Give and Grow Rich #CharityDay

I believe that each day is an opportunity to do something good and help someone who is less advantaged than I am. Today, the UN has designated September 5, as International Day of Charity to commemorate the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death.
Together, we can make the world a better place by doing what we can.

Here are a few ways to do small things with great love

Donate clothes

Open your closet, pick three sets of clothes, pack them and give them away. Now. You know you can raise the number to more than three! Or go all the way and clean up your closet. Win-win – keep what you want, organized, and give away what you would like to. I have started the “buy one-give two” practice – every time we buy something we make sure we give away two.

Donate food

Organize a meal at your local welfare home or the home for the aged. Or just carry packets of food to those people who live on the street. Or just pack the extra food at home and go give it to a hungry person on the street. On Thursdays, we often cook and make around 50 packets of food and distribute outside the Sai Baba temple where the needy congregate, in the hope of receiving alms. On days I cannot cook, I buy packets of buns and distribute those.

Donate books

Go through your bookshelves to see what you can give away to your local library. Or take on the expense of school books or school fees for the daughter of your security guard/lift man/vegetable vendor/housekeeping staff at your office – you know what I mean. If you have children, donate their books after they “graduate” to the next grade. Buy magazines? Donate the old ones to the School for the Blind where they use it for Braille.

Donate toys

Give away those toys your child no longer needs. Or initiate a toy collection drive in your neighborhood and then go give it to a toy bank or your local welfare home. Give someone the power to play.

Donate blood

When my Mom was in hospital years ago and needed blood transfusions, we realized how very difficult it was to organize. For every pouch of blood, we had to promise the Blood Donation office that we would arrange for three persons to donate.  Consider donating blood. It is good for your health. And heart!

Give three

Go around your house and find three things to give away. Last July I pledged to give three things away every day – and designating a large carton to collect things made it easier. You may want to try that if you are struggling with clearing the clutter.

Shop responsibly

Buy products from companies that donate a portion of the proceeds to humanitarian causes. Many consumer products print it on the wrapper and you can usually buy several things you use regularly like detergent soap and make a difference without spending extra. This is a good time to pledge to buy only what you need.

Give love

Look at the world through the eyes of love. Think twice before saying a harsh word, before you react to a situation.

Give time

Volunteer for a cause. Organize a collection drive in your neighborhood. Or just get your colleagues at work to pool in things they can give away and drop it off at the collection center of a charity organization.

Do a random act of kindness

You don’t need money to make someone’s life better. Smile at everyone you see today. Help an elderly person with a chore. Be kind to as many people as you can.

Spread happiness

Reward someone for a good job done with a compliment. If you’d like to give them a gift, that’s great too. Write a note to three people who have made a difference in your life

Use social media

Promote a cause on your social media platform of choice. Your favorite cause. Or someone else’s. It doesn’t matter so long as you make someone’s life better.

Sponsor a child

I am thrilled to sponsor a child at ChildFund.org in their initiatives, a practice initiated by my Uncle. You can get involved in many ways including making monthly contributions or sending gifts.

♥

Today we also celebrate Teachers’ Day in India. I fondly remember my school teachers who influenced me and play a profound role in making me the person I am. My Mother was a school teacher. No matter how small her salary, she always found it in her heart to give, to support someone in need. Today, I try to follow her example by dedicating all my blog income to local welfare homes and causes that result in making a less advantaged person’s life better.

Here are  7 things my Mother, my first teacher taught me:

1. I won’t wait for others to take the first step. I will be proactive.
2. If it is to be, it’s up to me. I will act responsibly.
3. If not me, who? If not now, when? Forget that “someday” thinking
4. Let me take a shot at it. Be adventurous. Shine.
5. I will not pass the buck. I will not play the blame game
6. You can count on me. Yes, you can!
7. I can. I will. I must.
   

How are you celebrating International Day of Charity?