How to Stay Fulfilled by Giving Back to Your Community

March 11, 2021

Plato asserted that if you love your friends and love your partner, you love your community – the people who helped make you who you are. Humans have come a long way since Ancient Greece, but one of the most staggering differences, according to the 20th Century thinker Hanna Arendt, is the fact that humans now have less of a public community. People are far more individualist, which can make people feel discontented – when you spend your life connected with other people, relying on each other for different things, you tend to feel more fulfilled. If you want that satisfied feeling, a great way to get it is to give back to your community. Luckily, doing just that isn’t too hard – here are some ideas:

 


Do Some Volunteering at a Shelter

Your community probably has a shelter of some kind, whether it’s a shelter for the homeless or an animal shelter for unwanted dogs and cats. Helping out at a shelter whenever you have some free time is greatly appreciated by everybody there and can make you feel a sense of belonging as you help those who need your help and interact with people that you might not normally get a chance to speak to. You’ll find you’re spending quality time helping others.

 

Organize a Sale for Charity

Whether it’s a garage sale or whether you want to try your hand at designing some t-shirts, organizing a sale for a local charity or organization that really needs it is both fun, fulfilling and can help you connect with your community more. You can both donate the proceeds and any items that didn’t sell, making it a great idea regardless of your skills as a salesperson.

 

Start a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser

There are so many good charities that need your help, and one of the ways the big charities recommend you get helping is through a peer-to-peer fundraiser. This can include creating your own fundraiser for doing something special like a tough run or even just for your birthday. The Red Cross recommends many different peer-to-peer methods, including raising money through playing your favorite games!

 

Join the Community Garden

Many communities have a garden – if yours has one too, you can consider getting involved. Whether that’s having your own plot or volunteering to make sure that the garden stays in good shape, it’s a good way to feel connected to your environment and community. You can even donate any vegetables that you produce – locally grown veg tastes better and is far better for the environment.

 

Get Your Pet Involved

Do you have a pet? Do they love attention and making people happy? If they make you happy, they probably can help other people too. If your pet is up to it, you can take them to community centers where people might not have a pet but might be grateful for the chance to interact with yours! Good ideas are senior centers or veteran’s clubs, even hospitals or hospices if they allow you in!