Shop to Serve!

It's difficult finding time to dedicate to local charities when they require a regular commitment. But don't give up! There is still plenty of good you can do in the world from the comfort of your own couch!

Download the “Do Good” toolbar on your computer to have 2.5% of your on-line purchases (at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, etc.) go to charity. As the site explains, "Just by shopping online, you can Do Good^TM , at no extra cost to you. Think about it: Just by doing what you normally do, shopping online, you can help other people and Do Good^TM in the world." Go to: www.dogoodtoolbar.com/Charity  (or, agoodcause.com )


Now buying anything from books to baby supplies can serve as a way of giving back to the community and it won't cost you a dime! (And when your husband complains about all of the baby expenses, you can argue that those darling shoes were a justifiable purchase because part of the proceeds went to charity!)

Teach your children to serve others:

The ways kids learn is by observing YOU. Let your children see you serve others and they will want to join you.

This is an excellent book that will help you find things for your children to do. Click on the following link to see if it is something you might be interested in:

52 Weeks of Fun Family Service

It includes simple things you can do at home such as:

1. Write a letter to a missionary

2. Bake cookies for a neighbor

3. Have children gather up their like new toys to donate to charity

4. Have children write thank you notes to the important people in thier lives.

What other Young Mothers Suggest:

I put out a call to find out what other young mothers are doing or to see if they had any suggestions. Here are their responses:

Lisa suggests:
There are many ways your children will see you doing good for others. At the market if there is an elderly person who needs help reaching for something, you can help. Or help loading their groceries in their car. You can take a meal to a sick friend.
You can also call your local senior center and ask if there are any elderly persons who need help with their grocery shopping or a ride to the doctors, or even just sit and chat and make them lunch. Elderly people are so forgotten and have wonderful stories to tell.

Sara says:

Putting together care packages at home is always a good way to start. We did this over Christmas and involved our 2 year old and she really got into it! You can also make phone calls for certain organizations or mail out flyers for them. Also writing encouraging letters to our soldiers overseas is a wonderful "community service."

Kristin says:

I usually donate household items to local shelters. Several times a year when grocery shopping I buy double, then I take the extra to our local food pantry as a donation. If you belong to a local church ask if they have any programs that you might be able to assist from home.

Elise says:

When my daughter was an infant a I started a block party for our street. It's become an annual thing and has really built a feeling of community on our street. It's a small thing, but makes a big difference, for you and your neighbors.

Tiffany suggests:

Doing a litter clean-up in the local wash/riverbed or park works well. My sister has done this with her two boys (they keep bags in their car) and they actually now look for trash to pick up. Donating to the good will or another local charity, and having them pick out a few things to donate as well, will show that they are fortunate kids and there are always others who need more than they do. Good luck!

Melanie suggests:

You might want to think of finding out about the local women's shelter. They usually train people to work from home on their crisis lines.
If you have older kids too, you can be back up support for lemonade stands and the like as they raise money for charities. Or organize with other mothers around the neighborhood for a combined family garage sale then give the proceeds to some cause.
My friend knits hats for poor people in other countries.