Hello All,
So, I am pretty passionate about helping those in need. I have found though, that there are...complications...that makes it more difficult than you might want it to be to help those who need it. For instance, I used to try to volunteer for community service. I would look online for places I could help out, but I would find that it is actually a relatively annoying process. There were places, but they weren't holding events all the time. Or maybe they just needed money and donations and not actual bodies/time commitment. I'm not saying these things are bad either, but sometimes I want a person interaction with someone in need. The other thing I found was that you may want to help someone today; like NOW. So you go to a community service center to help out, and they tell you to fill out some paper work and come back or there is nothing for you to do. It's actually rather off-putting.
Well, I decided to do my own thing. I won't get into how I personally give back to the community now, but I do believe one person can make a difference. I am saying all of this to say that despite that fact that at times there can be hurtles to helping people, there are ways. One way I have discovered and am very fond of is an organization called KIVA.
What KIVA does is accept donations from people that are then distributed to people in less fortunate parts of the world. The catch is this; your donations aren't really donations. They are loans. I know that sounds worse, but stick with me. These people already work hard and are making a living, but don't have as much opportunity as we have in the United States despite their hard work. So our donations are offered up as no interest loans. You give them money. They give it back. You are where you started. The most brilliant part though, is that when you give and it comes back to you, you can just loan it out again. Over time these loans help countless people but cost you nothing more than an initial donation because they recycle themselves.
As a shout-out to an organization that is doing amazing things for people in need, I created a little PR for them because we all gain when we help others. Check them out at their website:
KIVA.org
Kiva - Loans that change lives
**I have no contractual affiliation with this organization. Pleas don't sue me. Thanks :)