We talk and debate a lot here about various different topics, political and philosophical, and I think we get too caught up on the critical side of things sometimes. I know I do. I also know that this is a pretty intelligent group of people here and intelligent people tend to be critical, or at least it seems to me that they do. So this had me stop and ask the question: What things have you done, volunteered with or contributed too or tried to help with?
For me, because I am depressed I am not able to do much. But, I am still able to help people. I go to another web page where people can get one on one help to talk about their problems or depression or anxiety or what not. I try to help at least one person a day there. My life is kind of on a down turn right now, that is not the point of this thread, it is just one detail of my situation. The point is after years and years of depression and anxiety, I am able to help someone else with those issues, even if I am having a bad day or am not at the top of my game right now.
I used to do a lot of volunteer work and activism. I look forward to doing more in the future. So… fellow Dopers, what have you been able to do that has been able to make a positive difference in this world?
I worked for a children’s advocacy group that managed to accomplish a few things despite a hostile state legislature. Even though I was just one of the people in the office, I like to think that maybe I made things a little easier for the people on the firing line.
I also worked in a hospital. Patient care is tough, dirty and frustrating. But if you ever want a job where you go home at night knowing you had a direct impact on someone’s life, that’s the job to have.
Volunteering (and possibly working in the future) with an in-home rehabilitation company that works with relatively newly-spinal cord injured clients who have already gotten out of the rehab hospital and are now trying to integrate back into the real world.
My role is to help them learn how to develop exercise techniques, habits and proper form, from the perspective of a wheelchair. There are other, able-bodied physical therapists and trainers as well, it’s a cohesive unit. The unique aspect of this company is it’s traveling, “we come to you” nature. The whole thing has been a remarkable experience and has recharged me, internally.
We give micro-loans to small businesses in the third world through KIVA. These are interest-free loans and we focus on woman-owned businesses, as we feel that liberating women from traditional oppression is key to changing how the planet functions. So far, every single one of them has been repaid.
Here at home, we anonymously fund a weekend lunch program for (at present) seven of the most at-risk kids in our local elementary school. While these kids are able to get breakfast and lunch through various federal and local programs at the school during the week, they are on their own on weekends and during the occasional week-long holidays such as spring break.
I used to belong to a group of student musicians who played concerts in seniors’ homes. The seniors appreciated having something a little different to look forward to in their day.
I don’t have a lot of money to give to charity, but I’ll usually throw a coin or two into the fountain whenever I’m at the local mall, and that money goes to charity. (I know this seems really insignificant, but I figure it’s helping out even though in a small way.)
A long time ago, almost 40 years now, I volunteered with the Red Cross at a blood donor center. I wasn’t one of the people actually drawing blood, I did the support work like setting up and taking down tables, cleaning up, packing blood for shipment, and so forth. I was a teen at the time and pretty amazed that I was doing something that would help make someone better or even save a life.
I worked at a clinic for four years - while I did not work directly with the clients most of the time I did help the clinic run. We helped some people get off drugs and get their lives back together.
I was an early backer of Deborah’s Place in Chicago, donating food and money in the early years when it was just getting started and they had nearly no funding. I’m very happy I was a small part of an institution that has helped so many for so many years.