There is no greater joy or satisfaction in life then when we are giving hope to someone else. I met a Veteran family a couple of years ago when I heard they were in need during the Thanksgiving holiday. I reached out to them and discovered that they were going through a financially difficult season in their life. I decided I could help them immediately by taking care of their Thanksgiving meal. So I bought and delivered their meal thanksgiving morning with my son Noah. The family was so appreciative. We both got big hugs. It was a great experience to share this with my son. What I didn’t expect was that two years later, I would still have a relationship with this family and on occasion, I still help them with some of their practical needs. I have learned that a great thing about serving others is that we are often blessed just as much.

Here’s your challenge! Find something this Spring/Summer you can do as a family that will get you out and connect with your community in some way by serving. We spend so much time thinking about ourselves, wouldn’t it be nice every once in awhile to think about helping someone else? I just attended a funeral of someone who as of two weeks ago was perfectly healthy. Life can be cut short, and you want your life to count. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to get out there and make a difference. Here are some ideas on where to get started….

Schedule Time to Help at a Food Bank

Packing up the family and heading to a local food bank on the weekend can be a wonderful way to serve your community at large. Here in Indiana, we have Gleaners Food Bank, and they have things that the whole family can get involved with. Gleaners helps families who may have fallen on hard times by providing meal kits to people in need. Whether it’s prepping boxes, filling boxes, or checking items for expiration dates, there is always something to do at a food bank! According to Bread.org, nearly 49 million Americans aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from. That’s a huge problem faced by every community. You can be the “hands and feet” of God by providing bread to people who have fallen on hard times. Food banks can always use the help and the donations, so give your local food back a call and see what they need.

Offer to Help a Single Parent with Childcare

You don’t even have to leave the house for this one! We all know a single parent who could use a little support. Offer to take their kid(s) for the afternoon or evening. Pop in a movie or pull out some old favorite family games and have some fun! Single parents have to juggle so much, so whether they need to get to an appointment or just need a little time to themselves, you’ll make a huge impact with this one.

Get Out Your Green Thumb for a Good Cause

Do you live near a relatively dense area? If so, you’ll probably find an opportunity to serve at a community garden. You can do a quick google search to see if there’s one nearby and if they need volunteers. Typically you’ll find urban garden areas in need of people who can pull weeds or help out with distribution.

Another really great way to serve the community around you is to identify people who may have a hard time getting their yard work done. It could be someone with a disability, an elderly couple or person who lives alone, or a single parent. Knock on their door or leave them a note and ask them how you can help them this year. Whether it’s mowing, weed whacking, or helping someone plant their favorite bulbs in the fall, there is always yard work to be done, and you can get the whole family involved in helping.

How do you connect with your community by serving? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below and share your ideas with others.

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Your Virtual Mentor,

Doug