How do you help others?

[Strat]

I'm looking for new, innovative ways to help others. I suppose my biggest contribution to the world is donating to micro loans via Kiva (https://www.kiva.org/). It seems to go further than flat out donations. Micro loans are simple: you loan someone $20 (or more, your choice) and you're slowly payed back over time. From there you can re-lend the money to someone else in need.

I made $20 donations here and there over the years amounting to $200 total. Almost all have been paid back allowing me to re-lend which has amounted to over $500.

I don't do much else. Maybe it sounds silly but I'll try and help the homeless with a couple bucks and more importantly, a brief chat. Not advice or anything, just shoot the ****. Homeless folks often complain in interviews that they feel ignored by the public and somewhat dehumanized.

I think volunteering one's time is the best form of contribution to society.

So what do you do?

[ByTheNorthernSea]

Just follow your passion...all else will follow. If you see a problem, just try to help fix it. See what's happening locally, around you, don't dawdle and just get stuck in. Follow your intuition...

People will be grateful, however you try to help them...

[rgray222]

Did meals on wheels for a while. Found it to be more of a contact thing for the ageing instead of a financial thing for needy people. Quickly realized it that I may be the only contact someone has that day so I started to schedule more time to spend with them. A bit sad to see these ageing people on their own. After some time you realize that you get more benefit from it than anyone else.

Donating time at the Natural Science Museum Eco-Center. I wish I could say we spend all our time tagging birds, monitoring Monarch migrations and reporting on Chestnut Tree rehabs but the vast majority of my time is spent pulling weeds, cleaning public walkways, trimming bushes and filling bird feeders. Not glamorous but somebody has to do it.

[EFO]

Posted by Strat (here)
I'm looking for new, innovative ways to help others. I suppose my biggest contribution to the world is donating to micro loans via Kiva (https://www.kiva.org/). It seems to go further than flat out donations. Micro loans are simple: you loan someone $20 (or more, your choice) and you're slowly payed back over time. From there you can re-lend the money to someone else in need.

I made $20 donations here and there over the years amounting to $200 total. Almost all have been paid back allowing me to re-lend which has amounted to over $500.

I don't do much else. Maybe it sounds silly but I'll try and help the homeless with a couple bucks and more importantly, a brief chat. Not advice or anything, just shoot the ****. Homeless folks often complain in interviews that they feel ignored by the public and somewhat dehumanized.

I think volunteering one's time is the best form of contribution to society.

So what do you do?

It doesn't sound silly at all,in fact it sound very good!

I made Slim Spurling rings and offer them for free to anyone interested and I also teach others to build and use them...

...waiting nothing in return.

[Constance]

ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

[Karen (Geophyz)]

I visit old people! I have this traveling seamstress thing....I go to their house with my machine and fix what they need fixed! Sometime they just need to chat.

[Anka]

I met homeless people, extremely intelligent and very kind and gentle. I think their human nature is very deep and most importantly, real. I always gave them food, some money, or something I had with me, sometimes even my burger, or something I bought.
I collected many many small toys and clothes, and gave them to poorer children.

In the supermarket parking lot, we almost always meet a simple man who carves wooden spoons, and sells them to whoever he wants for a sum of money. For years since we went there, we bought another spoon, although there are enough spoons at home. It is wood carved with soul, and it deserves to be rewarded, because he also has a family to feed.

I make some decorations for little girls, and because I live in an area where there are not many children, when I go somewhere, I take flowers with me. Last time, in a market, I tried to ask some unknown parents, if they I allow myself to give a flower to their little girl ... and considering the current situation, they hesitated and I understood, but the little girl reached out to take it, so I was very happy to offer her the flower. I could do that every day.

I tried to make an agreement with a friend who has a center for children with disabilities, in the sense that I should write a book, and the money obtained from the sale of the book should all go to the rehabilitation center. But he gave up the project, maybe because of copyright laws, which I personally don't understand, because I didn't want to get anything out of it.
We should be in a world where everything we create should be offered to others unconditionally, and everything we could or would have to give, not to hesitate to give.
Thanks for the thread!
Anca

[Strat]

Posted by ByTheNorthernSea (here)
Just follow your passion...all else will follow. If you see a problem, just try to help fix it. See what's happening locally, around you, don't dawdle and just get stuck in. Follow your intuition...

I suppose that's what I'm doing. I live in a country that oozes wealth and much of it is meaningless. Getting 'the next thing' is just chasing the dragon. I have a hard time justifying buying things I want but don't need. I spend my money on BS as it is (bar, pool hall, etc) so I figure I could take a bit of my cash and help those who have harder lives than I do. I absolutely want a turbo for my truck but I think of all the smiles I can create with that money?

I'm not judging anyone, if you don't want to give to charity then that's totally fine. I'm a true libertarian (not the kind you see on TV), do as you wish it's none of my business. If you spend your cash on something cool like a giant TV I'll high five you and say good job, I hope you enjoy it. I never preach.

Posted by Anka (here)
I met homeless people, extremely intelligent and very kind and gentle. I think their human nature is very deep and most importantly, real.

