for a good cause strengthens the community and brings about positive change in the area. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money to help others. You can do many essential things to help, like volunteering, giving money, teaching, and planning events. Doing these things improves your community and gives you a sense of purpose and connection.

Hello everyone, my name is Journei Moore and I am from Pasadena, California. I am a rising junior attending Clark Atlanta University majoring in mass media arts.