How Do You Give Back to The Community?

A bit of background information about me. I think I'm very lucky and blessed to be where I am and am very appreciative of all the opportunities I have been given. I am happily married, degree qualified, working in a top tier company - Life is good! I can 100% say this has all happened because of the people who have been around me in my life, supported me through my education (parents), and friends, and family.

The thing is, I've done well and taken advantage of the opportunities that I've been given, but the question is what about those who haven't been as fortunate as myself?

So here is the question - How Do You Give Back to The Community?

Any tangible and feasible advice would be appreciated.

Comments

  • +91

    I pay tax.

    • +3
      • +2

        Yes. Why?

          • Some disagree with how tax revenue is collected and/or spent.
          • Some go to great lengths to avoid and/or evade tax.
          • Some consider taxation to be theft.
          • etc.
        • +1

          @Scrooge McDuck:
          I minimise my tax as bets I can. But I still pay it willingly knowing it contributes to running the country and supporting those who choose not to work.

        • +1

          @Skramit:

          I minimise my tax as bets I can. But I still pay it willingly knowing it contributes to running the country and supporting those who choose not to work.

          Out of curiousity if hypothetically you could legally reduce your tax to zero, how much would you voluntarily pay?

        • @Skramit:

          and supporting those who choose not to work.

          And are you willing to do that too?

    • +6

      We can do more…

      • -7

        The government already supports lots of charities with my tax dollars.

        • +14

          Oh please. Don't give me that crap. Your tax dollars are minuscule and is most likely not being directed towards charities.

        • @sillysam:

          What crap? The Aus government spends nearly a billion dollars a year on local charities. That money comes from our taxes.

      • How many people, or rather multinational corporations dont?

        • +3

          And how does that makes a difference to what you do?

    • I'm not sure if this is 'giving back' beyond what you've got - for most people, they pay less in tax than they get from Government services. It is 'giving back' but also more like repaying a debt - or paying it forward.

    • I work hard and pay taxes. That's how I give back to the community.

  • you give back by protecting your country which made it all happen for you.

  • +14

    I donate what I can (about $1000/year) to one of two animal charities around me, twice a year for their Easter and Christmas drives and help them with house cleaning and maintenance casually.

    • Very nice. where do you sign up for the easter/christmas drives to help people with house cleaning/maintenance?

    • -2

      Even better stop eating them and otherwise exploiting them. Zero cost and you will spare hundreds of animals per year a death they don't deserve and often a torturous life.

      • -2

        So if I stop eating meat, hundreds of animals (or the number that I would have eaten) will be spared death? Or they will be slaughtered anyways regardless of whether I eat meat or not?

        • +5

          If I steal a grain of rice from your bowl it will make no discernible difference to you. Same for the next umpteen number of people who steal their own grain from your bowl. But at some point, after repeated theft of single grains, you will look down and say "Hey? Where is my rice going?"

          So yes, you will be making a difference, even though that difference may not be immediately and individually discernible.

          But more than a simple economic boycott you will be setting a political and moral standard. It's the way all free social change works - a small number of people stir the pot and annoy the establishment till their argument becomes self evident and affects the majority accordingly.

        • @thevofa: This is spot on

        • -2

          @thevofa:
          Logically, yes.

          But from an economics standpoint, supposed demand did fall. In a closed economy, either suppliers would decide to produce less, or reduce their pricing so production does not decrease. However, in an open economy - there is global demand for it and hence an international market price - so my presumption is that exports would increase to cover the drop in domestic demand - making the net effect on supply negligible.

        • @gmail92:

          You guys mad because this is reality and how the world works lol. Neg away :D

      • +1

        I subscribe to the principles of the group PETA……………..'People Eating Tasty Animnals'

  • +2

    Find a local charity that services your are and donate to them. Doesn't even need to be money. Food Banks are currently inundated and would appreciate food donations too. Animal charities are always chronically underfunded and would also appreciate any charity too.

