52 Weeks of Service

52 Weeks of Service
by NT
Resources: ASK others how and what they did.
Internet sites:
www.providentliving.org (tab on right = service opportunities)
http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/ -- Humanitarian patterns and ideas
http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/serviceideas.shtml -- good, broken into categories
http://www.causeofliberty.com:80/2008/02/101-ways-to-show-public-virtue/ -- nice list

Thought: Service benefits both the giver and the receiver. Both are happier, and more able to face life’s challenges. When you are feeling down, think of a way to serve someone who needs something you can offer. We all possess something of value, such as a skill, talent, professional training, financial resources, time, etc. Being willing to serve and following the inspirational ideas that come to mind are the beginning of truly making a difference.
Ideas:
· Pick up garbage in your neighborhood, at the park, or on the school grounds.
· Clean out closets, books, and toys and donate them to charity. (ex. D.I., Goodwill, etc.)
· Collect Box Tops for Education and Campbell’s Labels and give them to a school.
· Read out-loud to a child and help teach them to read.
· Offer to put out trash cans, water plants, collect newspapers, etc. for a neighbor going out of town.
· Sign up with your friends or family to serve a meal. (Paz de Christo/St. Vincent de Paul)
· Tour the Humanitarian Center in Mesa and take home projects to complete. Turn them in.
· Have a family in the neighborhood or ward over for dinner and get to know them better.
· Attend a Gilbert Town Council meeting to be more involved in our community.
· Volunteer to serve on the HOA board to be involved in the neighborhood or attend an HOA meeting.
· Take your children or neighbors with you to the polls to vote. Show them how the process works.
· Join the PTSO and/or run for PTSO office to improve the schools.
· Make treats and deliver them Monday afternoon to a ward family to use for FHE treats.
· Volunteer at a school as a room parent, book order person, copy and cut-out papers at home for a teacher, art masterpiece presenter, etc.
· Watch less TV and do family activities. Or try a week with no TV, use service ideas.
· Forgive someone who has hurt you, even if they haven’t apologized.
· Teach a free community/church/neighborhood class on a topic you’re knowledgeable and passionate about.
· Teach a career skill to someone struggling in their job.
· Help with references, resume formatting and updates, and interviewing practice for someone looking for a job.
· Sew a simple, soft blanket for a new baby.
· Donate books to the Friends of the Library store to help support the public library.
· Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper sharing your views on an important issue.
· Volunteer your time and labor to help build a home for Habitat for Humanity.
· Adopt a family for Christmas and bring presents—can be done anonymously.
· Pick up a Christmas Angel tag and donate gifts for that person. (Have friends or children help pick out the gifts.)
· Donate blood and/or plasma to help save lives.
· Volunteer your time to help campaign for a political candidate who votes for your values.
· Read books out loud for the “Books on Tape” program for blind people. Info at the library.
· Partner with law enforcement officers to start your own neighborhood crime watch.
· Get a group together to join the “Adopt-a-Highway” program to clean up roads.
· Give someone a ride that needs it.
· Call an out-of-town family member or friend and talk about how they are doing.
· Take a week and write a “Thank You” note to one person each day.
· Stand up and defend someone who is being teased, slandered, bullied, or gossiped about by others.
· Write a detailed letter to your senator or congressman to express your views about something important or to thank them for voting for something important to you and your family.
· Say you’re sorry to someone you have hurt or had a misunderstanding with.
· Take time to call a friend just to let them know that you appreciate them.
· Babysit a friend or neighbor’s children for free.
· Schedule time at a nursing home to talk with seniors, sing/play a musical instrument, etc.
· Plant a garden and work on it together as a family.
· When food is harvested from your garden, share it with neighbors.
· Drive courteously and treat even rude or distracted drivers with respect and patience.
· Volunteer to go shopping for someone who is home-bound, injured, sick, or elderly.
· Remove graffiti in your community. Organize a clean-up and repair of all defacement and teach children by your example to take good care of your neighborhood.
· Help out with an Eagle Scout project. Donate goods, services, and support to the scout.
· Organize a neighborhood garage sale and donate the proceeds to a charity organization.
· Adopt a senior that has no family nearby. Take them for rides, shopping, errands, etc.
· Help a family with home repairs or yard work.
· Pull weeds for a neighbor.
· Help bring in a neighbor’s trash cans for them.
· Volunteer at a hospital.
· Deliver 12 Days of Christmas goodies and gifts to a family. Keep it a secret until Christmas Eve.
· Walk to the park and say “hi” to everyone along the way and at the park.
· Recycle newspapers, cans, and jars. Use items made from recycled materials.
· Set up a Lemonade/Kool-Aid stand with your kids and “sell” the cups of drinks for free to the neighborhood children.
· Can extra peaches, pears, etc and give them to neighbors, friends, family members, visiting teaching families, home teachers, etc.
· Make a “We Love the People We Serve” jar in FHE. Put strips in it for family members to serve each other. Sample strips: read a book to sister, make your brother’s bed, help your sister with homework, write a note/draw a picture for Dad, and help Mom fold the laundry, put a note in a child’s lunch box, etc.)
· Tell your parents that you love them.
· Tell your children that you love them.
· Make a conscious effort to listen to others better and try to understand their feelings.
· Help someone who is moving to a different home.