{"id":58,"date":"2020-12-03T23:22:25","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T23:22:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/?p=58"},"modified":"2021-02-09T23:26:17","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T23:26:17","slug":"10-ways-to-give-back-to-our-local-community-this-holiday-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/2020\/12\/03\/10-ways-to-give-back-to-our-local-community-this-holiday-season\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways to Give Back to Our Local Community This Holiday Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/December-2020-MVP-Social-Media-Image-B-1024x538.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59\" srcset=\"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/December-2020-MVP-Social-Media-Image-B-1024x538.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/December-2020-MVP-Social-Media-Image-B-300x158.jpg 300w, http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/December-2020-MVP-Social-Media-Image-B-768x403.jpg 768w, http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/December-2020-MVP-Social-Media-Image-B-624x328.jpg 624w, http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/December-2020-MVP-Social-Media-Image-B.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This year has\ndemonstrated, perhaps more than ever, the importance of our family, friends,\nneighbors, and community. It truly \u201ctakes a village\u201d to keep a community\nfunctioning effectively, whether that\u2019s by keeping our waterways clean, feeding\nthe hungry, teaching our kids, or supporting small businesses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the holidays\nright around the corner, December offers the perfect opportunity to give back\nto the place we call home. You might want to focus your efforts near home,\nexpand to our larger community, or even help support the people closest to you.\nWhether you\u2019re passionate about a particular cause or just want to get more\ninvolved in general, let these 10 ways, both big and small, inspire you to do\ngood in your town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GIVE BACK NEAR HOME<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Attract local wildlife<\/strong>. By\nmaking your neighborhood more wildlife friendly, you\u2019re helping to&nbsp; create a balanced and healthy ecosystem.\nPlus, many of the animals you can attract help with pest control and\npollination.<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Add a birdbath to your backyard or\ncreate a rain garden to attract wildlife (and filter out local pollutants).<\/li><li>Place bird feeders on your\nproperty to feed birds all year long. <\/li><li>Tie corncobs to tree branches to\nfeed squirrels. <\/li><li>Hang birdhouses on your property\nto provide shelter. <\/li><li>Use native plants in your\nlandscaping to provide food and shelter for birds, bees, butterflies, and other\ncritters.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: While you might not be able to \u201cbreak\nground\u201d until spring, start researching native plants now to design a\nlandscaping plan that provides food, shelter, and water for local wildlife<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Clean up our community<\/strong>.\nBesides beautifying the area, picking up trash keeps it out of our local\nwaterways, which means a cleaner water supply for all of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Whether you make this a solo\neffort or join in an organized group event, pick up trash in your neighborhood,\nat a local park, or elsewhere in our community. <\/li><li>Depending on your community\u2019s\nregulations, you can recycle many home items such as paper, glass, and\naluminum. <\/li><li>And don\u2019t forget to clean the\nexterior of your home, where water runoff (such as on your driveway and\nsidewalks) can carry debris into the local sewer system.<sup>2<\/sup><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: Check with your local municipality to learn\nabout environmental clean-up efforts in our community, as well as recycling and\ncomposting.<\/em>&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Organize or join a neighborhood watch<\/strong>. According to a recent report, neighborhoods with Neighborhood Crime\nWatch programs experience roughly 16 percent less crime.<sup>3<\/sup> Keeping an\neye out for each other instills a sense of safety and security in your\nneighborhood by increasing surveillance, reducing opportunities, and enhancing\ninformation sharing among residents. Even if your neighborhood doesn\u2019t have an\nofficial program, you can still share crime information via a neighborhood\nFacebook group or apps like NextDoor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Make a point of looking out for\neach other and being observant of what\u2019s going on. <\/li><li>You can even make it official by\njoining a neighborhood watch program. <\/li><li>Don\u2019t have one? Consider launching\na neighborhood watch program with the help of other interested neighbors.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: <\/em>Some police forces\nuse online mapping tools that provide crime alerts to people in neighborhoods\nwhere recent criminal activity occurred.<sup>3<\/sup> Share this information\nwith your neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HELP OUT LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Boost your civic engagement<\/strong>.