Many people have the drive to do something that puts a smile on the faces of others. If you feel this same passion welling within you, you might not know exactly what you can do to spread positivity. One wonderful thing about communities is that the smallest acts of kindness can ripple out and make huge changes.

You might feel dedicated to taking even more large-scale actions though, and there are accessible options in that regard, as well. Once you know a few effective ways to further your cause in the community, you will be able to decide the best path for yourself. The following guide from ThinkWing Radio with Mike Honig can help you find ways to get involved with your local community.

1. Register to Vote in Local Elections

One of the easiest ways to bring about noticeable change is to exercise your right to vote for politicians who will advocate for causes you support. Refinery29 cites statistics showing that in 2016, only 27% of voters cast their ballots in local elections.¹ While you might feel that a single vote does not make enough of a difference, these numbers suggest that a landslide election can be completely reversed if less than one-fourth of the community simply opts to participate.²

2. Support Local Businesses

Buying from local shops instead of large chain retailers is a great way to boost your town’s economy and keep your community strong. You can go the extra mile by spreading the word about your favorite local businesses through social media or other avenues. Your efforts might even serve to help business owners connect and pool their resources for everyone’s benefit.

If you are an entrepreneur yourself, you might consider networking with other nearby business owners. When like-minded individuals collaborate and bolster each other’s marketing endeavors, the entire community can thrive as a result. You could even create your own networking event and extend personalized invitations to other community business owners — you can try this online tool to help. A personal invitation is more likely to create interest in your event.

3. Raise Environmental Awareness

Protecting the environment is an important responsibility that everyone should shoulder together. Within your local community, strong environmental awareness can encourage beautiful and healthy spaces that future generations can enjoy too.

You can help spread the message about conservation efforts by attending or organizing activist rallies, or even an event like a walk-a-thon (an especially popular idea among those living in walkable cities) that generates proceeds to give to a local charity. Social media can be an equally powerful method when attending events in person is not an option. Creating persuasive content such as blog articles and videos to share on your social accounts can really help get your point across.

If positively influencing the next generation is important to you, you might also consider exploring your options to teach by earning a teaching certification. And thanks to the flexibility of online learning platforms, you can proceed at your own pace without having to take too much time off from your current career.

4. Start a Nonprofit Organization

When you want to accomplish greater things than what can be done alone, forming a nonprofit organization could be the answer. Nonprofits serve as a perfect meeting ground for volunteers and donors who all want to do their part. It is also much easier to apply for grants and secure other forms of public funding when operating as a nonprofit corporation.

Your nonprofit organization must state a specific purpose upon its founding and this should align with your own personal passions. You might decide to form a charitable organization, veterans organization, or any other community-serving cause. Be aware that when you form a nonprofit, it is necessary to draft bylaws that outline how you will operate. It is important to plan management details, board meeting schedules, voting rules, and guidelines on what constitutes a conflict of interest.³

Working toward a cause believe in takes effort, but it can be more fulfilling than anything else. Your passion might drive you to lead a nonprofit or a huge campaign that spurs others to action within your community. However, you should take equal pride in the small and simple actions that contribute to greater change as well.

To listen or learn more about ThinkWing Radio, visit ThinkWing Radio with Mike Honig today!

Photo by Dio Hasbi Saniskoro from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-doing-group-hand-cheer-3280130/

Katybeth Dee was inspired to co-create Self Exam after her sister was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 23. She hopes to use the site to spread awareness on preventing illness, as well as lend support to those currently facing their own medical battles. She lives in California with her golden retriever, Luna.

MIKE NOTES:

1. The Refinery29 article has a lot of interesting stats. It specifically mentions very low turnout in “off cycle elections”. I’ve come to call these “stealth elections”, because so few people even know they’re occurring. In Harris County alone, I’ve seen precincts with literally 0-to-2 votes, and turnouts below 4%.
2. Probably true based on stats I’ve seen.
3. As the referenced article points out, there will be ongoing reporting, as well, just like a for-profit corporation.