A Practical Guide to Making a Difference

It's hard to go for long in today's world without hearing of issues like homelessness, human trafficking, or natural disasters. In fact, they're so present around us that it's easy to become numb to them. Sometimes we assume that because issues like these are so big and difficult to tackle, there's no real way for us to make a difference in the world. But you don't have to quit your job to work for a nonprofit or give away half your salary to make a real impact. Here are some of my favorite ways that you can get involved with meaningful causes in your daily, everyday life.

Find Your Passion

There are thousands of great causes and nonprofits out there, but as much as we'd like to we can't support all of them. So find the cause (or causes) that you're really passionate about to begin with. We've all experienced different things and interacted with different people, and those experiences may help you figure out which causes you feel closest to. For example, if you've dealt with a sick relative chances are you empathize with families going through that. Don't let that just stay as empathy. Find organizations that are helping people in that situation and figure out how you can help.

Of course, there is always room to find new causes that you've never directly experienced and become passionate about those. A surprisingly good place to do this is Facebook. The search bar lets you find almost any nonprofit organization, and gives you suggestions about similar ones to check out. I think a well-run Facebook page also lets you really see the heart of an organization, and getting their daily posts is a great way to keep them on your mind.

Give Your Time

Giving your time to a cause is so important because it connects you to it in a way that just sending a check every month won't. Personally, I think that one of the most powerful ways to give back with your time is by mentoring younger students. I did this for a few years at my church, and it was so incredibly rewarding. There are tons of organizations where you can do things like this- tutoring elementary school children, teaching refugees English, or just being a role model in programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Being involved in someone's life helps you truly understand their situation and commits you to the cause in a deeper way. The truth is that as individuals, we probably won't change the world on our own. But we have the power to impact at least one life, and when you consider the ripple effect that can have on a community, it means we have the power to make a real difference.

Also keep in mind that there are so many ways to give of your time. It doesn't always have to be mentoring or packaging up food at a food bank (though obviously both of those are awesome). People don't often realize that nonprofits are pretty similar to regular, corporate businesses. They need to take care of accounting, come up with creative marketing ideas, write proposals, and all that other day to day stuff. That means many organizations are in need of volunteers who can help with these things, especially if they are already professionals in those areas. Think about your skills and what you do at your job. Chances are there's a nonprofit somewhere who would really appreciate that skill set.

...And Your Money

That being said, volunteering your time isn't always the best way to help an organization. There are some cases where nonprofits really need money more than anything else. For example, much as some of us would like to go help rescue human trafficking victims, the reality is that only trained workers can do it- so providing them with resources is the most powerful way to help. I like to find ways I can volunteer with some organizations while also consistently giving to others (like A21 which is doing awesome anti-human trafficking work) to balance it out. I like doing both because giving my time helps me be constantly aware of the importance of giving back, but I don't want to only give to an organization if I can directly see its impact. At the end of the day, giving is not about us or the warm feeling we get from it. It's about the difference that cause is making in people's lives, and giving money is such a necessary part of that.

Be a Conscious Shopper

The way we spend our money has as much of an impact on the world as the way we spend our time. The reality is that we live in a very globalized world, and those of us on the Western side often reap the benefits while others pay the costs. In recent years, several organizations have gotten in trouble for using slave or unethical, cheap labor in the production of their merchandise. This is often a hard thing to trace because many multinational corporations use foreign suppliers for their products, so while they may be innocent of unfair labor practices, they are indirectly promoting them through the suppliers they hire. I know it's hard to think about that when we find a really good deal on a top at the mall, but just because we aren't aware of the history of a product doesn't mean it's not important. I recently read this awesome article from Darling Magazine that suggests only buying things you know the source of, and gives some great tips for doing so. Obviously this is a hard thing to embrace all at once, but just being mindful of our purchases and advocating for fair practices through what we buy can make a huge difference in the world.

Check out Slavery Footprint, a survey that can help you determine what products you use have harmful origins. One neat thing to consider is to purchase more nonprofit-made items (such as shoes or sunglasses from TOMS) whose purchase goes directly to helping people around the world.

Research Organizations

This one is so, so important. Although sometimes it seems like giving to any charity is doing a good thing, the reality is that not all nonprofits are created equal. It is true that not all of them are being run in the best way possible, and some have even been seriously questioned for the way they spend their donations. If we truly care about the causes we're giving to, we can't just turn a blind eye to that. Fortunately, there are some great resources to help you determine which are the most reliable organizations you can give to.

Charity Navigator and Guidestar provide free overviews of pretty much any registered nonprofit or NGO. You can easily see how the organization is spending its money- aka what percentage goes to programs vs. administrative expenses, CEO salaries, etc. Quick google searches are also effective to find any recent news articles about the charity you're considering. The good news is that there are a lot of awesome, responsible nonprofits out there. I'd rather make sure my money goes to one of them than simply hope for the best.

These are just some of the ways to make an impact for the causes you care about. Share some of your favorite ways with me, and let me know what nonprofit organizations you admire!

#life #2015