The ideas aren't earth shattering. As my venerable father commented, if we looked back to the time when he was growing up, many of the suggestions in the article, such as buying less, fixing things, putting down roots and being part of the community, were the norm.
My favourite idea is:
Do home work parties. Each month, go to a different household to do major home greening, a garden upgrade, or some deferred maintenance.
I can see that would be such a positive and uplifting thing to do in Mataura. The town is a little bit run down, and people don't have a whole lot of money. I would love to pull together some funding and help people to fix their homes, tidy their gardens and make the town look a little more loved. It would help create such a sense of pride in our town and community spirit.
I don't want to give you the wrong idea about Mataura. We have plenty of beautiful homes with well kept gardens that people obviously take pride in.
Wouldn't it be great if all the homes could look like that? And rather than bemoaning the fact that some people can't, or won't, maintain their houses why don't we step in as a community and help each other out?
If you are going to be an effective advocate for your favourite charity you need to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible (preferably related to your cause!). The internet is a great way to do this - if you know where to look.
Here's a list of 10 great places to go for information and discussion about the causes that you are passionate about:
Alltop is like an online magazine rack of popular topics and the stories are updated every hour. To find out more about your cause, simply type it in the search box. My favourite channel is Alltop Good - for all you need to know about doing good!
Addict-o-matic lets you perfom a search for your topic and creates a custom page with the search results that you can bookmark and refer to later. It searches on Twitter, Google, Friendfeed, You Tube, Digg, Flickr and more
Twitter is a cool micro-blogging/social networking tool that allows you to build a network of like minded people. Its amazing what you can learn from 140 character soundbites!
You can find people to follow using tools like Twibes (groups of Twitter users interested in particular topics. I love the Philanthropy Twibe) or Twellow (the Twitter yellow pages).
A great way to find Charities and Non-Profit organisations that use twitter is to check out #charitytuesday
Charity Evaluators such as Intelligent Giving and Charity Navigator can help you to choose a charity that is going to make the most efficient use of your donations. So you can be sure that your money is actually going to make a difference rather than be used to fund the organisation's operating costs!
Your chosen charity will more than likely have a website. Be sure to check it out. It should have plenty of information about the charity organisation - what they do , who they help, success stories and testimonials - as well as background information about the cause they work for.
Squidoo is a great place to find out more about the Cause(s) you are passionate about. People create Squidoo Lenses about a whole range of topics - simply search for the one that interests you.
GiveWell is a Charity Evaluator that conducts in-depth research on charities to help people accomplish as much good as possible with their donations. They focus primarily on how well the programmes work. So if you want to be sure that the charity you donate to is really having a positive effect on the people it serves - this is the place to find out!
Causecast is a place to explore issues and connect with a community of people wanting to make a difference. Its chock full of great information!
Big Think is a great place to find out what other people are thinking about your favourite cause. You can join in and share ideas or just read through what others have to say. They have a great collection of really interesting and knowledgeable experts on a variety of topics. It is a fascinating site!
Just Cause is a great site to find information about your favourite cause as well as inspiration to help you make a difference.
Where do you go to find out more about the causes you are passionate about?
In times of economic turmoil, non-profit organisations need their supporters more than ever. When there is less money to go around, there is usually more need - and when you put that together with the fact that donating to charity is often first to be cut from the budget when money gets tight, you can see how charity organisations are caught between a rock and a hard place in the midst of recession.
Supporting the cause that you are passionate about isn't just about giving money. There are plenty of things you can do that can help your favourite non-profit out that won't cost you anything but a little of your time. Not that some financial support isn't needed - but if you are not able to give that just now, try some of the things below. You can make a difference!!
1. Become an expert If you want to become an effective advocate for your cause, you need to be informed.
Read widely, talk with people who understand the cause you support, talk with people who have differing opinions from yours so you are aware of all sides of the issue - even if you disagree wholeheartedly!
The more you know the better you can answer other people's questions, counter other people's arguments and spread awareness about the cause you are passionate about.
2. Spread the word Most charities don't have a ton of money to spend on marketing (and are often condemned if they are perceived as spending too much money on advertising) so they appreciate the work of their supporters bringing awareness to the cause!
3. Donate things you no longer need You may (or may not) have spare cash to donate, but charity organisations need more than just money. You can donate clothing and other items to your local goodwill store, material scraps to your local school or pre-school, outgrown toys to the women's refuge . . .
4. Vote with your wallet Be aware where your money goes. You may not be able to give money to support your cause - but by spending mindfully you can make sure you are not supporting companies and industries that go against your values.
5. Volunteer If you have some time on your hands, consider volunteering for your favourite charity. Even if you only have an hour or two a month, you can make a difference. Volunteers are the lifeblood of most non-profit organisations.
6. Find ways to give for free There are plenty of great opportunities to support causes you believe in online that cost you nothing. From Care2's Click to Donate, to Better the World, to Everywun . . . not to mention all the Facebook applications that donate money to charity.
I can see that would be such a positive and uplifting thing to do in Mataura. The town is a little bit run down, and people don't have a whole lot of money. I would love to pull together some funding and help people to fix their homes, tidy their gardens and make the town look a little more loved. It would help create such a sense of pride in our town and community spirit.
I don't want to give you the wrong idea about Mataura. We have plenty of beautiful homes with well kept gardens that people obviously take pride in.
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