When it comes to community service, Yasmin Malhotra has delivered a new meaning and perspective – volunteering her time to enhance awareness, raise funds and truly help those in need, one cause at a time. On multiple levels, community service, even just to one cause, can affect the lives of many people. This is mainly due to the fact that creating a positive change in someone’s life is contagious. The feeling it delivers is one that you will never forget and undoubtedly will want to continue to do over and over again. The smile that you are able to put on the face of a stranger or a child in need is irreplaceable.
For Yasmin Malhotra, community service has become a second nature. Volunteering time collecting and donating clothes to the needy, taking care of animals that are housed in shelters and in some cases, helping to find them decent homes. As she has worked with a wide variety of charities and organizations, there are countless individuals, families and animals that will forever be changed by her actions and passion.
Change. Such a small word with such a huge meaning. It is amazing at how one simple act could change the lives of so many – the true meaning of Pay It Forward. When you have the opportunity to help someone in need, despite how big or small, it can become a life changing experience for you as well. Since many individuals may not get the opportunity to find out how much their actions have helped another, it is important to do as much as you can with whatever means that you can. At the end of the day, your small gesture may be more than others are willing to do or on the contrary, your small effort, when added with the efforts of others, can create a huge difference – even if just to one person.
The old saying goes, To the world you may just be one person, but to one person, you just may be the world – has become a way of life for some community service volunteers. Just as Yasmin as showcased through her own actions and her ability to motivate the actions of others, we as people can create infectious change that empowers people and changes lives – for the better.
Top ways You Can Create Change Through Community Service
Just as Yasmin has showcased, there are plenty of different ways that you can give back to your community, or the communities around you. In most cases, you will not personally know the people or community you are helping with your volunteer efforts. However, the fact that you are helping someone will be satisfaction enough. Here are some amazing ways that you can make a huge difference in someone’s life, even if it is just for one day or on a temporary basis.
1. Adopting a Senior Citizen. Many volunteers visits their local nursing home and adopt a senior that they interact with. Since many elderly people do not have family members to take care of them, spending their days in a nursing home can be upsetting and a bit boring. However, a visit from a friendly face that is willing to read to them, play games with them and listen to their stories can deliver an overwhelming sense of joy to them.
2. Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen. Whether you choose to volunteer your time serving food to homeless people at a soup kitchen or inn your own kitchen preparing hot meals that can be distributed, think of the good you are actually doing. While we may take a hot meal for granted, there are people in the world that would give anything to taste a hot plate or delicious food. You can change that and help them obtain it!
3. Collect unwanted clothing. There are plenty of people that cannot afford the luxury of new clothes and many others that do not have the seasonal clothes that are needed to keep them warm, cool and healthy. By collecting unwanted clothing from your community, you can provide a community of people with clothes that may be gently worn, but are new to them.
4. Recycle Interview Clothing. Many individuals are determined and ready to work, but may not have the proper attire to attend interviews. A great way to engage in community service to collect or donate business attire to those that would otherwise have nothing. Not only does this provide them with a better chance of obtaining a good job, it also builds their confidence to maintain that job and better their own lives.
5. Thinking Outside the Box for College Funds. While college may not be for everyone, there are plenty of high school students that strongly desire to go to college but either do not have the funds, the grades or the skills to apply. In these cases, get creative. Volunteer your time to tutor some students or help them fill out applications and obtain funding. You may be helping the next Noble Prize winner obtain the skills they need to get their foot in the college door!
Follow in the footsteps of Yasmin Malhotra and find our niche in helping others. There is no right or wrong when it comes to community service – if you are helping to make a difference in someone’s life, it is well worth your efforts.
There are plenty of ways that you can accomplish this, even by using your own experiences to help better your community. Share your personal stories and let others learn from your mistakes, while being empowered by your accomplishments. Sometimes all it takes is having that one person that can relate to your individual situation that makes the biggest difference. Public speaking can be a great way to help others gain and build their confidence in order to change lives. Think of it this way, you empower one person to advance their situation. That person goes on to help their family of five. That family now adopts another family in need to get on their feet. As the cycle continues, you have the potential to help an entire community just by helping one person!