    • -1

      Thanks - prefer to do something other than just giving money/resources. Would like to see direct results - if that makes sense?

      • +3

        How could not contributing non-perishables to a foodbank not see direct results? It is directly helping those in your suburb that are in need. How about volunteering some time if you want to see it actually in use

      • Donate blood. One donation can save up to 3 lives

  • +5

    I tried to help my community.
    They didn't want my assistance.

    • +10

      Which community are you living in that is doing so well they turn down help?

  • +56

    Post deals on OzBargain.

    • +10

      And advice in the forums.

    • +1

      haha, I do what I can here :P

  • +2

    Yes. In donations and pro bono work. It is unaustralian not to give back.

  • +31

    By not killing all the idiots i come across.

    • +10

      That's an ongoing struggle for me.

      • -1

        Maybe this explains it better!!

        My daughter and I went through the McDonald's driveway window and I gave the cashier a $5 bill.
        Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her 25c.
        She said, 'you gave me too much money.'
        I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar coin back.'
        She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request.
        I did so, and he handed me back the 25c, and said 'We're sorry but we don’t do that kind of thing.'
        The cashier then proceeded to give me back 75 cents in change.
        Do not confuse the people at MacD's.

        We had to have the garage door repaired.
        The repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener.
        I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.
        He shook his head and said, 'You need a 1/4 horsepower.'
        I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4 and he said, 'NOOO, it's not. Four is larger than two.'
        We haven't used that repairman since…

        I live in a semi rural area.
        We recently had a new neighbor call the local city council office to request the removal of the DEAR CROSSING sign on our road.
        The reason: 'Too many dears are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.'

        IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE.
        My daughter went to a Mexican fast food and ordered a taco.
        She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.'
        He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg lettuce.

        I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked,
        'Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?'
        To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?'
        He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That's why we ask.'

        The pedestrian light on the corner beeps when it's safe to cross the street.
        I was crossing with an 'intellectually challenged' co-worker of mine.
        She asked if I knew what the beeper was for.
        I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red.
        Appalled, she responded, 'what on earth are blind people doing driving?!'
        She is a government employee…..

        When my husband and I arrived at a car dealership to pick up our car after a
        service, we were told the keys had been locked in it.
        We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver’s side door.
        As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked.
        ‘Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'its open!'
        His reply, 'I know. I already did that side.'

        STAY ALERT!
        They walk among us, they breed, and they vote…….

    • lol, what?

      • Perhaps you have a higher tolerance level of stupidity than I do.

      • They said "by not killing all the idiots i come across".

        This means that when they come across an idiot, they choose not to kill them despite the urge to do so.

        They do not kill them because they are concerned that the particular instance of idiot with which they are dealing may well contribute in a positive way to the life of a person who is not an idiot.

        Of course if there was some way to determine if an idiot did not contribute anything positive to persons who are not idiots then they would then be free to manifest their primary urge by killing that particular idiot without causing harm to the community.

        Only non-idiots form part of the community. Idiots merely form part of the collective of idiots and stand outside the community. It is generally believed that idiots are more prevalent than non-idiots, however this may change if there was some reliable way to identify idiots in the first instance, preferably at birth.

        It's all quite simple really.

  • +5

    Volunteering?

    • +8

      surprisingly not as easy as you may think.

      • You're right there but I'm interested to learn more - what are you interested in volunteering on?

      • I've found it very easy to find opportunities to volunteer and enjoy doing it.

        But if you're earning comfortably more than minimum wage and want to do the most good, then the most effective way is probably by doing your usual work and then donating money to a good charity which will pay someone to do the work.

  • Nicholas Cage said it best: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DescO7qnD50

  • Pro bono for charity organisations.

  • +3

    I school kids in battlefield every day! Giving back where it counts lol. They say i banged your mum and i kill them for ya :D

  • +6

    I volunteer at university as well as externally for some organisations like Starlight and the Red Cross

    • What do you do at universities?