Absolutely. They ended up where they are for whatever reason, it's not up to anyone to judge. When they were kids and the school teacher went around the room asking everyone what they wanted to be when they grew up, nobody said homeless. They are still humans. I do avoid overly intoxicated homeless or folks that put off bad vibes. Then I have to act a bit aloof but that's more rare than one would think.

[Franny]

I have a friend that has boxed up good quality clothing along with other items and sent them to me. There are some homeless shelters where people are in need of such things and are happy to get them. I have also picked up items from some recycling places for very low cost that go into the boxes. Just found some really nice baby blankets that will be very useful too.

[thepainterdoug]

Hi Strat good post. a few things im involved in. i dontate 11 a month to tunnels to towers.for wounded vets. good orginazation

and I am part of child fund. I support a 9 year old mexican girl named Brissa on a monthly basis. its a bit expensive but a lifeline for her and I will do it as long as I can

i send her colorings and gifts too, and when she writes and send her drawings, i melt.

but beyond all, just acknowledge people. the forgotten people mostly. i use sir and goodmorning miss when i see homless or the elderly. when you see them and let them know you see them, they exist.

[Strat]

Posted by Franny (here)
I have a friend that has boxed up good quality clothing along with other items and sent them to me. There are some homeless shelters where people are in need of such things and are happy to get them. I have also picked up items from some recycling places for very low cost that go into the boxes. Just found some really nice baby blankets that will be very useful too.

This kind of reminds me of something I've been meaning to do. I plan on putting together a sort of care package for when I run into homeless. I don't know what yet but it needs to be able to withstand the heat from sitting inside the truck. So far I figure a clean pair of socks and basic toiletries. Maybe a gift card for fast food places or gas stations. I need to get on that.

Posted by thepainterdoug (here)
Hi Strat good post. a few things im involved in. i dontate 11 a month to tunnels to towers.for wounded vets. good orginazation

Good to hear. Some of my friends are combat vets and they are messed up in the head. I wrestled in high school and most of my team mates went over either to Afghanistan or Iraq. 2 of them were/are close friends but they don't really hang out much anymore. Severe PTSD. 1 of them breaks out in tears randomly and physically reacts to certain things like door knocks or car doors being slammed. The other guy was in the invasion of Fallujah and he keeps to himself.

Another one of the guys I saw at the pool hall before he deployed and he died on that deployment from a rocket.

Posted by thepainterdoug (here)
and I am part of child fund. I support a 9 year old mexican girl named Brissa on a monthly basis. its a bit expensive but a lifeline for her and I will do it as long as I can

i send her colorings and gifts too, and when she writes and send her drawings, i melt.

My bro does the same thing.

Posted by thepainterdoug (here)
but beyond all, just acknowledge people. the forgotten people mostly.

Absolutely. This reminds me of the youtube channel I subscribe to, Soft White Underbelly. It's a collection of interviews of people that are ignored by society, drug addicted prostitutes and so on. Those folks need love and hugs, not judgement. I'm not particularly religious but I feel Jesus would comfort them rather than preach in the church.

[Nenuphar]

I began donating to Kiva years ago, supporting micro loans. I am so glad I did it when my financial situation was okay, because now that it's not, the initial money I contributed can still make a positive impact (or, at least, that is my hope).

I send things to the Salvation Army thrift shop in town, and buy books there. Give books to the local library's fundraising sale, heirloom seeds and donations to various seed banks and anyone I encounter locally who expresses an interest in growing a garden. Pet food donations to people and organizations who care for abused and feral cats and dogs. I love the "pay-it-forward" idea at coffee shops and restaurants. It is such a small thing but feels so good - both as the giver and as the recipient, when it happens to you!

My focus of 'giving'/volunteering has shifted over the years. I used to volunteer in a formal way (in a hospital as a respite visitor, then later as a hospice volunteer/board member). Now I am more inclined to do smaller, more personal things behind the scenes. I have become so conscious of older people who have no family, or who are struggling financially, or who are otherwise isolated. Perhaps it is because I am watching my own parents become frail and cope with illness, or because I may well be on a trajectory that lands me in the position of no family/limited means/limited social network. In any case, I am putting more energy in that direction - chats on the bus or outside coffee shops and "angel tree" Christmas gifts that are given to folks in the local nursing home who have no family nearby. I heard through the grapevine that there are sometimes game nights at the nursing home, which sounds like a fun way to connect. Someone else to look into!

I am less inclined to give to large charities in recent years, or at the cash register in stores when asked, "Would you like to make a donation to xyz today?".


Thank you for this thread, Strat. It's one of my favourites on the forum.

[Chester]

It's my humble opinion that the very best thing anyone can do to helps others is -

Get your own house in order.

Begin (or continue) in earnest to advance your spiritual evolution.

Begin (or continue) to advance your personal development.

Understand the importance of being honest with yourself.

Understand the opportunity to identify and integrate your own complexes and then act upon that or continue to do so if you've already begun.


Again, in my opinion only... there can be no greater way to help others (and certainly and just as important - help yourself).

[Nenuphar]

I enjoy reading these posts - the ways others choose to contribute in their day-to-day lives inspires me and gives me new ideas.