Poverty is, and will continue to be a major problem around the world. The sheer scale of it can be discouraging- in Philadelphia alone, for example, there are over 440,000 people who fall under the established federal poverty line. With the world’s greatest minds dedicated to solving it, what is one single person who wants to help to do about it? Not only that, but with more than 1.5 million registered charitable organizations in the U.S., what’s the best way to help?
Think smaller. One person cannot solve the poverty crisis of the entire world, but they can do a lot towards locally helping families in need. Read on for some guidelines on what you, personally, can do.
- Raise awareness. No, this doesn’t mean making banners or holding a giant event, but rather making sure the issue of poverty is kept in the conversations of the people around you. It’s easy to forget about things that are unpleasant and don’t really affect you, and this complacency is the enemy of a solution to the issue of poverty.
- Mentor a child. Many children in poverty don’t have any examples of life outside their circumstances. Just by being a big brother or sister, you can make a world of difference.
- Donate used clothes and household items. More than 90% of the clothing thrown away in the U.S. every year is usable for charitable clothing donations. When you donate used clothes, you keep lightly used clothing out of landfills and help the environment as well.
- Volunteer. Volunteering your time doesn’t cost a dime, but can really help all sorts of non-profit organizations that can only budget for a certain amount of employees. These organizations have a need for any skill set out there and can point you in the right direction where yours will be best used.
How do you like to give back? We’d love to read your comments!