      • +3

        I volunteer with the student union with mentoring students, welfare collective and exam support stall.

        • Nice - how did you get into this?

        • +1

          @Tech and cars: he is probably a student

        • Currently attending uni, found out about it through the website and some advertising on posters and word of mouth

  • +29

    I refurbish older computers and give them away. Close to 500 at last count (15 laptops already this year)

    • Very cool - where do you give them away? :)

      • +2

        Mainly in my local community (Maitland) but as far as Newcastle, Gosford, Port Stevens and Gunnedah.

        • +1

          The question generally is, how do you start without seeming like some dodgy dude.

          I can just imagine myself going up to an organisation and saying - would you like some free computers - most people don't know how to react.

          Any advice on how to do the first steps?

        • +2

          @Tech and cars:

          I started by putting a wanted on my local communities freecycle page. I stated why I wanted them and then proceeded to deliver on what I claimed I wanted them for (I think out of three donations I was able to get one 1/2 way decent machine).

          After a while friends were giving me machines rather than throwing them away. This then extended to work colleagues - discussions around the work lunch table helped.

          More machines than people wanted - led me to local Facebook pages - Somewhere someone (I still have no idea who) told the local paper and then the floodgates opened…

          I'm currently working through something like 10 laptops and 5 desktops. The act of giving them away will likely lead to more donations..

          Have a look here if you're brave.. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17-gDxedwhsoYX4TSw1ZR…

  • +4

    There are heaps of volunteering organisations you can choose from, be they local, national or even international. You just need to pick your flavour.

    I've been a red cross emergency services vol for about 15 yrs, plus vol'd for a few first aid orgs over that time. I started when i was a single uni student but now being married, FT job and have 2 kidlets my vol time has reduced quite a lot.

    I think volunteering gives much more back then donating money, although i do donate money every now and again.

    What are you interested in other then family and work? Maybe you volunteer in that area?

    • Thanks - definitely agree that giving money is not rewarding as you don't see the direct benefit.

      I am interested in cars/technology/photography - I'm not sure how they would be helpful though.

      I've done reasonably well academically (completed aerospace engineering with honours from top uni in Qld) - so perhaps tutoring? I just don't want to help some rich kid do well - he was going to do well anyway… someone who really could do with the help, and I could perhaps mentor? again, not sure where to find these people to help them.

      I did run a photography organisation a couple years ago where I would get general clients - and then I would ask the client who their favourite charity is and then I would donate 100% of the money they would have paid me, to that instead.

      It's just photography is great but I found myself in uncomfortable situations a lot of the time so I would prefer to not do that. (parties where I'm taking photos of females, where they've dressed with minimal clothing - then I thought about how that would make my wife feel, and I stopped doing that).

      Looking for something different and more structured where I can come in and hopefully help and see the direct results.

      • Photography wise, lots of animal rescue places love photographers coming and professionally shooting… actually that's bad phrasing… professionally taking photos of the animals to find them homes.
        A great picture usually creates interest.

      • Contact your local Men's Shed.
        Go and visit and see how you can help

        They might like someone showing how to's in photography or it.
        A lot are older gents and would like someone younger turn up and help out.

        My elderly dad joined / helped found the Noosa one. It's great to know that he has somewhere good to go. They have a lot of uni types attending to talk about nutrition, health etc and have an arts and computer area so your local may be similar.

      • Contact student services at UQ or the student union. Maybe they can direct you to students under financial hardship that could do with some tutoring?

  • +1

    Nothing yet, but I got plans. In the meantime I set aside 10% of my disposable income for special projects.

    • That sounds interesting - care to elaborate?

      • Sorry, which part?

        • What sort of special projects?

        • +4

          @Tech and cars:
          Well, I have a lot of them, but one idea I had was to locate the nest of unfavored birds like pigeons, indian miners and noisy miners, and exterminate them while simultaneously building bird nests to attract native and more colorful birds to the area.

