Tag: volunteer

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A Few Easy Donation Ideas

anthony beyer volunteer

On this blog, I like to feature ideas on ways to give back to your community that are easy and that anyone can do. Being an active philanthropist is not easy work, but there are things we can all do for the benefit of those around us. Here are a few more ideas for donating to charities with money, time, or support.

Take Action – Volunteer at a local soup kitchen, or for an established charity like Habitat for Humanity. This is a great way for younger people to develop philanthropic habits before they have the resources do give money to any particular causes. Volunteering can often be the gateway to further charitable endeavors.

Volunteer Virtually – The internet offers so many opportunities for charitable work, and finding the right cause is easier than ever. An article I read recently pointed out something worth remembering about volunteering on the web. Many organizations need help with websites, social media, written content to share. If you have web skills that charities can use, offer them!

Clean Out Your Closet – We all have clothes in our closets and dressers that we are never going to wear again, like the shirt someone gave us that just isn’t our taste, or, alas, the clothes we just don’t fit in anymore. There are people who can use the clothes that you don’t need anymore, so go on a cleaning spree and give away whatever you don’t want to keep.

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International Volunteering

Anthony Beyer VolunteerThere is a great quote from cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead – “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that has.”  Giving your time to a cause you care about is always worthwhile, but volunteering internationally can be a particularly rewarding experience.  Not only do you get to give back, but you also get to experience a new world and a new culture while doing it.  

Anthony Beyer Living WaterThere is a new development in the travel world called “voluntourism.”  This is typically a short vacation during which some sort of charity work is done, though significantly less than during a concentrated volunteer, charity, or development project.  The primary difference between these and typical vacations is that there is much more interaction with local communities, so travelers can gain a much richer experience than they would on a resort, for example, gated off from the rest of the community.  However, since the community work in these situations is so much less intensive, some question these trips ethically.  Every little bit of work around the world helps, but it begs the question – Who are these trips really for?  The communities or the travelers?

Anthony Beyer WaterThat being said, “voluntourism” could serve an important purpose – getting people involved to begin with.  Taking on a big charity project can seem daunting.  Also, there are undoubtedly people who want to get involved in some way, but don’t know quite how to begin.  These trips could be a gateway for such people, a way for them to dip their toes in the water before jumping all the way in.

Anthony Beyer CambodiaTypes of volunteer work typically performed on these trips include teaching English, teaching computer literacy, working at an orphanage, working with handicapped children, building homes or schools, and environmental conservation projects.