\nRegardless of your politics, you can get more involved as a citizen to make a\npositive difference in our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Sign a petition to make a needed\nchange in our community. <\/li><li>Join a peaceful march, protest, or\nrally to support a cause dear to your heart. <\/li><li>Attend local school board\nmeetings, town halls, or city council meetings to understand (and have a voice\nin) local issues.<sup>4<\/sup> <\/li><li>Watch (and read) a variety of\nlocal news sources to get balanced reporting on what\u2019s happening in our\ncommunity. <\/li><li>If you don\u2019t know your neighbors\nvery well, introduce yourself. <\/li><li>Then make a commitment to check in\non those who might need help, such as an elderly neighbor. <\/li><li>Get plugged into the resources and\nevents in our town by visiting local museums, taking historical tours,\nborrowing materials from our local library, and attending community festivals.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action:<\/em> <em>Do you know who our local leaders are, such\nas our mayor or city councilwoman? Get to know their names, their policies, and\ntheir stand on issues that affect our community. Subscribe to their newsletter\nand follow them on social media.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Support local businesses<\/strong>. Our\ncommunity has been impacted by the pandemic, with many businesses being forced\nto limit capacity, instill social distancing efforts, and even shutter entirely\nin some cases. Help keep money in our local economy by shopping local instead\nof relying on online shopping from national chains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>From handcrafted soaps and\none-of-a-kind apparel to locally produced chocolate and small-batch wines,\nyou\u2019ll find plenty of unique gifts at the small businesses that dot our\ncommunity. <\/li><li>Consider purchasing tickets to\nattend live-streamed holiday concerts and shows. <\/li><li>Buy cookies and other baked goods\nfrom our local bakery. <\/li><li>Get takeout from our local\nrestaurants. <\/li><li>Support local farmers by\npurchasing fresh fruits and vegetables at community farmer\u2019s markets.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: If you\u2019re concerned about shopping in person\nright now, many of these businesses, though small, offer online shopping, with\noptions for in-store pick-up, curbside delivery, and\/or mail options.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Donate to local charities<\/strong>.\nNonprofits could always use your financial support, so consider making a\nmonetary donation to help them carry out their mission in our community. But if\nmoney is tight (or you want to support in other ways), think beyond just\ndonating dollars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Consider donating to a charity in\nsomeone else\u2019s name as an altruistic gift on behalf of a friend or relative. <\/li><li>Give blood to our local blood\nbank.<\/li><li>Donate new or used books to our\ncommunity library.<\/li><li>Send school supplies to our\nneighborhood elementary school.<\/li><li>Help struggling neighbors by\ndonating blankets to the homeless.<\/li><li>Pick out toys to give to a charity\nthat caters to families.<sup> 5<\/sup><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: Many collection efforts run by charitable\norganizations and businesses take place during the holidays. Look to see what\u2019s\nalready taking place in our community and choose one or more to give to this\nseason. <\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CARE FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Organize a holiday food drive<\/strong>.\nThis year, in particular, people are struggling to pay their bills and put food\non the table. The pandemic has caused many businesses to close or reduce their\nstaff size, putting many people out of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If you personally know someone who\nneeds help buying groceries, reach out and offer to help that one family. <\/li><li>If not, partner with a local food\nbank, soup kitchen, nonprofit or community organization that feeds people in\nneed. <\/li><li>Round up a few friends, family,\nco-workers, or neighbors to collect food for a few weeks. Then deliver the\nbounty in time for the holidays.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: Take advantage of your grocery store coupons\nand buy-one-get-one offers to inexpensively stock up on nonperishable goods<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. Adopt a family or an individual<\/strong>. The holidays can be a struggle, especially financially, for some\nfamilies. They might not be able to buy a Christmas tree or presents for their\nchildren. Maybe their holiday meal consists of boxed macaroni and cheese\nbecause they can\u2019t afford a turkey and fresh vegetables. You can make a\ndifference by \u201cadopting\u201d a particular family (or even just a child) to help\nmake their holiday special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If you know a needy family, help\nthem directly. <\/li><li>If not, ask a community group for\nthe name of a family or individual in need. <\/li><li>Some businesses even sponsor toy\ndrives or \u201cangel trees\u201d where you can pick the name of a needy family off the\ntree and buy from their wish lists.