        • +1

          @outlander: Noisy Miners are natives, probably not allowed to go around killing them.

          Indian Mynas though, yeah, they need to go away. Some people trap them - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-08/indian-myna-birds-pest…

        • @abb:

          I know, but they use aggressive tactics to stifle competition. They're the avian equivalent of a large part of whats wrong with the human world. And, it wouldn't exactly be me killing them, our area seems to have a lot of feral cats and wild foxes so I was thinking of a cage design that would use them as bait.

          Besides, probably won't happen. Killing them is the easy part, but I can't start that until I put the support services in place or else I'm liable to kill a few, get bored and then go off and do something else having accomplished nothing but sully my soul a little more. The traps not a bad idea though, I might look into making one

  • +2

    Join a local community club such as Lions, Apex or even a Surf life Saving club if you are near a beach. You will find plenty to do there.
    There is also "Meals on wheels" to help get food to immobile seniors.
    You can also contact your local council for such advice.

    • +1

      Great tangible advice. thank you - I'll definitely do this

    • +1

      I had a triple-take when I read the join Apex part :p

    • Or Scouts! :)

  • +3

    Join volunteer organisations (Rotary for example). Or since you say you're into photography, ask local soccer clubs if they'd like someone to take photos during matches. Most players would love to have some professional photos of their matches.

    • +2

      Great tangible advice. thank you

      • I have joined my local Rotary club for almost a year.

        They have different divisions that you can help on. Such as international projects (e.g sponsoring kids in Bangladesh),local communities (e.g clean up areas), local youth (e.g sponsoring selected teens who can't afford books or uniform).Fund raising. Helping out on events.

        You don't do a project on your own. You work as a team. :)

  • +15

    Donate blood at Red Cross It is a real need that directly helps people. Your blood will save someone's life. IMO there is nothing more human than that.

    Look for volunteer ops in your local community eg. Working bees for nature reserves.

    Something that takes your time and skill.

    • +2

      Yes. Donating blood takes about an hour every three months and you are literally helping to save lives. And you get free food.

      • +2

        Or an hour and a half every 2 weeks if you do plasma-aphersis. Gets you to the 100 plus donations much quicker.
        But to be honest I do it for the cheese and crackers.

        • Plasma made me feel a bit funny.

          At the Parramatta Centre they give you party pies and sausage rolls as well as Mars bars and the biscuits. Pretty sweet!

        • @cainen:
          Only done full blood a handful of times but never had issue with 100+ of plasma but every ones different.
          Party pies sound great, got told once they use to give beers. Now that would be awesome.

        • Every time I pray for the cherry ripes to be in stock :)
          They used to do pizza nights on Wednesdays in Perth, but I think that is long gone now :(

    • +2

      I do this too. I was so shattered to get a letter telling me I had low iron and to lay off the donation for 6 months.

      Seeing this has reminded me to go do it

  • +5

    There would be literally 100's of opportunities for you to volunteer and give back something, There are many and varied community groups and organisations that contribute to the community so it's really a case of what you would like to do, on top of some of the other good suggestions are you could join your local SES or Rural fire brigade, coach a local kid's sport team, do some respite foster care work, there are many church organisations that provide food to those in need and need volunteer's, There are charity organisations through which you can travel to third world countries and help build a family a home that doesn't have one, you could do some bushland regeneration through your local council etc etc etc. The one caveat I would probably put on my "it's really a case of what you would like to do" is that is in more of a broad sense, ie rocking up to your local fire brigade and saying, "I will be the captain" probably won't be received well, whereas, rocking up to say what can I do to help would be.

    • +2

      Oh silentbob, has life made you just a little bit salty?

    • +4

      As opposed to aren't I cool for being so cynical and jaded about people's motivations so I can show off to randoms on Ozbargain just how clever I am?

