How to get involved

That is all you are, just one person. You may not realize it yet but “just one person” is the most powerful thing in the world. There are 300 million of you in the U.S. right now. What if only a third of all those “just one” persons gave 15 minutes of their time this week to make America a safer, healthier place to live in?

Do you think that 1,500 million minutes would make a difference?

Thousands of well meaning people are marching on towns and cities all across this nation. They “occupy” this or that place, put up their tents and busily engage in exercising their fundamental First Amendment right to free speech.

It is activism, and maybe it brings some awareness to a perceived set of problems. What it is not doing is really making a difference. Tearing up public property, engaging in criminal trespass and worse crimes in the name of freedom is only creating a new set of problems.

How to Get Involved to Make Lasting Change

Truly creating lasting change in America requires a different sort of activity-community service. Dr. Martin Luther King said it so eloquently when he stated "Life's most urgent and persistent question is: what are you doing for others?" Instead of marching to occupy, let us reach out to the suffering in our own community, offer a hand up instead of demanding handouts from Uncle Sam.

There are organizations in every community that are in earnest need of volunteers, resources and money to serve the needs of the community. If you are a businessperson or employee with a busy schedule, do some homework and determine where a small financial contribution will make the biggest difference.

How to Get Involved-Volunteer

If you are a stay at home person or retiree, volunteer your time. The time you donate will make a difference in the lives of the people you touch. There are many ways to get involved right where you live.

· Volunteer time and resources to the community food bank

· Work in a community kitchen feeding the homeless

· Volunteer with the Red Cross

· Pick a few names off your church angel tree to buy gifts for the elderly and underprivileged children

· Volunteer to help in disaster relief efforts

Get your business involved in helping the needy. Sponsor the United Way to your employees and co-workers. Have blood drives in your business or community to stockpile blood for times of emergency.

Get Involved-Fight hunger in your community

Right now one in six Americans are battling hunger. High unemployment, loss of homes and incomes makes this a serious issue in every community. Join with local farmers and shopkeepers in organizations like AmeriCorps and Grocers against Hunger to help people in your community have enough to eat.

Volunteer to work in community gardens and if your community does not have any, start one. You and your neighbors can grow fresh vegetables in vacant lots or even on rooftops that will alleviate the suffering of hungry people right in your own community.

Here are some Community Service resources that would love your help:

· Your local Community Emergency Response Team

· Adopt a meal-delivering hot meals to invalids and shut-ins

· Class Wish.org-Volunteering in the schools to improve education

· Make a Wish Foundation

· United Way

· YMCA Y-Mentors-volunteer to mentor young people

There are literally hundreds of ways you can get involved in your community and help make a difference in the lives of others. Talk to your priest, rabbi, minister or cleric to find out what religious organizations might need your help.

Join local civic clubs and organizations that do community service work. The Lions, Elks and Masons are all actively involved with community service.

The next time you hear someone say “I’m just one person”, ask him or her what 1.5 billion minutes can do to make a difference.

A good place to find opportunities to serve is the Volunteering in America website hosted by the U.S. Government. Just go to http://www.serve.gov/ to search for community service opportunities in your community.