What Can (and Should) We Do for Charity?

We should all make an effort to do something for charity; whether it is committing to raise a substantial amount of money for taking on an epic challenge, giving up our own time to volunteer to help out those less fortunate, or just simply remembering to deposit loose change in collection buckets.

 It sounds cliche, but every little does help. If every person gave just £1 to charity in the United Kingdom, that would equal an amazing £66,573,504, based on the latest United Nations estimations. Charity, though, is more than just giving money in the hope that you experience a warm feeling inside – it is doing something for the good of somebody else. Somebody that you may never meet, that likely won’t ever have the opportunity to thank you.

No doubt you have sat in front of the television on a Friday night watching Children in Need, Sport Relief or Comic Relief and felt compelled to pick up the phone. The question is, why does it take a celebrity to get you to do something? Shouldn’t you be doing something because you know it’s the right thing to do, and not because Lenny Henry pleads with you every 15 minutes to do so?

Pick a Cause You are Passionate About

There are literally thousands of registered charities in the UK, helping to support a wide range of causes prevalent in today’s society. Many causes you wouldn’t believe are still an issue in 2018 such as poverty, others help to fund much-needed research.

As you live your life, you will be affected by all manner of things that will strike a chord with you. It could be you, a family member, friend, colleague or a casual acquaintance. Some are no longer here to tell their story, so it is up to those of us who still are to make sure their story, and their memory, lives on.

Dedicate Time

Dedicating your time to charity is one of the greatest acts that you can do. Some will have more time than others, so don’t be put off if you can only offer an hour or so every other week. That time could be the difference between someone taking their last breath or enjoying a cup of tea with their loved ones. It could be what keeps a homeless person warm at night, or keeps a young child out of harm’s way.

Time can be spent helping out in the local charity shop, making tea and coffee for the elderly, serving food in a homeless shelter or answering the phone for an hour or two for a charity. Often, this can be more valuable than any monetary donation ever could be, and something that everyone can get involved in.

What We Can Learn From Other Cultures

In many cultures, giving to charity is sewn into its fabric. Take Islam, for example, where charity is one of the religions five pillars. Muslims give to charity for holy celebrations such as Eid and Qurbani as it is part of their belief.

Whether you consider yourself to be religious or not, we can certainly learn from this example by not just feeling as though we are doing someone a favour, but seeing charity as a sense of duty.

Unfortunately, the world can be a tough place and not everyone enjoys the same privileges as us. While you can easily forget who we help, they will never forget the generosity, kindness and mercy that you display.

*This is a collaborative post.