August 10, 2020

5 Practical Ways to Give Back on a Budget

About Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living offers multiple care levels for seniors in more than 600 communities nationwide. Brookdale helps you find the right care plan for yourself or your loved one. With amenities such as transportation services, salons and private dining rooms and activities such as gardening, fitness classes and trivia nights Brookdale caters to a wide range of interests and needs.

Brookdale resident making masks for people.

Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” And what was true when he spoke it almost 100 years ago still rings true today.

Living a life of generosity can be a great way to feel happier, improve your social connections and foster a deep sense of purpose. Devoting your time, treasures and talents to the service of others can actually help improve your overall health and increase your lifespan. But how do you go about creating a life of generosity when your treasures are, shall we say, less than bountiful?

No matter where you are financially, you still have two tools available to you that you can use to make a difference in the life of your community: your time and your talents. Not only that, but you also have a third tool that’s basically inexhaustible: your imagination. Once you start looking for creative ways to serve others, you’ll see opportunities everywhere.

In case you need a little inspiration to get your noggin joggin’, here are five creative ways you can start making a difference in your community today.

Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” And what was true when he spoke it almost 100 years ago still rings true today.

In case you need a little inspiration to get your noggin joggin’, here are five creative ways you can start making a difference in your community today.

Become a virtual tutor

More and more kids are getting their schooling online nowadays, so why not reach out to your local school district or homeschooling cooperative and see how you could pitch in to help? Whatever your expertise, odds are that there’s someone out there who wants to learn what you have to offer.

Get crafty

With many states issuing guidance to wear masks in public, crafting some easy DIY face masks to donate can be an inexpensive way to help the wider community.

Blow a horn

If you’re musically inclined, you can put those gifts to use and celebrate the lives of our country’s veterans at the same time. Non-profit organization Bugles Across America is on a mission to provide full Military Funeral Honors to qualified veterans who have passed away by encouraging volunteer buglers to play “Taps” at the service. This somber honor can be a great way to show gratitude to our nation’s finest.

Read a book

If you can read out loud, you can help make a difference in the lives of blind people in your community and across the nation. The Society for the Blind provides opportunities to read journals, newspapers and magazines to people who are blind, have low vision or cannot read conventional print.

Make history

Better yet, transcribe history! The Smithsonian is looking for remote volunteers who can take digital versions of historical documents and make them more accessible. You’ll partner with other “volunpeers” on projects that will bring our American history to life. The only requirements are a computer, an Internet connection and the ability to read handwriting from more than a century ago!

Most of these ideas can be done from the comfort and safety of your own home, and there are plenty more remote opportunities that are only an Internet search away. You can help make a difference right now, where you are, no matter how much money is in your generosity budget. All it takes is some creativity and a willing heart!