MELISSA KEROACK

WAYS TO GIVEBACK RIGHT NOW

Volunteering gives us a renewed sense ofconfidence in the kindness of human beings.

And a warm feeling that when we unite, we’recapable of many great things.

This list intends to provide ideas of ways to give back to yourcommunity and make a difference, without disrupting your

schedule or taking away from any prior engagements:

1. Donate unused airline miles.

You don’t need to leave the house to change someone’s lifeforever. So many of us go through our lives carrying aroundunused airline miles, or gift cards, or credits of some kind or

another. You can donate these to an organization like Make AWish, and truly change the life of someone else by making their

dream come true. What could be more rewarding than that?

A Million Thanks provides support and appreciation to our active and

veteran military men and women through sending letters and granting

betterment of life wishes, as well as providing higher education

scholarships to their children. Imagine the positive impact you could have

on their day or mood from a simple thank you card. Feeling appreciated is a

feeling that can go a really long way, so spread the love!

2. Send a card to a service member.

3. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.

This one is easy enough, right? Bysimply turning off the water while youbrush instead of letting it run, you are

making a difference. You are helping toconserve our valuable water and

reducing your carbon footprint. And ifyou decide that you want to take this astep farther, tell your friends, family,

and co workers to do the same!

4. Leave a happy note.

Spread a little kindness by making and leaving littlenotes for someone else to find. The notes can be formembers of your family, neighbors, or even randomstrangers. This is a fun one to do with kids because

age doesn’t matter! Younger children canparticipate by drawing on the notes while older

children can come up with the sayings. This wouldbe a great way to cheer up someone in your own

family who could use a little kindness too. Think ofhow fun it would be to walk into the bathroom to

brush your teeth and see a bunch of Happy Notes!

5. Invest in a small business.

Organizations like KIVA lets individuals lend as little as $25 to helpcreate opportunity around the world. By just giving a few minutes ofyour time and the click of your mouse, you have the power to provideresources to a business in need. There are millions of organizations

and apps like KIVA that allow you to donate by simply clicking.

6. Tweet for a non-profit.

Sending a tweet takes literally a few seconds, but the impact of your tweet could last alot longer than that. By directing attention to the nonprofit of your choice, by raisingawareness, by sending people to their website, you are supporting their mission and

enabling room for growth. And all this from just one tweet! So get tweeting!

7. Plant a tree.

Leave the world in better condition than it was when you found it.Planting a tree is not only good for the environment, it will also helpbeautify your community. By planting a tree, you are setting a good

example for other members of your community who could be inspiredby your generous act, and continue to plant trees of their own.

8. Smile at a stranger.

You can make someone’s day by sending thema friendly smile. Too often, we go through anentire day without seeing a single smile, andthis shouldn’t be the case! Spread the smile

9. Take over dinner to an exhausted, overwhelmed momma.

Write her a note about how you notice how hard she is workingand what a fantastic job she is doing raising those angels.