      I think the post is pretty innocent and I think it's good when someone can recognise their privilege and want to lift up others with them.

    • +3

      lol, this is exactly why people post with anonymous user names, and exactly what also puts me off when it comes to helping - because there are always people who will see helping others as a negative thing.

      I remember a while ago I went to see will anderson - comedian - and he was talking about this issue.

      "Will: I was walking down the road with a friend, and I saw him a homeless guy - and so I gave him a couple dollars

      Will's friend then said: you know he's probably going to buy drugs with that money
      Will: hell, firstly where can you buy drugs for $2, and secondly - if he's going to have a good time with $2 I'd rather hang out with him"… it was a bit long winded.

      my point silentbob - you're not helping anyone(or maybe you are, I don't know). Whatever it is, that's fine. Don't discourage those that are trying.

      • -4

        Yet you're not trying to help anyone at all.

        You come to ozbargain to ask other people what you should do.

        If you wanted to help even a little bit for non-selfish reasons then you would be able to find out how YOU can give back on your own, rather than coming to ozbargain bragging about how you've had everything handed to you and wanting people to do your work for you.

        • +4

          I'm really trying to find out what's effective before jumping in. Seeing what others have done, and then jumping in.

          Again, I haven't posted my real name, it's all anonymous - so I don't see how it's bragging. Even if that was the intention, my question for you is, wouldn't you rather have that 1 more person on the street helping someone/doing something even if their original intention was crap? It's better than not helping.

    • There is no imperative for me to post as i can establish from your own missive that i am better than you.

      ps. I represent all OzBargain users.

  • +7

    Check your local paper - there's often opportunities in there. My Mum's local council runs a program where you cook and eat dinner with an isolated elderly person. Volunteering in a hospital or a nursing home to sit down and spend some time with lonely and/or marginalised people is really helpful too. Some facilities are full of people who have no one in the world to talk to but are full of stories to tell.

    Just one thing though - you mentioned you wanted something structured where you can see direct results. I think it's important that you be prepared for the fact that you see no results at all (unless you're doing tree planting) because sometimes the outcomes aren't seen until years later. If you go into it needing a payoff you might be disappointed. It depends what you mean by result I guess. Is it putting a smile on an elderly person's face? Seeing a tree go into the ground? Watching a kid who has no one shoot hoops with landing his first slam dunk? I think the best satisfaction you can get from these things is in knowing that you cared, when so many don't. Even if you see no results, or you get no thanks, I think you can get internal payoff from consistently showing up and caring and take heart in the knowledge that you made more of a difference than so many others, even if you don't see it immediately, if ever.

    • +1

      Very valid points - thank you.

  • +4

    I donate to charities.

    Pay tax.

    When I get a PS4 Pro, I plan to give my PS3 and games to a hospital, or a centre where kids will benefit from it.

  • +1

    Pretty simple really, follow the law ie don't create work for the police/justice system, pay tax and do the hardest thing, create at least 2 future taxpayers, not tax users and don't forget to do your civic duty, go and vote at election time. If you are really up to it, go into politics in the future and be the change you want to see. Good luck

  • +2

    SPORTS! INVEST IN SPORTS!

    Wherever you're in this continent, there're heaps of community sport clubs around you who always need some kind of support, both financially and non-financially.

    Start spending your spare time/dollar in these clubs then you'll see that's the best time/dollar you've ever spent!

    Either play for the club, help them organise weekend events etc., then let your son/daughter join them, play for them and make you proud.

    Tell me your location and I'll tell you exactly which team you should support within your 5kms!

  • +1

    If you plan to work with children, get your working with children check done. Just saying…

  • +2

    It's great that you're so aware of some of the things that helped you to feel successful. One thing you might want to think about is 'giving back' to the Indigenous people in your area - I'm guessing most of your life has been spent on their land. It can be really hard to know where to start with this, but you could start by finding out who those people are and trying to learn some of their history.

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