With all the recent horrific events taking place in this country, the holidays are going from jovial to heartbreaking, at lightening speed.
From natural disasters, to school shootings, everyone has had an emotional and devastating past few months. For those of us who have been lucky and not directly effected by these travesties, it is time to come together.
Being a New Yorker is one of the best traits a person can list about themselves. All of us New Yorkers were effected by the hurricane but this isn’t just about New York, this is about a community.
A community that was destroyed by something completely unavoidable. Every person reading this article belongs to a community. If this happened to your home, wouldn’t you want people to help you fix it? Giving back whether it’s close to home or far away will make you feel good about yourself because it could always be you.
If you’re a student who does nothing but go to class and party, your quality of life is missing that little piece of doing something for others. The times you’re not studying or drinking, you’re probably complaining about being bored, so why not go help out a local soup kitchen on campus.
Being young and giving back shows a certain level of maturity. Mom and dad are still paying for most of your living expenses and your only responsibility is getting good grades. Showing you can take on more will change the way others look at you and will also change the way you look at yourself.
A lot of charities present great opportunities for growth. You can start as a team leader and work your way up, receiving great experience. A Charity or soup kitchen is kind of like a business. They have to advertise, plan events, bring in volunteers, and make a name for themselves.
These are all qualities you can utilize at a full time job that are deemed valuable. So although you’re volunteering your time to help others, you are also helping yourself.
When going home at night after a long days work it’s silly to think that the things you have the second you walk through the door, you don’t even realize are there. The heat that rushes your face, the couch you throw your jacket on, and the glass of water you can go drink if you’re thirsty.
These less fortunate people might have none of the above. Even if you’re lacking one of the three, it’s still more then most people have. The wardrobe filled with clothes that you never wear, can be donated so easily. For an act as simple as that you don’t even need to volunteer your time.
When you clean out your closet just throw the clothes in an extra garbage bag and drop them off at a shelter. You will feel so much better about yourself and will have a clean closet.
There is a reason celebrities give back and it’s not just because they have a lot of money, and they don’t have endless amounts of time on their hands. Giving back portrays them in a good light because it’s a good deed. It helps build an image that you are a good person.
This is a secondary reason for wanting to give back but it definitely important when deciding the person you want to be. Forming an identity for yourself is important. Plus giving back is just good karma.
Unless you’re a heartless person, giving back just feels good. Walking into a soup kitchen and seeing a family with 3 kids who have no jackets in this bitter winter chill is heart breaking.
After serving them a hot meal and playing some donated games with them, their smiling faces walking out the door will leave you feeling blessed.
Sara DiMaggio | Elite.