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: This works great as a family project. Get\nthe kids in your life involved to help make holiday cards and pick out toys to\ngive to the children in the adopted family.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9. Volunteer<\/strong>. Depending on your\nschedule and your preferences, you might be able to volunteer in-person or from\nhome, whether it\u2019s a one-time effort or ongoing project. It\u2019s a great way to\nmeet like-minded people in your community as you make a positive impact\ntogether for a shared cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Give your time to a cause or\norganization that really matters to you, such as your local school, animal\nrescue organization, mental health awareness group, or environmental nonprofit.<sup>6<\/sup><\/li><li>Tap into a skill you already have,\nlike creating videos, and offer your services.<\/li><li>Or learn a new skill (like\nfundraising) to benefit your cause of choice.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action: Start with your local community to see where\nits needs are the greatest. Make a point to help this holiday season, perhaps\nextending your commitment throughout 2021.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>10. Perform random acts of kindness<\/strong>. Don\u2019t think you need to \u201cgo big or go home\u201d in your give-back\nefforts. You can make a big difference one small act at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Give a generous tip to a waitress.\n<\/li><li>Pay for the coffee of the car\nbehind you in the drive-through. <\/li><li>Take care of a neighbor\u2019s pet\nwhile they\u2019re out of town. <\/li><li>Send holiday cards to deployed\nmilitary personnel. <\/li><li>Deliver a plate of homemade\nholiday cookies to our local fire or police station. <\/li><li>Smile at a stranger. <\/li><li>Rake leaves for an elderly\nneighbor. <\/li><li>Thank your child\u2019s teacher for all\ntheir hard work this year. <\/li><li>Send an uplifting text to a\nfriend. <\/li><li>Compliment someone. <\/li><li>Help a coworker with an unpleasant\ntask.&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Take action:<\/em> <em>Need more ideas? Visit <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.randomactsofkindness.org\/\"><em>randomactsofkindness.org<\/em><\/a><em> for hundreds of inspiring ways to make\nsomeone\u2019s day a little brighter<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HOW WE CAN HELP YOU?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As real estate\nexperts in our local community, we\u2019re tuned into the unique needs of the place\nwe all call home. Reach out to us today to discuss more ways to make a positive\nimpact in our community\u2014this holiday season and beyond. And we want to make\nsure you\u2019re taken care of, too. If you\u2019re thinking about buying or selling a\nhome now or in the near future, let us help you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>Redfin &#8211; <br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/attract-wildlife-to-your-backyard\/#:~:text=Sow%20plants%20that%20provide%20essentials,these%20alternate%20natural%20food%20sources\">https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/attract-wildlife-to-your-backyard\/#:~:text=Sow%20plants%20that%20provide%20essentials,these%20alternate%20natural%20food%20sources<\/a><\/li><li>The\nGroundwater Foundation &#8211; <br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.groundwater.org\/action\/home\/raingardens.html\">https:\/\/www.groundwater.org\/action\/home\/raingardens.html<\/a><\/li><li>The Globe\nand Mail &#8211; <br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/life\/home-and-garden\/how-neighbours-and-online-maps-can-help-deter-break-ins\/article34886427\/\">https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/life\/home-and-garden\/how-neighbours-and-online-maps-can-help-deter-break-ins\/article34886427\/<\/a><\/li><li>Parade &#8211; <br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/parade.com\/1083640\/stephanieosmanski\/what-is-civic-engagement\/\">https:\/\/parade.com\/1083640\/stephanieosmanski\/what-is-civic-engagement\/<\/a><\/li><li>MentalFloss\n&#8211; <br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/88663\/15-ways-give-back-holiday-season\">https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/88663\/15-ways-give-back-holiday-season<\/a><\/li><li>Together\nWe Rise &#8211; <br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.togetherwerise.org\/blog\/7-ways-give-back-community\/\">https:\/\/www.togetherwerise.org\/blog\/7-ways-give-back-community\/<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This year has demonstrated, perhaps more than ever, the importance of our family, friends, neighbors, and community. It truly \u201ctakes a village\u201d to keep a community functioning effectively, whether that\u2019s by keeping our waterways clean, feeding the hungry, teaching our kids, or supporting small businesses. With the holidays right around the corner, December offers the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[13,14,15],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60,"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58\/revisions\/60"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tomweeks.net\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}