Giving Back— Doing Good in the World Today

Charity work is a great way to help others and show your compassion to humanity. There are several charity organizations worldwide that you can choose from if you want to volunteer or give back to society. Find a charity that is close to your heart and is in line with your advocacies. Start by searching in your local community for charities that you can support or join as a volunteer. Celebrities and Charitable Work Celebrities who support their favorite charities help the advocacy by raising awareness and spreading their message. Regardless of celebrities’ motives in helping out, the chosen charities are given publicity that would otherwise be too costly or unaffordable. The publicity they get helps spread their message and translates to more people supporting them and their advocacies. While there are the high profile cases of celebrities, such as Madonna, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, giving back by traveling to other countries to help the children there – and going so far as to adopt children from some of the poorest countries in the world—there are also many examples where the rich and famous are quietly helping their favorite charity in the background. For example, Trace Cyrus, older brother to Miley Cyrus, quietly campaigned for a PETA event called "Ink Not Mink" that sought to bring attention to the cruelty of the animal fur trade. Charities and You While there are tons of charities out there, finding one that involves a cause that you believe in includes careful consideration lots of thinking. Doing charity work is not a one-off thing. You must also be prepared to commit your time and efforts to help make good changes in society. With so many charity organizations clamoring for support, knowing what is important to you is a good first step. If you can’t find a specific charity for an advocacy you would like to support, you can always start one. The great thing about learning how to start a charity is that you can model it on the successes of others that already exist, and improve them to meet the goals of your organization. Gaining Momentum: How to Help Your Charity Succeed One of the most difficult aspects of running a non-profit organization is coming up with charity fundraising ideas. This is one area where getting the word out about your ideas, plans and goals can help your charity reach out to the intended segment of the population as well as garner the support it needs for other dedicated individuals. Kids Giving Back One idea is to take cue from kids who contribute to charitable organizations. Due to their sheer determination and unique approach, ideas such as a modest lemonade stand held in their front yard, can reap huge benefits. For example, four year old Alex Scott sold lemonade to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. She not only brought attention to her cause, she spawned a movement that has become her legacy.