I was reading through my monthly magazine subscriptions and read an article that resonated with me. The article suggested 31-game-changing ideas that would empower your helpfulness. “These are things that would encourage you to aid a neighbor, heal the planet, or hone your routine so that your everyday activities from shopping to vacationing, serve a higher purpose. You never know which action you take might enrich your life, improve your world and inspire others.” Let’s discuss a few because if each one of us did some of the things listed we could see an impact in our communities and the world as a whole. Also, some great ideas, I will consider exploring.

• Serve Up Some Leftover- Since 11% of American’s don’t have enough to eat and 40% of our food ends up in the trash. Robert Lee, the son of Korean immigrants, raised in a food-insecure household lanched Rescuing Leftover Cuisine. Which crowdsource volunteers to ferry extra food from restaurants, shops, and schools to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other charitable organizations. (rescuingleftovercuisine.org)

• Clean-Up To Help Out- Givebackbox.com will take any gently used toys, clothes or household goods. They will donate your items to charities that sell them to fund community philanthropies such as job placement programs. (givebackbox.com)

• Turn On The Water-After hearing that the city of Detroit was cutting off the water supply to 100,00 residents due to unpaid water services Tiffani Ashley Bell started Human Utility, which lets you donate money towards unpaid balances in Michigan and Maryland to get their services turned back on. This is especially to help the elderly and to keep children from being taken from homes without running water. (detroitwaterproject.org)

• Write A Note- Make the world a less lonely place. You can correspond with a deployed military soldier through Soldiers’ Angels or an immigrant awaiting processing through Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services and Refugee Services. You can also send cards to pediatric cancer patients through the Tyler Robinson Foundation. (soldiersangels.org, lirs.org, and trf.org.)

• Share Your Passion- For all of my avid readers who like to share the literature they read and nowhere to store once done, Little Free Library is a 501 nonprofit organization that promotes neighborhood book exchanges, usually in the form of a public bookcase. (littlefreelibrary.org)

• Just Listen- Be an adult to lend a listening ear to a youth in crisis. The Trevor Project trains volunteers to answer text and chat messages from LGBTQ youth struggling with coming out issues from depression to suicidal thoughts. These advocacies address the problem from a legal standpoint. (thetrevorproject.org)

• Hang With The OG’s-Why not get to know some of the long-standing members of the community. Organizations like Store to Door organize participants to pick up and deliver groceries for seniors in Portland, Oregon. In New York City Encore Community Services will arrange visits to seniors in the hospital or their home. You can nationally register to the elderhelpers.org to volunteer to give a ride, clean house, or just keep a senior company. (storetodooroforegon.org, encorecommunityservices.org, andelderhelpers.org)

• Take Out The Trash- Since food scrap and yard waste makeup, 28% of what we throw away composing keep organic matter out of landfills where it produces harmful gases in the air and affects the air quality. Composing can easily be achieved by your trash that can be dropped off at a compost drop off location. I would suggest researching how to properly compost your trash and for drop off locations in your area. (Phoenix, AZ area:recycledcity.com)

• Put Down Roots-Trees planted to shade your house cuts your energy down up to 35% by blocking heat in the summer and wind in the winter. Planting trees anywhere reduces carbon emissions, provides a home for a bird and provides endless possibilities for future generations. Arbor Day Foundation will provide you with the resources needed to plant and nurture your future grove. Join the Time for Trees Initiative whose mission is to fight climate change. (arborday.org)

Remember the opposite of hopelessness is helpfulness. Lend a hand in some way.

The Dream Style

Oprah Magazine, March 2020, Volume 21/Number 3