[READ-A-BIT BLOG] Give Back to Our Local Community This Holiday Season
This year has demonstrated, perhaps more than ever, the importance of our family, friends, neighbors, and Community. And with the holidays right around the corner, December offers the perfect opportunity to give back to the place we call home.
Let these 10 ways, both big and small, inspire you to give back to our local community.
GIVE BACK NEAR HOME
Attract local wildlife
By making your neighborhood more wildlife friendly, you’re helping to create a balanced and healthy ecosystem. Plus, many of the animals you can attract help with pest control and pollination.1 Use native plants in your landscaping to provide food and shelter for birds, bees, and butterflies.
Clean up our community
To help beautify the area, pick up trash in your neighborhood at a local park, or elsewhere in our community. Clean your home’s driveway and sidewalks, where water runoff can carry debris into the local sewer system.2
Organize or join a neighborhood watch
Accroding to a recent report, neighborhoods with Neighborhood Crime Watch programs experience roughly 16 percent less crime.3 Keeping an eye out for each other instills a sense of safety and security in your neighborhood, so consider joining or launching a neighborhood watch program in your area.
HELP LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
Boost your civic engagement
Get more involved as a citizen to make a positive difference in our community. Sign a petition to make needed community changes. Attend community meetings to understand (and have a voice in) local issues.4
Support local businesses
Because the pandemic has negatively impacted many businesses, help keep money in our community’s economy by shopping local. Look for unique gifts from the small businesses that dot our community. Purchase tickets to attend live-streamed holiday concerts and shows.
Donate to local charities
Nonprofits could always use your financial support, so consider making a monetary donation to help them carry out their mission. Then think beyond just donating dollars. Donate new or used books to our community library. Pick out toys to give to a charity that caters to families.5
CARE FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS
Organize a holiday food drive
This year, in particular, people are struggling to pay their bills and put food on the table. Round up a few friends or coworkers to collect groceries to donate. Partner with a local food bank, soup kitchen, nonprofit, or community organization that feeds people in need.
Adopt a family or an individual
The holidays can be a financial struggle for some families. Make a difference by “adopting” a family (or even just one child) to help make their holiday special. You can help them buy decorations, presents for their children, or food for a holiday meal.
Volunteer
Depending on your schedule and your preferences, you might be able to volunteer in-person or from home, whether it’s a one-time effort or ongoing project. Tap into a skill you already have (like creating videos) or learn a new skill (like fundraising) to benefit your cause of choice.
Perform random acts of kindness
You can make a big difference one small act at a time. Rake leaves for an elderly neighbor. Thank your child’s teacher for all their hard work this year.
Sources: 1. Redfin 2. The Groundwater Foundation 3. The Globe and Mail
4. Parade 5. MentalFloss
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
As real estate experts in our local community, we’re tuned into the unique needs of the place we all call home. Reach out to us today to discuss more ways to make a positive impact in our community—ways we can give back to our community this holiday season and beyond. And we want to make sure you’re taken care of, too. If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home now or in the near future, let us help you!
New Century Real Estate is an energetic team that helps you fully understand the process of purchasing and/or selling a home. Be sure to ask us about savings available for local Hometown Heroes who buy or sell a home with a New Century Real Estate Agent.
