Everyone has better chances at surviving the physical, emotional, and financial distraught Covid19 has brought if everyone works together. During a health crisis as devastating as this, the best way for the world to recover faster is through the help of each other. May it be a simple act of kindness like sparing alms to the needy or something grand like conducting charitable events, community service is the key to humanity getting back on its feet.
With that being said, here are six budget-flexible community service ideas you can consider doing to spread love and care in the time of a pandemic.
Hygiene awareness drive in orphanages and soup kitchens
Proper hygiene is crucial in keeping one safe. Spreading awareness and educating people about the importance of hygiene and providing the products they can use to keep themselves clean and healthy can be great steps towards eliminating the threat of the Corona Virus.
Since surviving daily becomes the main concern for homeless people, the importance of hygiene takes a step back. The same goes for the kids from orphanages who don’t get the optimal care they need. From organic shampoo for dandruff removal to hand sanitizers, every ounce of product counts.
Food and donation drive
Many local non-profit organizations can give you food lists and professional assistance to conduct donations and food drives.
Contrary to popular belief, this kind of project isn’t only about the food or the donations. The key here is to get a balance of donations and volunteers. You need manpower to help you run the project. You need people who will cook and oversee the logistics. And if you can get people who know a thing or two about marketing and sponsorship, you can even elevate your project to greater heights.
Service projects in animal shelters
Humans aren’t the only ones in need. In times of crisis, most pets get left behind. Show them that there are still people who care about them by starting a food drive, a toy drive, or the best among the three, an adoption drive.
Your work is a success if at least one of the abandoned pets gets a home.
Blood donations
During a time like this, blood donations can be crucial in saving a person’s life. Look for areas and schedules of blood drives in the American Red Cross site. They can also help you start a drive yourself and assist you throughout the planning and recruitment. They can even guide during the day itself.
Remember that donated blood will be used to help those in need of surgery and transfusions for blood loss. Your blood can also help patients undergoing cancer treatment. You can even go bigger and focus on plasma donation. Plasma donations are used for patients with cancer, severe burns, and other life-threatening conditions.
Since blood has no artificial substitute, blood donations are of utmost importance right now. By donating your blood and getting others to donate as well, you’d surely be helping people survive.
Clean-up and recycling projects
This is one of the most basic examples of community service. But that doesn’t make it less important in any way. Keeping the community clean is not only good for aesthetic purposes. Cleanliness is often equated to the prevention of diseases.
Clean-up drives provide an avenue for people who want to actively help create an immediate impact in their neighborhood. Getting everyone in your community to work with you is also a great way to raise awareness and establish a sense of responsibility to the people involved. This might be the key to a cleaner and brighter future.
It can also be a good way to raise funds for other charitable community projects. By selling recyclable materials, enough funds can be generated for a continuous cycle of community-funded projects.
Volunteering
For those who are more comfortable being a lone wolf, volunteering can be a better option. Choosing to volunteer in different roles instead of leading big projects provides more flexibility. There are roles that you can do online. Some only have specific schedules to do more things and impact more lives in the same amount of time.
You can start with the things that you’re already good at or at least have a good grasp of. Once you’ve done your part there, you can also branch out to other roles that aren’t that familiar. By doing so, not only are you helping others, but you’re also allowing yourself to grow further.
Here are some examples of volunteer roles that you can consider:
1. Local sports team coach
2. Sports team coach for underprivileged youth and delinquents
3. Library aid
4. Animal shelter aid
5. Crossing guard / Traffic aid
6. Lifeguard
7. Local community social media handler
8. Soup kitchen cook/dishwasher
9. AA group aid
10. Community center aid
Last note
Whatever you choose to do, remember that helping others do not ask for qualifications. There are no requirements other than a will to do what’s right. Help in any way you can for as long as you can. The community can only be as good as the last person who’s offering a hand.
