Sometimes we really want to help others, and maybe even donate money to a charity, but we simply can’t afford it. Luckily, there are other ways that don’t require our finances. For example, you can become a volunteer, donate your hair, and even your old mascara wand!
We at ViralSection are glad there are so many ways you can give back to others without spending any money. Here are some of them!
1. You can donate your old mascara wands.
You can donate your used and cleaned mascara wands to the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge. This organization provides care for injured and orphaned animals in Western North Carolina. The wands are used to remove fly eggs and larva from the fur and feathers of wild animals. Because the organization has seen a huge response, they now accept wands only in October and February.
2. You can donate your wedding registry.
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Traditionally guests bring presents for the newlyweds to a wedding. Instead, you can ask your guests to donate to an organization of your choice.
3. You can donate a photo.
Using a donation app, you can take pictures, share them, and Johnson & Johnson will give $1 to the cause of your choice. Some of the causes you can help are women`s and children`s health, education and equality, and environmental health.
4. You can donate your airplane miles.
If you’re a frequent flyer, you can donate your unused award miles to help organizations like the Red Cross transport their staff and volunteers to critical areas. There are also some other causes you can donate your miles to.
5. You can donate your hair.
If you have long hair and then decide to have it cut short, your hairdresser doesn’t have to throw that treasure away! You can donate it, and it will be made into a wig. For example, Wigs For Kids provides children, who’ve lost their hair after medical treatment, with hair pieces that can help them feel more confident.
6. You can donate your beauty or personal hygiene products.
Many of us have bought a new lipstick, perfume, or eye shadow at least once, that we only used once and then put away in a drawer forever because the color or the smell wasn’t quite right. Well, those products don’t have to be left unused, you can donate them to Project Beauty Share.
They will then pass them on to organizations that help women and families who are overcoming abuse, addiction, homelessness, and poverty, who can`t afford these luxuries.
7. You can give away a book.
You probably have at least a few books that are just sitting there on a shelf and that you`ll never read again. You can join the Little Free Library, a book-sharing movement. The books that you don`t need anymore will be put in special boxes for others to learn from and enjoy! Thus you will help those who either can`t afford them, or who don`t see a huge variety of books in their public libraries.
8.You can donate blood.
Donating blood is a pretty simple thing to do, and yet, it could potentially save someone’s life. It will only take 8 to 10 minutes to collect your blood, and you’ll be given a tasty snack afterward!
9. You can become a volunteer.
If you have some extra time, you can become a volunteer and put your skills to good use! What`s great about it is that there`s something for everyone to do, depending on their interest and who they want to help. You can volunteer at an animal shelter, a hospital, care for the elderly in retirement homes, and do just about anything that can help people, animals, and the environment!
10. You can get rid of stuff that you don`t need.
You can actually donate pretty much anything, as long as it’s in good condition. For example, Goodwill accepts clothes, shoes, housewares, household tools, electronics, furniture, and a lot more. There are many organizations that accept all kinds of stuff, and sometimes you might even come across special bins where you can put your clothes, accessories, and other things.
11. You can donate energy.
A lot of people don`t have access to modern energy services. A company called Gridmates gives you an opportunity to help those people. If you have solar panels, you can donate the excess energy generated by them.
12. You can donate old greeting cards.
If your old greeting cards don`t hold any emotional value for you, you can give them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. This nonprofit organization cares for abused, abandoned, and neglected children. Children take your used cards and make new ones out of them, which will then be sold later. This recycled card program teaches teenagers employment skills.
Have you ever done any of these things? What other ways of giving back do you know of where you don’t have to give money? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Preview photo credit agroyle / reddit
