5 Ways to Do Good for Your Community: Scouts Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 17th, and to honor the legacy of Dr. King, we challenge you to step out and do something good for your community. Whether it's putting in a few hours at a soup kitchen or gathering a group of friends and family to clean up the local park, we believe community service is the perfect way to celebrate the civil rights leader's life. To make volunteering a little easier this year, here are a few ways you can contribute positive change in your hometown!  

Whether it's at the playground, local park, or community garden, gather a group of friends and family to collect and recycle litter in the outdoors. With the supervision of an adult, you could even organize river, beach, and neighborhood clean-ups as well! By participating in a clean-up event, you'll help keep your community looking beautiful while protecting the environment from water, soil, and even air pollution. It's best to pick a project that best fits the needs of your community. If your city already does a great job controlling waste pollution, another great idea is volunteering on a beautification project like planting trees or flowers with your city council's permission.

Doing good for your community doesn't have to end with helping people. On MLK Day, consider volunteering at an animal shelter to help cats, dogs, and other animals in need. According to the Humane Society, one of the leading animal protection organizations in the world, there are an estimated 3,500 shelters around the U.S. To help make the lives of these animals a bit easier, you can feed, groom, and bring a little bit of joy by playing with them. It's not uncommon for shelters to need assistance with fundraising, social media, and distributing fliers to help spread awareness. So, if you're allergic or don't feel comfortable around cats or dogs, you could always contribute by assisting them in finding a forever home!

From clothes and shoes to jackets, blankets, and even books, donating unwanted items is perhaps the easiest way to do good for other children and families in your community. Some people are not fortunate enough to afford new clothes, and as a result, they must turn to shelters and thrift stores for essential items that we often take for granted. Going through your closet and selecting gently used shoes, jeans, and t-shirts to donate is a great way to help those in need while keeping your room organized. With the help of an adult, you could also supply food banks with nonperishable food items like dried fruits and vegetables, canned meats, ground coffee, and rice. You should also note that shelters are often in short supply of personal hygiene products like soap, deodorant, toothpaste. Get with a parent to decide which items you're able to donate to local charities.

Plan on volunteering? Share with us how you’re contributing to your community with us on Instagram! 

You can find a Meals on Wheels program in most communities around the country. According to Feeding America, 1 in 14 seniors faces hunger in the U.S. Volunteer opportunities include meal delivery, meal packaging, and even pet food packaging. Meals on Wheels is an excellent program for families with younger children and teenagers because they get to spend more time together while doing good for others. Parents can sign up here and search for volunteer opportunities within your community today!

If you're seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love. Small acts of kindness throughout the day can lead to positive changes throughout a lifetime. Whether it's something simple, like saying "thank you" to the bus drivers, teachers, and custodians at your school or making a new student feel accepted on their first day, kindness can have a tremendous impact on the lives of others in your community. If you want to practice kindness, try listening to others when they speak, withholding judgment if you disagree with their ideas, and helping classmates even if helping them doesn't provide any benefits to you. It's often easier to judge the world based on the negative things we encounter every day, but by showing even a hint of kindness, maybe you can change someone's outlook on life for the better.

Whether it’s in your neighborhood, school, or your local animal shelter, the best way to make a difference is with time, energy, and above all, kindness.  Like Plant City Boy Scout Troop 744, who conducted a flag retirement ceremony in December, or Alexander Phillips of Troop 50 in Georgetown, MA, whose Eagle Project was establishing a “Little Free Library,” you too can help others in need. Showing kindness and helping less fortunate people are great ways to impact your community positively. To find more volunteer opportunities within your community, check out United Way, Meals on Wheels, or AmeriCorps.